Carol Bennett, WRESA 1What is Balanced Literacy• It i.docx

Carol Bennett, WRESA 1
What is Balanced Literacy?
• It is a comprehensive program of
language arts acquisition. It contains all
of the components necessary for
students to master written and oral
communication.
Areas of emphasis include:
• reading,
• writing,
• speaking,
• listening,
• and viewing.
Balanced Literacy
• Balanced literacy begins with creating
a genuine appreciation for
good literature.

• It includes teaching phonics,
grammar skills, reading and
comprehension strategies, and
writing forms and skills.
• Direct and indirect reading instruction,
shared reading, and independent reading
experiences must be provided.
Balanced Literacy
• Reading Aloud
(Modeled Reading)
• Shared Reading
• Guided Reading
• Independent
Reading
• Modeled or
Interactive Writing
• Shared Writing
• Guided Writing
(Writing Workshop)
• Independent
Writing

Effectiveness of
Balanced Literacy
• A balanced literacy plan is most
effective when children are given
direct instructional support and a
variety of daily reading and writing
experiences that are needed in the
complex process of becoming
independent readers and writers.
What Is A Balanced Reading Program?
• A balanced reading program includes:
• Knowing students individually.
• Balancing both direct and
indirect instruction.
• Balancing instructional
activities including skills
emphasis and meaning emphasis.
Balanced reading is deep-rooted in
the belief that teachers should be

constantly aware of students'
individual needs and progress.
Teachers Should Use a Variety of
Assessment Tools:
• teacher observations,
• oral reading samples,
• writing samples,
• spelling samples,
• portfolios,
• as well as standardized
and other tests.
Teachers who know
students individually
provide many kinds
of support, enabling
students to move to
higher levels of
reading and literacy
development.

Scaffolding Instruction
• Teachers of balanced reading provide direct
instruction to scaffold learning and make
learning to read and write easier.
• They also provide ample
opportunity and support for
students to use and extend their
instruction in functional reading and writing.
Examples of Scaffolding
• Story Mapping:
To help students think
about how the different
story elements work
together:
– Characters
– Setting
– Problem
– Main events
– Resolution
• Character Sketching:
To help students
focus on how the
main character’s
personal traits often

direct the action of
the story.
• Cooperative Group
Discussions: To help
students understand
confusing concepts.
Learning Conditions
• Children must spend
time - both inside and
outside the classroom -
reading and writing
under conditions for
learning that are
favorable for individual
achievement.
Teaching/Learning Styles
• Likewise, some time should be spent in
individual, small-group, and whole-group
direct instruction to support children's
literacy needs.

Engagement and Motivation
• Engagement and motivation
are crucial components for
children as they learn to
read. Adults must foster
joy in and purposefulness
for reading because children
will not become proficient readers if
they do not enjoy the experience or
see any value in it.
Long Range Goal
• Students must be
proficient as
readers, writers, and
speakers to be
successful,
contributing adults
and lifelong
learners.
Start and End Each Day
with Literature

• Use Books
That Really
Generate
Response!
Developing Life-Long Habits
• Every child in
every classroom,
every day, deserves
the chance to
behave like and
enjoy the pleasure
of being a good
reader.
Components of Balanced Literacy
Word Study
Word Study is the study of our alphabetic symbol system. This
involves the
areas of phonics (letter/sound relationships), morphemic
analysis (using word
parts to denote meaning), and automaticity for sight words.
Word study involves
both the decoding (reading) and encoding (phonics and spelling)

of our symbol
system so students can make meaning from an author’s message
and convey
meaning by creating their own message.
Interactive Read Aloud
Interactive Read Aloud is a time when the teacher reads a piece
of quality writing
aloud to the whole class and stops at planned points to ask
questions that elicit
student response. Students learn to think deeply about text, to
listen to others,
and to grow their own ideas.
Shared Reading
Shared Reading is a type of focus lesson in which either
enlarged print is utilized,
or all students have the text to “share” the reading process with
a group of
students. The teacher uses this time, explicitly modeling
reading strategies and
skills that the students need to learn. The responsibility for
reading is “shared”
between the teacher and the students, although the teacher reads
most of the
text.
Strategy Groups
Strategy Groups are also known as a Guided Reading Groups.
The teacher
meets with a small group that needs to work on a specific
strategy or that has a
similar reading level. Each student has a copy of the text and

