Literacy Plan

A Balanced Approach
By Cathy Boerner, May 2011

First Grade

Cover Page

I am so thrilled to be considered for first grade teaching position. I would like to begin by sharing with you my philosophy and beliefs about literacy learning. As I do this I will be relating my philosophy statements to the specific theorists who have helped form my beliefs about literacy learning. Next, I will provide you with the range of reading and writing behaviors I expect to observe in my first grade classroom. I will describe my role as a teacher in developing an effective and balanced literacy environment that addresses the diverse needs of my students. I will demonstrate my abilities by providing detailed descriptions of my assessment strategies, literacy skills and strategies, and a detailed plan for my literacy instruction. Lastly, I will provide for you a classroom design that supports my philosophy and instructional plan.

Literacy Plan for First Grade: A Balanced Literacy Approach

I believe my primary role as a teacher is to instill in my students a desire to read and write. Children need to enjoy reading and writing in order to do both of these things well. In order for children to enjoy literacy, there are a number of conditions that must be met by myself as the teacher, the child as student, and the environment. Children enjoy themselves when their independent needs are met. These are my main components of effective literacy teaching. Children need to be nurtured and supported physically, emotionally and intellectually. Children need to see what is expected of them through constant modeling and guidance. Children need to constantly be able to interact with the different forms of text within their environment. I need to provide my students with strategies to build independence. All children need to feel like they are capable of learning and I need to show them that I believe they will learn. I need to give my students sincere, authentic and timely feedback. Children need plenty of time to practice their developing skills on their own. Children need to actively participate in every step of a teachers literacy instruction.

I believe children learn literacy best when they are nurtured and supported physically, emotionally and intellectually. This belief is based on the philosophies and teachings of Brian Cambourne, Don Holdaway, and their predecessor, Lev Vygotsky: all sociolinguists and researchers of child literacy. I will describe each of the theories these prominent people have taught me, starting first with Brian Cambournes Conditions of Learning, inspired in part by the teachings of Don Holdaway (Cambourne, 1995).

Cambourne defines Conditions as particular states of being (doing, behaving, creating), as well as a set of indispensable circumstances that co-occur and are synergistic in the sense that they both affect and are affected by each other (Cambourne, 1995). In other words, language is learned when these conditions work together. Cambourne contends that without the availability of even one condition, a childs literacy development is at risk (Cambourne, 1995). In order to thrive as students, children need to see what is expected of them through constant modeling and guidance. This describes Demonstration, which is one of the first conditions provided by Cambournes literacy theory. It is my role as a teacher to provide my students with thorough and carefully thought out instruction and demonstration. Students need to observe what looks and sounds like literacy. This doesnt just mean watching and hearing me read and write, but being able to observe my thought processes as well. This means thinking aloud as I read and write. Children need to see me interacting with the text, which means as I read and write, Im talking about what my thoughts are: Does this look right? I wonder what happens next. I think I need to capitalize this. These are all examples of interacting with text. Meanwhile, children are observing and learning comprehension strategies that they will be able to use on their own. I will go into this more when I discuss Don Holdaways condition of Demonstration. The biggest thing that will change in a childs life when they enter first grade is they will from now on consider themselves students, spending most of their time in an environment that ideally operates for the sole purpose of encouraging them to independently explore and discover literacy. This is referred to as Cambournes

Immersion. Children need to constantly be able to interact with the different forms of text around them within their environment (Cambourne, 1995). Examples of immersion of print are high quality childrens books, charts, labels, newspaper, magazines, read alouds, sing alongs, playword games, literacy centers, and a classroom library. In addition to an environment saturated by literacy, my role as their teacher is to be well equipped to provide students with strategies to build independence. This is so students can learn Responsibility, another of Cambournes conditions. Learners need to be able to make decisions regarding what they learn, and how they learn. As long as Demonstration is always in a context that supports the meanings being transacted [and] always serves a relevant purpose learners need to have a choice in what learning they will engage in next (Cambourne, 1995). What this looks like in a classroom is children will be able to choose books, be provided easy access to books and materials and be in an environment that promotes self-direction. Vygotskys theory of Scaffolding relates closely to this idea of responsibility. Scaffolding is a great support strategy teachers can use as they teach literacy. The idea is that students can accomplish more difficult tasks when guided by their teachers than on their own (Kostelnik, 1994). As students learn to become more independent in their learning process, teachers can gradually remove support. This is because students who become more familiar with what they are reading and writing are ready to take on more responsibility. The teachers responsibility to provide assistance can be shifted to the student as they become more confident to perform on their own. While it is important for students to feel responsible for their learning, it is just as important that students feel it is expected of them to be able to learn and to be capable of

