Transcript The Balanced Literacy Approach

The Balanced Literacy Approach
 “A
method to develop
attitudes about literacy and
learning that will last a
lifetime.”
What kind of teacher do I think that we
should all be? (1)

We have to be lifelong learners.


Education never stops. We can always
be better.
As Language Arts teachers we always
need to remember:
“To be able to be caught up into the world
of thought – that is being educated.” Edith
Hamilton
 “It is thinking that makes what we read
ours.” John Locke

What kind of teacher do I think that we
should all be? (2)





“We should not teach great books; we should teach
a love of reading.” B.F. Skinner.
“To get students to think for themselves as they
read, teachers have to stop thinking for them.”
Maren Aukerman
“Never underestimate your students’ capacity for
higher order thinking, no matter how young they
are.” (My experience in K-4)
The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have
to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain
surgeon.” Robert Cormier
“Writing is thinking on paper.” William Zinsser
What kind of teacher do I think that we
should all be? (3)






“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration.” Ernest
Hemingway
What is written without effort is read without pleasure.”
Samuel Johnson
Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” Margaret Fuller
“The problem with many youngsters today is not that they
don’t have opinions, but that they don´t have the facts on
which to base their opinions.” Albert Shanker
“Language shapes the way we think and determines what
we can think about.” Benjamin Lee Whorf
Push your students to read texts beyond their comfort
level with your help. Guided Reading is a great tool for
that and you will have better educated students too. (My
experience teaching Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge,
and Shakespeare in the Elementary School)
The Whole Child


I have some biases with respect to
education. One of them is that we should
educate “the whole child”.
Another bias is the importance of
acquiring certain lifelong skills that will
make it possible for our children to
successfully face the challenges of what
seems to be a very uncertain future. This
is why I believe in “academic excellence”
for all students.
Easier said than done!

Casals played the cello like a
virtuoso, but he also had a sensitive
and passionate “soul” that made his
music unique. I think that we, as
teachers, should also have sensitive
and passionate souls that can see
the uniqueness of each child and
help them to become “virtuosos” in
every field in life.
Pablo Casals on the subject of
“education”
“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of
the universe, a moment that never was before and will
never be again. And what do we teach our children in
school? We teach them that two and two make four
and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we
also teach them what they are? We should say to each
of them: ‘Do you know what you are? You are a
marvel. You are unique. In all of the world there is no
other child exactly like you. In the millions of years
that have passed there has never been another child
like you. And look at your body – what a wonder it is!
Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way
you move! You may become a Shakespeare, a
Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for
anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow
up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a
marvel? You must cherish one another. You must work
– we must all work – to make this world worthy of its
children.’ ”
The Balanced Literacy Approach




This presentation is based on the
book, Guiding Readers and Writers
by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su
Pinnell.
© 2001, Heinemann, a division of
Reed Elsevier Inc. 361 Hanover
Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912
www.heinemann.com
All rights reserved.
The Balanced Literacy Approach

Additional bibliography that has helped to
give shape to this presentation:
Fitzgerald, Jill (School of Education, University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and
 Kropiewnicki, Mary (Assistant Professor of
Education at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania)
NOTE: These and other articles are available for
you to read.
RECOMMENDATION: Don’t swallow whole!

Balanced Literacy

The Balanced Literacy Approach is
an instructional method to teach
comprehension, genre, and content
literacy to all students, from
Kindergarten (where children begin
to learn about themselves, about
others, and about the world that
surrounds them) to 6th Grade,
when (hopefully) they will have
become fully autonomous learners.
Balanced Literacy

It is assumed that when the
students have entered 7th Grade,
they will have mastered all the
necessary skills in reading and
writing. This does not mean that the
approach cannot go beyond 6th
Grade. Therefore, we suggest that
teachers always be on the alert to
detect deficiencies over and beyond
6th Grade.
The Balanced Literacy Approach

Adaptations to this model are
possible in subsequent grades,
especially with struggling readers,
to enable them to keep up with
minimum standards in literacy
development. However, the scope of
this model (as it is being
implemented at CNG) may be better
suited for teachers and students in
grades K to 6th.
What we mean by “balance”.