reads it quietly.
The teacher uses this time to explicitly teach and to have
students practice the
strategy they need to learn.
Independent Reading/ Reader’s Workshop
Independent Reading is a time when students read text (either
self-selected or
teacher recommended) at their Independent Reading level to
practice reading
strategies, develop fluency and automaticity. The teacher
confers with students
one-on-one, prompts the use of the strategies, discusses various
aspects of the
text, and learns about each student as a reader. Students may
respond to the
text in meaningful ways through writing, discussing, or
sketching.
Independent Reading Conference
An Independent Reading Conference is a time when the teacher
works one-on-
one with a student to teach the student what s/he needs to learn
about reading.
The teacher uses the conference to assess (research) what the
student needs to
learn, to decide what to teach the student and then to teach the
student. Some
people think of an Independent Reading conference as a
“private lesson.
Two Hour Literacy Block

Whole Class Lesson – Shared Reading
• 3-4 days per week lesson from the anthology/ Science Social
Studies text
• 1-2 days per week other text
• Appx. 20 minutes
Independent Reading/Small Group Lessons
• Includes
o Mini-Lesson (sometimes overlaps with phonics, shared
reading or
read aloud)
o 1:1 conferring
o Wrap-up
• 4-5 times per week
• 1-2 small groups meet each day
• Independent Reading: 30-45 minutes
• Guided reading groups: 15-20 minutes
Independent Reading in Kindergarten is shorter (10-15
minutes). In Kindergarten
the teacher might pull small groups as children work in Literacy
Centers.
Whole Class Lesson – Read Aloud

• 5 days per week
• Appx. 10-15 minutes
• Usually takes place outside of literacy block. Possible times
include
morning meeting, end of the day, before lunch, after lunch.
Whole Class Lesson – Phonics/Word Study/Spelling/Vocabulary
• 5 days per week
• Appx. 15 minutes
Writer’s Workshop/Literature Extensions
• Includes:
o Mini-Lesson (sometimes overlaps with shared reading,
phonics,
read aloud, interactive writing, shared writing)
o 1:1 conferring
o Wrap-up
• Writer’s workshop: 4-5 times per week
• Literature Extension: 1-2 times per week
• Appx. 30-45 min.
Teachers might choose to work with small groups while
students work on
literature extensions.

Time Management:
Organizing the Literacy Block
Reader’s Workshop
Reading Focus Lesson
(whole class lesson)
Guided Practice
(small group lessons)
Independent Practice
(Ind. Reading and 1:1
conferring)
Share
----------------------------
Time: 45-60 min. per day
Word Study
Word Strategies/Spelling

Guided Practice
(small group/ 1:1support)
Does not happen every day
Share
----------------------------
Time: 15 – 20 min. per day
Writer’s Workshop
Writing Focus Lesson
Guided Practice
(small group lessons)
Independent Practice
(Ind. Writing and 1:1
conferring)
Share

----------------------------
Time: 45 – 60 min. per day
Book Selection
EASY
* you can read the words fluently
(smooth and with an interesting
voice)
*you know how to say all the
words
*you have background
knowledge of the subject
*sometimes the book has a
larger print
*you understand the story
*your reading rate may be
quicker

*your thinking comes easy as
you read the words
CHALLENGING
*many of the words are too hard to decode (failed
a five finger test)
*you don't know what the tricky words MEAN
*your reading becomes choppy more than it is
fluent
*you don't have any background knowledge of the
subject
*often the print is small or overwhelming
*you lose focus as you are reading
*you are not enjoying the book because you have
to do too much word work
*your thinking is confused
*your reading rate slows way down
JUST RIGHT
*you can read most of the words
*you can understand what you
are reading

*you enjoy the book
*you may have some
background knowledge of the
subject
*you can read the book with
smooth fluency but there are
some choppy places
*your reading rate is just right-
not too slow and not too fast
*you can figure out the tricky
words and still get the meaning
of the story
Prompts to Support the Use of Strategies
To support the control of early reading behaviors:
Read it with your finger.
Did you have enough (or too many) words?
Did it match?
Were there enough words?