doing what is at task. While students need to be challenged, they need me to feel like I believe in them. This relates to Cambournes Expectations, in which it is the role of the teacher to send clear messages to her students that she believes all of them are able to succeed (Cambourne, 1995). Children need to know that I am never giving them something to learn that I believe is too difficult for them to grasp. For my expectations to be just right, I need to be familiar with the developmental stages of literacy and know that each child will be accomplished in their own time. It is not only important to provide my students with expectations; it is also necessary for me to frequently give sincere and authentic feedback (Cambourne, 1995). This is what is referred to as Response. A teachers response must be relevant to the childs accomplishment, appropriate, timely, and supportive. As important as it is for children to have guidance and support as they learn to read and write, it is just as critical that they have plenty of time to practice their developing skills on their own. This is referred to as Employment (Cambourne, 1995). Children need to be able to interact with text in their own way, giving them time to perform as readers and writers, using the strategies given previously by the teacher (also known as scaffolding). As students practice strategies for reading and writing, they will naturally be selfreflective, trying things out and seeing what works and what doesnt (Cambourne, 1995). This is called Approximation. Especially when children practice on their own, they will make mistakes and learn from them without anyone correcting them or judging their progress. A strategy for students to use while approximating and practicing reading and writing is to relate what students already know to what theyre currently learning

(Tompkins, 1997). This strategy occurs as ones natural tendency to organize knowledge into cognitive structures is applied as students interact with text. This theory is based largely on the theoretical explanations of Jean Piaget. Known as Cognitive/Information Processing, learners gather information and process it through three levels of memory: sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory. As new information enters a learners brain, they apply previous knowledge to interpret the information. Lastly, it is Cambournes condition of Engagement that brings all of these elements of literacy learning together. Learners need to actively participate in every step of a teachers literacy instruction. As Cambourne contends, it doesnt matter how prepared we are with our lessons, how richly decorated our classrooms are, or how great our book selections are if our children cannot adequately engage with them (Cambourne, 1995). He provides the Principals of Engagement required for adequate engagement to occur. Ive listed these principals directly from Cambournes 1995 essay. I believe they are perfectly stated and I deeply believe they are essential principles for learners to move from instruction to independent enjoyment and participation in literacy. Learners are more likely to engage deeply with demonstrations if they believe that they are capable of ultimately learning or doing whatever is being demonstrated. Learners are more likely to engage deeply with demonstrations if they believe that learning is whatever is being demonstrated has some potential value, purpose, and use for them. Learners are more likely to engage with demonstrations if theyre free from anxiety. Learners are more likely to engage with demonstrations given by someone they like, respect, admire, trust, and would like to emulate.

In summary, a good literacy plan needs to provide balance and offer active engagement by supplying students with interesting and stimulating reading and writing materials. They need an environment that gives them room to observe and learn. My role