“Balance” is understood in this presentation
as using the three guiding principles in
reading instruction, namely:



The school’s particular curricular goals drive
instruction.
A wide variety of instructional methods is used.
Different knowledge goals are considered when
setting up the reading program. For example:
 Understand and respond to content across the
curriculum.
 Enjoy substantive, thought-provoking fiction
and non fiction texts.
What we mean by “balance”.
A possible school goal: “All students will
be reading at or above grade level by the
end of the year.”
 Possible “knowledge goals”:





Read and understand Social Studies content
and area-specific vocabulary.
Read and understand Mathematics content
and area-specific vocabulary.
Read and understand Science content and
area-specific vocabulary.
Use content and specific vocabulary from
different content areas across the
curriculum, both orally and in writing.
Balanced Literacy


A balanced approach arises from a
set of beliefs that have been
prevalent since the late 90s in
reading instruction.
Even if similar beliefs are shared by
all teachers, the implementation, in
different classroom settings, may
vary and still be valid.
Reading and Writing
Theory
Knowledge that both readers and writers
hold in common.
(See details in our next slide.)
Reading and Writing
Theory




Metaknowledge
Domain knowledge about substance
and content
Knowledge about universal text
attributes
Procedural knowledge and skill to
negotiate reading and writing
NOTE: For more specific information, please
refer to p. 41 of Fitzgerald and Shanahan
(2000).
Reading and Writing
Theory

Metaknowledge (Pragmatics)




Knowing about the functions and
purposes of reading and writing
Knowing that readers and writers
interact
Monitoring the making of meaning in
ourselves (metacomprehension)
Monitoring our own knowledge
Reading and Writing
Theory

Domain knowledge about substance
and content (Semantics)


Vocabulary meaning
Meaning created through context of
connected text
Reading and Writing
Theory

Knowledge about universal text attributes
Graphophonics
 Phonological awareness
 Grapheme awareness
 Morphology
Syntax
- Syntax of sentences
- Punctuation
Text Format
- Structure of larger pieces of text
- Text organization (sequence, graphics)
Reading and Writing
Theory
Research suggests that reading
and writing may be taught more
effectively TOGETHER rather
than delaying writing
instruction until reading
development is completed.
This is the underlying principle of the “balanced
literacy” approach that we shall discuss during the
next five weeks of this course and that, as a
“practitioner”, I uphold too.
Balanced Literacy
The Goal

To become lifelong readers and
writers.

As Readers:


To read all kinds of genres with ease and
depth of understanding.
As Writers:

To write all kinds of pieces from creative
to formal, in prose or in verse, with ease,
clarity of ideas, appropriate organization,
and distinctive style and voice.
Balanced Literacy
The Three-Block Framework
Time Frame: 180 minutes

Language and Word Study Block

Reading Block

Writing Block
The First Twenty Days






M = minilesson
S = skills and strategies minilesson
L = literature study minilesson
Day 1 (M)
Selecting books
Enjoying silent reading
Day 2 (M)
How readers choose books
Day 3 (S)
Making good book choices
The First Twenty Days

Day 4 (S)

Day 5 (M)

Day 6 (M)

Day 7 (L)

Day 8 (L)
Thinking and
talking about your
reading
How to buzz with
each other
Abandoning
books
Distinguishing
between fiction and
nonfiction
Different kinds of
fiction and nonfiction
The First Twenty Days

Day 9 (M)

Day 10 (M)

Day 11 (S)

Day 12 (M)

Day 13 (S)
Keeping a record of your
reading
Guidelines for Reading
Workshop
Writing responses in your
reading
Writing letters in your
Reader’s Notebook every
week
Proofreading your letter
The First Twenty Days




Day 14 (S) Topics for your
Reader’s Notebook
Day 15 (M) Using stick-on notes
(Post-Its)
Day 16 (M) Creating a list of your
reading interests
Day 17 (M) How to write book
recommendations
The First Twenty Days

Day 19 (S) Solving unknown words
Day 18 (S) Checking for
understanding as you
read
 Day 20 (S) Using punctuation to
understand

The First Twenty Days

Every year, 2nd to 6th Grade, the
teacher should start with this 20day format. This will ensure
continuity of the model as well as
mastery of all the components, but
it will also provide the necessary
review and “scaffolding” to develop
full literacy autonomy in subsequent
grades.
Reading Workshop
Time Frame: 60 minutes
Components:

Independent Reading

Guided Reading

Shared Reading/Literature Study

Group Share and
Evaluation
What is Happening at C.N.G.(1)

We have a three-hour block for Language
Arts every day. In my case it runs from
9:15 to 12:15, Monday through Friday.
However, this time frame is not solely for
Language Arts, since we must also insert
some snack/recess time (approximately
20 minutes), because our lunch time does
not occur until 1:15, Science Lab, and
Library Time (one hour per week), and
assembly time once a month.
What is Happening at C.N.G.(2)

