First, the san diego approach heavily emphasized reading comprehension and students creation. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers strategically and consistently integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing on a daily basis, so that students learn how to apply. We want to embrace the balanced literacy model and implement all of its components, but we also need to know that what we are doing will prepare our students for the state testing in the spring. Using balanced literacy to improve literacy instruction.
In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing and experiences so that students learn how to use literacy strategies and skills and have opportunities to apply what they are learning. An explanation of structured literacy, and a comparison to. The great debate among literacy scholars and professionals is whether to teach using a phonics approach, whole. Balanced literacy many balanced literacy models are composed of three major components. Learning words phonetically in this way supports decoding and spelling abilities. Through various modalities, the teacher implements a wellplanned.
Modeled writing, shared writing, interactive writing, guided writing, and independent writing. Using a balanced literacy approach in elementary schools uni. Oct 02, 2012 the balanced approach appears to be one of those rare moments in education where professionals entrenched in either of the previously warring ideologies laid down their arms and struck a compromise. Jul 27, 2016 balanced literacy is truly a passion of mine. The goal of balanced literacy is to move students toward independence in progressively more complex texts. Each step from meetings to crafting lesson plans is vital to creating a safe. The teachers role in the balanced literacy approach is to scaffold literacy learning, that is, to actively enhance students understanding while they read. Through various modalities, the teacher implements a wellplanned comprehensive literacy program that reflects a gradual release of control, whereby responsibility is gradually shifted from the teacher to the students. A balanced approach provides us with a bestpractice model for teaching all students how to read and write across all stages of their education. Jan 24, 2017 unfamiliar with balanced literacy yourself. Like most educators today, weve been changing our practices to reflect new knowledge about learning and teaching. Incorporate assessment for learning into your literacy program with teacher conferences, success criteria, effective recording strategies and formative assessment techniques.
A balanced literacy approach to the classroom semantic scholar. Balance is attained through a combination of instructional strategies, with the goal of developing competent, literate learners. It aims to provide a balance of teacherdirected instruction and studentcentered opportunities. Balanced literacy approach 4 a balanced literacy approach to the classroom a new school year has just begun. Thus, the teachers role in the balanced literacy approach is to scaffold literacy learning, that is, to actively enhance students understanding while they read. Pdf a case study of teacher with hearing impairment in. A balanced literacy approach integrates reading, writing, and word study components. This approach to the study of instruction views both students and teachers as active participants in the learning process e. Components of balanced literacy word study word study is the study of our alphabetic symbol system.
Mckenzie also states, balanced literacy employs the fundamental of lettersound correspondence, word study and decoding as well as holistic experiences in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to. The answer lies in the intentional design of learning. This question has recently been addressed with my team of teachers. Balanced literacy article department of educational psychology. A balanced literacy approach this document is designed as a reference tool for k9 educators. Over the past few days, nearly 3,000 educators from every state and from 60 countries have. As part of balanced literacy instruction, exposing early learners to highquality childrens literature is intended to expand their understanding of text and comprehension of concepts hoffman et al. A literacy rich environment build your classroom libraryand make it an area of importance different classroom areas to engage in whole group, small group and independent literacy activities word wallsword foldersdictionaries and handson. Complimentary sample the balanced literacy approach to. Works for students all along the literacy continuum from emergent to conventional. In the what is balanced literacy discussion, it becomes clear that teachers must be welltrained in literacy generally in order to use this approach effectively. Authentic texts are used as a springboard in the reading and writing workshop model. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing teachers who took me under their wings my first few years of teaching and really taught me how balanced literacy in kindergarten and first grade should look.
Phonics, wholelanguage, and balanced literacy iterate ideate. However, many upper elementary students have yet to master simple literacy skills with the instructional strategies provided by their teachers. Reading responses may follow one or more of the components of balanced literacy on a daily basis. All schoolchildren are taught to read and write, and balanced literacy is the framework we use to makes sure this is as successful and productive as possible. The balanced literacy approach developing readers and writers in k 5 classrooms bath county public schools august 2016. A balanced, integrated literacy approach challenged teachers to teach students to think with and through reading and writing, to use reading and writing to get a wide variety of things done in.
Balanced literacy approach provide instruction using whole group, small group, and independent learning opportunities. During the word study portion of the balanced literacy block, teachers provide explicit and. When students know how to go about improving, their. Just like the name implies, balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and. Instead, a balanced literacy approach involves a variety of programs as resources either for structure or information. Students should be exposed to a wide range of literacy materials, engaged in.
A balanced approach is best for teaching kids how to read. Balanced literacy is an instructional approach for language arts. The balanced approach appears to be one of those rare moments in education where professionals entrenched in either of the previously warring ideologies laid down their arms and struck a compromise. Phonics, wholelanguage, and balanced literacy iterate. How to set up a balanced literacy classroom synonym. Many balanced literacy models are composed of three major components. Neps balanced approach to literacy development in the early years 2015 revised march 2016 9 2. The balanced literacy approach contains multiple elements of reading, writing, and word study at various levels of scaffolding. C locate information relevant to a given use linking words and phrases 1112 magazine or newspaper article topic efficiently. Apr 09, 2019 balanced literacy focuses students on grapheme representations combined with context or imagery to teach beginning literacy skills.