Did you run out of words?
Try _______. Would that make sense?
Try _______. Would that sound right?
To support the reader’s use of self monitoring or checking
behavior:
Were you right?
Where’s the tricky word? (after an error)
What did you notice? (after hesitation or stop)
What’s wrong?
Why did you stop?
What letter would you expect to see at the beginning, end?
What ________ fit there?
Would ________ make sense?
Do you think it looks like ________?
Could it be _________?
It could be _________, but look at ________.
Check it. Does it look right and sound right to you?
You almost got that. See if you can find what is wrong.
Try that again.
Reading Strategies
Levels A-B (1, 2,3)

� Using a pattern to predict
� Using picture clues
� Understanding left-to-right directionality
� Matching one-to-one speech to print
� Pointing under the words
� Locating known words on a page and using them as anchors
Levels C-D (4,6)
� Understanding how patterns change
� Using picture cues to search for meaning
� Understanding left-to-right directionality when there is more
than one line of print
� Locating known words on a page and using them as anchors
� How to know when a book is “just right”
� Monitoring for meaning—checking to make sure it makes
sense
� Monitoring for language—does it sound right?
� Attending to beginning letters in a word—predicting from
first letter or letters
� Going back to reread when stuck
� Locating some high frequency words with automaticity
Levels E-F (8,10)
� Rereading
� Self-correcting
� Cross-checking one cue against another
� Monitoring for meaning
� “Just right” book selection
� Using word analogies to decode simple unknown words
� Using graphophonic knowledge to look across words
� Recognizing common “chunks” in words

� Using the pointing finger only at difficulty
� Locating many high frequency words automatically
� Words with common chunks
� Understanding the difference between fiction and nonfiction
texts
Levels G-H (12,14)
� Rereading
� Self-correcting
� Reading fluently
� Integrating cues from meaning, structure, and visual cues
� Ongoing monitoring for meaning
� Using increasingly difficult chunks within words
� Independence in reading
� Learning how to read nonfiction texts by using the table of
contents, headings
and captions
Levels I-J (16,18)
� All of the before mentioned strategies
� Skipping a word, going on, and coming back
� Using context clues to understand an unknown word
� Reading with intonation
� How to use punctuation cues to read with phrasing
� Retelling using names, important events, and general gist of
story
� Inferring from illustrations
� Making text-to-self connections

� Using diagrams, captions, index, etc. to read nonfiction texts
Levels K-L (20, 24)
� Self-correcting regularly
� Reading with fluency, intonation and phrasing
� Using more challenging graphophonic strategies to problem-
solve through text
� Solving unknown words with relative ease
� Learning how to carry a story line through chapters
� Inferring from pictures, character’s actions, author’s choice
of words
� Retelling the gist of the story, including connected, personal
thoughts
� Making text-to-text connections
� Understanding how series books are organized
� Skimming and scanning nonfiction texts for important
information
Levels M-P (28, 30, 34, 38)
� Using meanings of word parts ( prefixes, suffixes, root
words) to decipher
unknown words
� Inferring from multiple sources within text
� Determining importance of events/facts within text
� Making text-to-world connections (as well as previously
stated connections)

� Building stamina for reading longer
� Understanding theme
� Characterization
� How characters change from beginning to end of a book and
why
� Using nonfiction for research purposes
To support the reader’s use of all sources of information:
Check the picture.
Does that make sense?
Does that look right?
Does that sound right?
You said (…). Can we say it that way?
You said (…). Does that make sense?
Try that again and think what would make sense.
Try that again and think what would sound right.
Do you know a word like that?
Do you know a word that starts with those letters?
What could you try?
Do you know a word that ends with those letters?
What do you know that might help?
What can you do to help yourself?
To support the reader’s self-correction behavior:
Something wasn’t quite right.
Try that again.

I liked the way you worked that out.
You made a mistake. Can you find it?
To support phrased, fluent reading:
Can you read this quickly?
Put your word together so it sounds like talking.
Sample Reading Conference Notes
Student______________________________________________
___________________
DATE/ BOOK/ TITLE/ LEVEL
WHAT DOES THE
STUDENT KNOW?
WHAT DOES THE
STUDENT NEED TO
LEARN?
HOW CAN I TEACH THIS?
10/17 Dan the Flying Man
level C
how to look at the first
letter and the picture.

how to locate and
use word parts-
an, at
use magnetic letters to make
and break words
find books with these word
families for student to
practice using word parts
10/22 Tracks
level C
reads for meaning
Relies on first letter
Used word parts when
prompted
more work on
word parts
sight words and,
it, is
practice with decodeable
books so student can practice
using word parts
10/24 At the Ball Park
Level D
used word parts
independently

make sure she is
rereading and
self
questioning
Guided Reading Group with
graphic organizer and
modeled reading from
teacher
Reading Conference Notes
Student______________________________________________
___________________
DATE/ BOOK/ TITLE/ LEVEL
WHAT DOES THE
STUDENT KNOW?
WHAT DOES THE
STUDENT NEED TO
LEARN?
HOW CAN I TEACH THIS?