In this time frame I am also
required to have Social Studies,
Science, and Math centers, but I
can make them “language-based”.
This means that, while the students
are working independently in their
different centers, I can take small
reading or writing groups (no more
than six students at a time) and
work with them taking turns.
The Guided Reading Component

If, for example, you have four
groups of six students (a class of
24 students) it makes sense to
meet more often with the low
groups because they need more
help. This rationale should apply
in larger classes too, but always
being careful not to disengage
the abler students either.
BECOMING LIFELONG
READERS





Read voluntarily and often.
Read a wide variety of materials.
Read to become informed on a wide
range of topics.
Collect books and refer to favorites
again and again.
Talk with others about what they
read.
BECOMING LIFELONG
READERS





Know authors, illustrators, genres,
and styles.
Develop preferences and constantly
expand them.
Reflect on their reading.
Make connections between and
among the things they have read.
Think critically about what they
read.
BECOMING LIFELONG
READERS





Have confidence in themselves as
readers.
Present themselves as readers to
others.
Read to improve their lives.
Read to have satisfying and
rewarding vicarious experiences.
Read to expand the world beyond
the here and now.
BECOMING LIFELONG
READERS

Recommend books to others.
NOTE: This past year, “peer pressure” was
the single most influential incentive for
non-readers to want to read. My entire
class read the collection of books about
famous artists that our library had. They
took turns throughout the year to read
these books! The year before, the
emphasis was on insects.
The Three-Block Framework
Language and Word Study










Interactive Edit
Interactive Vocabulary
Handwriting Minilessons
Test Reading/Writing
Current Events
Modeled or Shared Reading/Writing
Choral Reading
Poetry Share/Response
Word Study
Interactive Read Aloud
Language and Word Study
1. Interactive Edit
In an interactive edit, the teacher
explicitly demonstrates the process
of editing (and, in so doing, teaches
important editing conventions)
using two to three sentences, a
short paragraph, or a short letter
that has several errors in it. Ideally,
the errors should be the ones that
the students are making in their
independent writing.
Language and Word Study
1. Interactive Edit
(Example of student letter)

Dear Ms. Wilson,
I am reading Shipwreck at the Bottom of the
World by Jennifer Armstrong and I love it. I am reading
it slowly because it has some difficult words. The book
is filled with danger. The crew is trapped in their ship.
Do you know Captain Shackleton? He’s the main
character.
The trip started in 1914 and ended in 1916. The
explorers faced many dangers.
I think that Shackleton is a great captain because
he tries to keep everyone calm and even though the
crewmen are rough people, they are brave.
Please tell me what you think.
Love,
Patrick
Language and Word Study
1. Interactive Edit
(Teacher’s Response)
Dear Patrick,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.
I too have enjoyed all the stories about Captain
Shackleton (there are many) and I agree with you
that he is a very good captain.
I look forward to reading your next letter,
when you have finished reading the book. I would
like to know more about your views on the
importance of courage and why you think that the
crewmen were courageous.
With love,
Jean Wilson
Language and Word Study
2. Interactive Vocabulary


Explicit teaching of vocabulary
means that teachers actually teach
students to learn how to learn
words because reading by itself will
not provide the necessary
vocabulary growth.
Interactive vocabulary study.
focuses on word meanings
Language and Word Study
2. Interactive Vocabulary
(Example from current events text)
WORD WALL
(Refers to the list of words that are currently
being studied by the children)
Word walls should remain on the walls (or
bulletin boards) of the classroom
throughout the year. However, if there is no
space to continue adding words, you can
post the specific word wall, on a weekly
basis, and file the previous ones for review
purposes at any time.
Current Events Word Wall
Article # 1: Stunned Victim …
NOTE: Here the words are posted in the order
in which they appear in the article.
waterlogged
counselors
adolescence
blotting
whip-thin
congeal
spell
cooler
bucket
brigade

Current Events Word Wall
adolescence
blotting
brigade
bucket
congeal
cooler
counselors
spell
waterlogged
whip-thin
NOTE: Here, the words have been placed in ABC order.
Exercise with Word Walls




1. Read the three articles.
2. In small groups create word walls
for each article.
3. Look up the meanings of the
words in your word wall.
4. Skim through the three articles
again after having looked up the
words. (Plus oral discussion.)
Language and Word Study
5. Current Events (cont.)