Using a balanced literacy approach to teach englishlanguage arts increases. In a truly balanced literacy program, how you teach is as important as what you teach. Balanced literacy is a philosophical orientation that assumes that reading and writing achievement are developed through instruction and support in multiple environments using various approaches that differ by level of teacher support and child control. The balanced literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and modeling through mini lessons. Components of balanced literacy new hopesolebury high. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers. Shaw and hurst 2012 maintained that balanced literacy is an approach that provides different levels of teacher support, student control, and an understanding that reading and writing develop naturally. To prevent a loss of momentum during the funding hiatus, edc, in collaboration with the ministry, conducted a smallscale evaluation of the balanced literacy approach in grade 1 classrooms in 10 schools in 2014. Grades k6 students learn to read and write best when their teachers balance literacy instruction. For example, teach a whole group lesson on mondays and fridays and do small groups and centers on tuesday, wednesday, and thursday.
A balanced approach to literacy development in the early years. Effective feedback, selfmonitoring techniques and student selfassessment directly impact students progress. Rather than toting a silverbullet approach popular in education rhetoric. She believes that a combination and balance of both, whole language and phonics, is the best way to teach reading to her students. Balanced literacy article department of educational. Therefore, balanced reading instruction in the classroom should combine phonics instruction with the wholelanguage approach to teach both skills and. The balanced literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and the use of authentic texts. The idea behind the concept is that all students can be literate and begin to enjoy literacy whatever their ability or age. Jul 26, 2016 instead, a balanced literacy approach involves a variety of programs as resources either for structure or information. If you have problems, please read the helpful hints on the adobe acrobat reader help page. Balance is attained through a combination of instructional strategies, with the. There is near unanimity in the field of literacy education that strategic readers are more active readers and that active readers both retain more and are more likely to reapply what they remember in new contexts.
What works to improve student literacy achievement. Reading az provides a wealth of leveled pre k6 resources that can be used in a balanced literacy setting from wholeclass and smallgroup instruction to individual practice. Word study involves both the decoding reading and encoding phonics and spelling of our symbol system so students can make meaning from an authors. This involves the areas of phonics lettersound relationships, morphemic analysis using word parts to denote meaning, and automaticity for sight words. Balancedliteracydiet assessment balanced literacy diet. Balanced literacy instruction article pdf available in focus on exceptional children 345. Jul 02, 2014 balanced literacy is a robust approach to instruction not only in new york city but throughout the world. San diegos balanced literacy approach was multifaceted and supported by prior research.
Balanced literacy is a robust approach to instruction not only in new york city but throughout the world. A balanced literacy approach spiegel has defined a balanced literacy approach as a decision making approach through which the teacher makes thoughtful choices each day about the best way to help each child become a better reader and writer spiegel, 1998. If you only have 60 minutes and you want to use a balanced literacy approach, you can experiment with alternating whole group instruction with small groups and centers. Balanced literacy abilene independent school district. A balanced approach to literacy we believe that a balanced approach to literacy provides the best opportunity to develop the reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills necessary for academic success and personal satisfaction. In a balanced approach to literacy instruction, teachers strategically and consistently integrate instruction with authentic reading and writing on. Balanced literacy is a flexible approach to literacy instruction that incorporates many reading, writing, listening, speaking, and word study strategies to meet the varying needs of all students. A seven point continuum was given with the whole language and child centered approaches at one end and traditional skills teaching. I have had several questions about when to do guided reading andmore. Over the past few days, nearly 3,000 educators from every state and from 60. Word study in a balanced literacy program can involve decoding study of a word.
Neps balanced approach to literacy development in the early years 2015 revised march 2016 6 2. A balanced literacy approach spiegel has defined a balanced. Balanced literacy instruction uses all valid parts of literacy instruction not one approach. Balanced literacy is a curricular methodology that integrates various modalities of literacy instruction.
Balanced literacy in kindergarten and first grade mrs. Literacy frameworks balanced literacy balanced literacy. Shared reading is an interactive reading process in which a teacher and student share in reading a text. To read and write easily, fluently, and with good understanding teachers will help students. Spiegel has defined a balanced literacy approach as a decision making approach through. Heres a quick overview of the different parts of a balanced literacy program. Balanced literacy is a combination of whole language and phonics. For example, if studying the word chain, students would be working on both digraphs ch and vowelvowelconsonant rimes ain. But how do you strike the right balance of skills and knowledge, reading and writing, small and whole group instruction, and direct and dialogic instruction, so that all students can learn to their maximum potential.
A strong balanced literacy program includes elements of whole language and phonics instruction. Creating reading lessons that help students to not only learn to read but learn to explore reading on their own will help students become life long learners. Assessmentbased planning is at the core of this model. Teachers are attending meetings, revising lesson plans, and making last minute adjustments to the way they will organize the classroom. Thats one of the conclusions my network of teachers, administrators, and curriculum supervisors has reached. The balanced literacy approach to reading and writing. Ten important research findings about phonics from teaching phonics and word study by wiley blevins 1. Phonics instruction can help all children learn to read. Pressley wrote the book on balanced literacy instruction, he edited one with ellen. Some look at balanced literacy as a combination of whole language and skillsbased instruction.
14 1327 1586 1065 117 1436 1501 358 994 1228 646 955 847 622 164 643 482 1379 206 617 68 197 27 438 592 832 555 191 257 1127 393 371 105 143 347 372 164 511 266 857 128 266 775 1183 150 601 439 1071 443