Independent Reading Notes
Student Date Title/Level Strategies Used Next Steps Fluency
Sample Guided Reading Notes
Strategy: Using picture clues Text/Level: J
Name:
Alex
Needs
prompting
Name:

Kristen
Refer to picture
for unknown
words
Name:
Tammy
Refer to picture
for unknown
words
Name:
Bob
Refer to picture
for unknown
words
Name:
Rick
Needs
prompting
Strategy: Using picture clues Text/Level: J

Name:
Alex
Uses picture
clues to read
unknown
words
Name:
Kristen
Uses picture
clues to read
unknown
words
Name:
Tammy
Uses picture
clues to read
unknown
words
Name:
Bob
Uses picture

clues to read
unknown
words
Name:
Rick
Uses picture
clues to read
unknown
words
Strategy: Retelling Text/Level: K
Name:
Alex
Needs
graphic
organizer
Name:
Kristen
Omits relevant
details
Name:

Tammy
Omits relevant
details
Name:
Bob
Includes
beginning,
middle, end
Name:
Rick
Needs graphic
organizer
Strategy: Retelling Text/Level: K
Name:
Alex
Uses graphic
organizer
effectively
Name:

Kristen
Includes
beginning,
middle, and
end
Name:
Tammy
Includes
beginning,
middle, and
end
Name:
Bob
Includes details
Name:
Rick
Uses graphic
organizer
effectively

Guided Reading Notes
Month of:
Students:
Strategy: Text/Level:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:

Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:

Name:
Total Possible Score: 8.00
Creates a Presentation, Including a Description of What Has
Been Learned About Balanced Literacy
Total: 6.00
Distinguished - Creates a comprehensive presentation, including
a thorough description of what has been learned about balanced
literacy.
Proficient - Creates a presentation, including a description of
what has been learned about balanced literacy. Minor details are
missing.
Basic - Creates a brief presentation, including a description of
what has been learned about balanced literacy. Relevant details
are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to create a presentation,
including a description of what has been learned about balanced
literacy; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance - The presentation is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Reading: Comprehension
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - Distinguishes probable implications of the text
for contexts, perspectives, or issues outside the assigned task or
beyond the author’s explicit message.
Proficient - Uses the text, general background understanding,
and/or specific knowledge of the author’s context to draw more
intricate inferences about the author’s message and approach.
Basic - Considers how textual features (e.g., sentence and
paragraph structure or tone) contribute to the author’s message;
draws fundamental inferences about context and rationale of

text.
Below Expectations - Inadequately captures vocabulary and
makes an effort to paraphrase or summarize the information the
text communicates.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or
lacks the components described in the instructions.
Reading: Analysis
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - Appraises tactics for relating ideas, text
structure, or other textual features in order to gain knowledge or
insight within and across texts and disciplines.
Proficient - Recognizes connections among ideas, text structure,
or other textual features, to analyze how they support a
sophisticated understanding of the text as a whole.
Basic - Recognizes the connections among portions of a text in
considering how these connections contribute to a fundamental
understanding of the text as a whole.
Below Expectations - Makes an effort to recognize portions of a
text as needed to respond to inquiries posed in the assignment.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.27
Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and
organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and
grammar. Written work contains no errors, and is very easy to
understand.
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax
and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work
contains only a few minor errors, and is mostly easy to
understand.
Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics,
such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few
errors, which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of
syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written
work contains major errors, which distract the reader.
Written Communication: Slide Requirement
Total: 0.27
Distinguished - The length of the assignment is equivalent to
the required number of correctly formatted slides.
Proficient - The length of the assignment is nearly equivalent to
the required number of correctly formatted slides.
Basic - The length of the assignment is equivalent to at least
three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted
slides.
Below Expectations - The length of the assignment is equivalent
to at least one half of the required number of correctly
formatted slides.
Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Total: 0.26
Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of
scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support
ideas. All sources on the reference slide are used and cited
correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient - Uses required number of scholarly sources to
support ideas. All sources on the reference slide are used and
cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support
ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the
reference slide are used within the body of the assignment.
Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations - Uses inadequate number of sources that
provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be

scholarly. Most sources on the reference slide are not used
within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted
correctly.
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