Talking about current events builds
the students’ interest in the world
around them.
Language and Word Study
3. Handwriting Minilessons
You may want your students to learn a
certain type of handwriting that will allow
them to write with ease and appropriate
speed.
A minilesson is a brief, clear
demonstration of any principle, pattern,
or rule that you want your students to
learn. Encourage students to practice
handwriting on their own time when you
see that they are struggling with this.
Purpose of Minilessons (1)

As teachers we all need to move
away from the traditional teaching
format of one big lesson on “verbs”,
for example, during a class period
(e.g. 45 minutes) and replace them
with “minilessons” (not longer that
10 minutes) on a very specific
aspect of a topic. For example, how
to form the 3rd person singular in
the present tense.
Purpose of Minilessons (2)

This minilesson does not need to
involve the whole class either. It
should, preferably, be directed at
one of your small groups whose
students may have this particular
problem in dealing with the present
tense 3rd person singular of a verb.
Language and Word Study
4. Test (Reading and/or Writing)


During the Language/Word Study Block you
may want to spend a few minutes on activities
that will help students become better in taking
reading and writing tests.
Students must learn to analyze the required
task on a test and they must also understand
what “good performance” on that particular test
means. Teach them these strategies (reading
instructions properly and/or analyzing the
performance standards on the assessment rubric
in advance) explicitly to enhance good
performance and to decrease test-taking anxiety.
Language and Word Study
4. Test (Reading and/or Writing)
(Example of test rubric)





5 Excellent: The student clearly describes the question studied and
provides strong reasons for its importance. Specific information is
given to support the conclusions. There is strong evidence of
preparation, organization, and enthusiasm for the topic.
4 Very good: The student describes the question studied and provides
reasons for its importance. Adequate information is given to support
the conclusions. There is evidence of preparation, organization, and
some enthusiasm for the topic.
3 Good: The student describes the question studied and provides
reasons for its importance. Basic information is given to support the
conclusions. There is evidence of preparation, some organization, but
limited enthusiasm for the topic.
2 Limited: The student states the question, but fails to fully describe
it. The information is understandable, but it contains errors. There is
very limited evidence of preparation, organization, or enthusiasm.
1 Poor: The student does not state the question or its importance. The
information is unclear. There is no evidence of preparation,
organization, or enthusiasm for the topic.
Language and Word Study
5. Current Events
You can set up a
weekly schedule for
current events in
which each student in
your class has the
opportunity to report
on current events
occurring in the world
(For oral fluency
development).
M
T
W
Th. F
Mary
Sarah
Peter
Larry
Jane
Joe
Susie
Alan
Jim
Betty
Julie
Antonio
Charles
Chris
Leah
Matt
Darla
Myra
Mark
Louis
Nathan
Paul
Erika
Sam
Ann
Language and Word Study
6. Shared Reading and Writing
Although shared reading was initially
developed for children who are beginning
to read, it is valuable for older students
as well because it allows them to read
texts that may be beyond their current
ability individually. All the students have a
copy of the text and the teacher helps
them to read through it. Most of my
shared reading time is used in helping my
students get through difficult science and
social studies content.
Language and Word Study
7. Choral Reading
Choral reading is the rehearsed
recitation of prose or poetry by a
group of voices. Students learn to
read together, using intonation,
rhythm, and pace to convey the
meaning of a piece of writing, which
occasionally may be memorized.
Language and Word Study
8. Poetry Share/Response



Students can read aloud or recite
poems that they have rehearsed or
memorized.
In many classrooms this is a regular
activity. Two or three students sign up to
recite a poem every week until every
student has had the chance to share a
poem.
The poem can be a published one or
one they have written.
Language and Word Study
9. Word Study

Word study means to learn about
words. This is not a simple matter
like committing words to memory.
We learn about words:




By comparing and contrasting them
By combining them
By classifying them into categories
By creating wall charts where students
can list their words, give examples, etc.
Language and Word Study
10. Interactive Read Aloud



Reading aloud to students allows them to
experience a variety of quality texts in
different genres.
In an interactive read-aloud, the teacher
pauses at significant points, asks his/her
students for comments, and invites brief
discussion.
The teacher shares his/her own thinking
and models how an experienced reader
thinks about the text as he/she reads.
Balanced Literacy Approach
Reading Workshop


The goal of the Reading Block (or
Reading Workshop) is to turn
students into “joyful readers”. The
authors of this approach call it
“workshop” because the word
suggests that students are engaged
in purposeful tasks.
Students learn to read by reading,
rather than by hearing about
reading.
Reading Workshop
1. Independent Reading

Advantages of having a Reading
Workshop




Increase the amount of reading that
students do.
Build an effective reading process.
Increase ownership and commitment to
reading.
Expand the readers’ literary
experiences.
Reading Workshop
Advantages (cont.)



