Balanced Literacy Framework








Balanced Literacy Framework    Print Preview

Teacher reads daily, models fluency, models thinking process out loud, builds a shared class literacy history with varied genres and authors rereads books for different purposes, fostering discussion and response to literature.
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Shared Reading
Reading large or other print that is visually accessible to all, teacher models reading skills and strategies –inviting all students to participate in the practice – resources may be big books, overheads, multiple copies of passages, content textbooks
Strong instruction begins with clear, precise language that models for students what will be expected of them. Therefore, the entire class benefits from work in both reading and writing that is MODELED & SHARED first!

Texts read and written here can now become mentor texts for mini lessons during workshop time. It is the familiarity with these common texts that allows for more in-depth and detailed study of individual elements, skills, and strategies presented later in the workshop.
Modeled Writing
Teacher models writing for students while verbalizing thinking (and reasoning) beginning with how to record print and moving to more sophisticated decisions about word choice, genre, content, varying purposes, audience, etc.
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Shared/Interactive Writing
Teacher uses language experience and interactive writing to transcribe a negotiated message – letting the students record purposeful portions of the text. Texts should reflect varying genres, content, purpose, audience etc.
WORKSHOP MODEL for Reading & Writing
Teacher selects one teaching point of a strategy, skill or element to introduce or reinforce. Then the teacher selects a delivery method (direct, indirect, inquiry, etc) and briefly offers this lesson to students. Invite or require this work during the guided and independent work and then reemphasize evidence of student attempts at the conclusion of the workshop that day (share).
Guided Practice in Writing
Teacher assists individuals and/or small groups of students at their instructional reading level in strategic behaviors with both familiar and new texts. Students on or below grade level should receive support daily. Assessing all students frequently in order to see the evidence of both growth and individual needs is necessary. The goal in guided practice is to improve the reader not the reading of a particular text. Guided practice usually takes the form of conferencing with one student at a time. However, small group work can also be beneficial during this time. As in the mini lesson a conference should last only a few minutes and have just one teaching point. The goal in all guided practice is to improve the writer – using the current text as a case study for generative learning.
Students need daily opportunities to read both just right books and self selected texts. During this time students will read independently, read and discuss text with partners, and record responses in a journal. Students need daily opportunities to write about self selected topics within the genre study s as they compose, revise and edit writing in order to attempt new skills and strategies. On occasion they should write to a prompt is preparation for standardized assessments.
Share in Reading & Writing
Bringing closure to the workshop each day is a powerful teaching opportunity. Share time should give students a chance to summarize, demonstrate new knowledge or at least their attempts, as evidence of their new understandings about reading and writing. This share can either provide closure for the day’s work or provide a springboard for tomorrow’s mini lesson.