Develop responsibility for reading.
Encourage personal connections with
reading (development of our
intrapersonal intelligence).
Teach collaboration.
Develop a community of learners.
 Attend to individual strengths and needs.
 Develop individual and group
responsibility.
 Produce high levels of engagement.

Reading Workshop
Independent Reading

Unlike “free reading” or “sustained silent
reading”, independent reading is framed
by instruction. The teacher is actively
teaching while students are reading
instead of reading his/her own book.


The teacher can assess and document the
reading progress of individual students.
The teacher can have instructional
conversations with individual readers.
Reading Workshop
Independent Reading

There is extensive research that indicates
that “what matters” in student
achievement is the time spent in
independent reading after school hours.
For example:

Student A: 98th percentile rank in a
standardized reading assessment reads 65
minutes per day of “books” and 76.3 minutes
of “text”. This means approximately 4.5 million
words in books and 4.7 million words in text in
a year.
Reading Workshop
Independent Reading

Student B: 20th percentile rank in a
standardized reading assessment reads
0.7 minutes of “books” per day and 2.4
minutes of “text”. This means
approximately 21,000 words of books and
134,000 words of text per year.

In this case, the percentile rank of 20 means
that 80% of the students are above this
student in school achievement. In the previous
example, only 2% are above.
Ref.: Figure 4-3 (Good and Bad Readers): Fountas and Pinnell (2001).
Guiding Readers and Writers, p. 43.
Working With Our Librarian

For independent reading you can
work closely with your librarian.
He/she can monitor your students’
independent reading and give you
weekly/monthly reports on each
child’s progress. At our school we
have a software called Accelerated
Readers’ Program ™ installed in the
library and in each classroom for
this purpose.
Reading Workshop
2. Guided Reading

In guided reading, the teacher pulls
together small, temporary groups of
students who have similar learning needs.
In these small groups (5-6 students) the
teacher can explicitly teach effective
strategies for processing text. In smaller
groups the teacher can introduce a wide
variety of texts, fiction and non fiction,
long or short, of varying degrees of
complexity.
Reading Workshop
2. Guided Reading


In order for guided reading to occur in
your classroom, the other students must
be engaged in meaningful learning tasks
independently and silently.
The teacher needs to have created these
activities in advance and the students
should be able to access them without
help from their teacher.
Reading Workshop
3. Literature Study





In the literature study “block”, the
students talk with one another
about various kinds of literature.
Other terms for literature study are:
Literature circle
Book club
Literature discussion group
Response group
Reading Workshop
3. Literature Study (cont.)


The purpose of literary study is to
enable the students to develop a
deeper understanding of the things
they read.
It also helps students to become
more aware of the inner structure of
texts.
Reading Workshop
3. Literature Study (cont.)

Complex terms for younger students,
such as, exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, resolution, protagonist,
antagonist, character(s), setting, theme,
plot, plot line, point of view, or narrator
(among many others) can be introduced,
practiced, and reviewed on a regular basis
during literature study, until they become
second nature for everyone. This can
prove invaluable for the students in
subsequent grades.
Reading Workshop
Comparison and Contrast of Elements
Independent
Reading
Focus
Develop individual tastes
and interests in reading.
 To foster enjoyment of
personal reading.
Guided
Reading
Focus
To develop an effective
processing system for
reading increasingly more
difficult or challenging texts.
Literature
Study
Focus
To develop a deeper
understanding and
appreciation of literary texts.



Format
Format
Format
Individual
Small, temporary
homogeneous groups
Small, heterogeneous
groups or the whole
class
Reading Workshop
4. Group Share and Evaluation

In group share and evaluation (no
more than 10 minutes) the students
come together to share what they
have read or learnt. In a class
discussion they share the
connections that they have made
and expand their knowledge of the
principles that underlie all works of
literature.
Balanced Literacy Approach
Writing Workshop



The goal of the writing workshop is to
develop accomplished writers.
Even though this is easier said than done,
it can be done. And the sooner writing
starts in a school, the easier it will be to
reach the previous goal.
The writing workshop has three
instructional contexts:



Independent writing
Guided writing
Investigations
Writing Workshop
1. Independent Writing
Focus:
 To help students understand what writers
do, how they do it, and how they make a
place for writing in their lives.
 To develop an understanding of the
writing process.
 To develop writing skills and strategies.
 To develop skills related to clear written
communications.
 To use technology to produce writing.
Writing Workshop
1. Independent Writing (cont.)
To learn how to write in different genres.
 To use viewing and sketching as ways of
developing and communicating meaning.
 To learn to use the Six Plus One Traits of
Good Writing (Ideas, Organization, Voice,
Sentence Fluency, Word Choice,
Conventions, and Presentation)
Format: Individual

Writing Workshop
2. Guided Writing
Focus:
 To develop an understanding of the
writing process.
 To develop writing skills and strategies
related to clear written communication.
 To learn how to write in different genres.
 To use viewing and sketching as ways of
developing and communicating meaning.
 To use technology to produce writing.
Writing Workshop
2. Guided Writing (cont.)

Format: Small, homogeneous,
temporary groups for instruction
according to students’ needs and
interests.
Writing Workshop
3. Investigations
Focus:
 Using reading, writing, and a variety of
media resources including technology so
that students can explore topics in depth.
 The students use research skills to
examine works of literature, study
authors or work in content areas (Social
Studies, Math, Science)
 The teacher provides guidelines,
structure, and time line for these projects
(as well as explicit instruction, if
necessary).
Writing Workshop
3. Investigations (cont.)
Format:
 Heterogeneous, individual, in
partners, small (or large) groups.
Writing Workshop
Expectations for Writing




Gather ideas and information in a
writing notebook (or draw concept
maps, or use graphic organizers) in
school and out of school.
Try writing in different genres.
Complete a minimum of ONE final
draft per week.
Publish one writing assignment
every two or three weeks.
Writing Workshop
Getting Started
The “musts”:
1. Have a quiet atmosphere.
2. Get the right supplies and
equipment.
3. Take time to think.
4. Look through your notes or graphic
organizers.
5. Talk with others about topics.
Writing Workshop
Getting Started (cont.)
6. Avoid distractions.
7. Get lots of ideas.
8. Do some planning ahead of time.
9. Think of a working title.
10. Begin your first draft.
Writing Workshop
The Writing Process






Brainstorming/planning/using a graphic organizer/
getting ideas.
First draft skipping lines (or word processed,
double space, letter size 12, clear font (do not use
colors or fancy letters).
Revise carefully with a checklist.
Proofread with a good dictionary and/or
Thesaurus.
Go over the Six + 1 Traits and make sure that
you have followed them.
Final draft (for publication).
Writing Workshop
The Six + 1 Traits



Ideas: The paper is clear and focused. It holds
the reader’s attention. Relevant anecdotes and
details enrich the central theme.
Organization: The organizational structure of the
paper enhances and showcases the central idea
or theme of the paper and includes a satisfying
introduction and conclusion.
Voice: The writer of this paper speaks directly to
the reader in a manner that is individual,
compelling, engaging, and has personality.
Writing Workshop
The Six + 1 Traits (cont.)




Word Choice: The choice of words is
appropriate and shows care in conveying
precise meanings.
Sentence Fluency: The sentences are well
constructed and varied in length to keep
the reader’s attention.
Conventions: The writer has a good
command of punctuation, capitalization,
and usage rules and has good spelling.
Presentation: The final product is visually
impeccable in every respect.
The Balanced Literacy Approach

Time Frame: A three-hour block
(180 minutes) of time is needed
every day to implement this
approach because each block
requires 60 minutes.



Writing Workshop (60 min.)
Reading Workshop (60 min.)
Language and Word Study (60 min.)
The Balanced Literacy Approach


We hope that this presentation was useful
to you.
In my experience this is a good model to
follow because:



It integrates the knowledge in different subject
areas.
It prepares our young students to be
autonomous, successful lifelong learners.
It is flexible enough to accommodate different
teaching styles.
What Has Worked Best for Me
(4th Grade Teacher Perspective)

Because our time is so limited and so
often we do not have enough time to do
everything that we would like to do (or
should do) with our students, at C.N.G.
most teachers in the Elementary School
have “centers” with weekly assignments
to be completed, all of which reflect the
“balanced literacy” approach that you
have just seen. Any unfinished
assignment becomes homework for the
next day.
What Has Worked Best for Me
(4th Grade Teacher Perspective)


Likewise, some of my Language
Arts activities may become centers
if I need more time to work with
small groups.
This has been the best way that I
have found to implement this
approach without impoverishing
instruction and learning in other
subject areas.
The Balanced Literacy Approach
IMPORTANT: This Power Point
presentation has been done
exclusively for
instructional/demonstration
purposes and may not be copied or
reproduced in any way.