as their literacy guide is to advocate challenges and risk taking by motivating children to try new words and sounds, and to be encouraging with my positive and sincere feedback. Ultimately, my learners will learn how to be critical thinkers with my balanced literacy plan. Don Holdaways Social/Acquisition Learning and Interactional Conditions of Learning brings even more explanation to these essential conditions of literacy learning. Much of Cambournes theory is derived from Holdaways beliefs. Holdaway believes it is necessary to understand social learning to be able to know how to support literacy learning: that both of these things go together. He maintains that language is a natural development that occurs through natural acquisition. Learning literacy is a part of being human, and the context in which its being taught needs to feel natural and authentic (Holdaway, 2000). Holdaways conditions read much like Cambournes but are slimmed down to four concepts. The first of these is Demonstration which just like Cambournes condition, refers to a teachers modeling of literacy. Holdaway contends that the motivation to become a skill user is engendered by such immersed demonstrations especially when the learner is strongly bonded to the significant, competent other who is using the skill (Holdaway, 2000). It is through this bond that the learner curious and engaged with the skill. The learner begins to understand literacys function and what purpose it fulfills in the learners world. When the learner has been able to observe the teacher for some time, Holdaway believes the learner will naturally want to get in the act (Holdaway, 2000). He refers to this as Participation which is the time when the learner begins to emulate the teacher

while approximating the skill being taught. It is vital that the teacher accepts the students approximations while expecting they will become more developed with time. During a teachers instructions, it is the role of the teacher to guide the students participation while it is the role of the student to engage. This act of participating in learning is linked to Lev Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development. Through this zone the learner goes from following the teachers instruction of what isnt yet learned to being assisted by the teacher until gradually the learner has developed the ability to perform the task independently. It is when the teacher is assisting that we see scaffolding, a term coined by Vygotsky to explain the gradual decreased assistance the teacher provides as the learner develops. Scaffolding occurs during both Holdaways and Cambournes Demonstration and Participation (Tompkins, 2010). It is with the cooperation of the teacher that a student begins to initiate the process of learning-by-doing (Holdaway, 2000). This process is key to becoming an independent reader and writer and therefore learners need plenty of time to practice literacy independently. This happens during Role-Playing or Practice, Holdaways third condition of natural learning. To develop any skill, learners need to be able to make mistakes and decide how to progress without a teachers observation. It is during this time that a learner imagines what it feels like to be a skill user and explores the experience in a degree of privacy (Holdaway, 2000). The teacher can be available for questions and support, but it is important for the learner to perform without an audience. In this environment, a learner can begin to self-correct. This way, mistakes can happen and adjustments can be made without external validation. Holdaway believes there are a

lot of important things that happen when a learner practices independently. They are becoming excited about their own development and learning how to hear their own voice, self-monitoring their developing skill (Holdaway, 2000). I believe this teaches children important skills that go beyond literacy such as independent thinking, self-efficacy, and personal reward. Holdaway describes this well, describing role-playing and practice as a chance for learners to Take advantage of a strategy that lifts their efficiency to new levels. To become dependent on being corrected by someone else is to remain at an inefficient level of learning and to be cheated of the opportunity for rapid independent self-improvement (Holdaway, 2000). After learners become comfortable enough with their new development, they are ready for the last stage or condition of natural learning, referring to Holdaways Performance: Sharing Accomplished Increments of Skill. This is when students take on the role of demonstrator, wanting to show their new improvements in skill with their teacher. Holdaway emphasizes the important role the teacher has to be supportive and encouraging at this time. It doesnt matter how small the accomplishment is, if the student is ready to demonstrate their improvements, it is considered a big achievement in the process of learning naturally. Holdaway maintains, In this way the learner enjoys a sense of belonging, an assurance of acceptance even when the skill is at a primitive level. Holdaway describes what these conditions looks like in a classroom when they are combined, The healthy literacy classroom rapidly becomes product-rich without external pressure being exerted to produce it -- story-writing, publishing, play-reading, audience reading, literacy generated research, and a host of other activities, all add to the hum of a community using literacy skills for

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authentic and satisfying purposes. The walls are bursting with displays of childrens output and all manner of studies are arising from reading and discussion. A healthy literacy classroom is a good place to be in.

I will now be going on to summarize the range of reading and writing behaviors in a first grade classroom. With this it is my intention to give you an idea of what a typical first grade classroom looks like and how it is my role to address the diverse needs of my students. I will be explaining this process in three steps. After I describe the range of reading and writing behaviors, I will introduce the various ways I will be assessing my students through pre-assessment, formative assessment (ongoing, used to inform instruction), and summative assessment (given at pre-determined intervals). While doing so I will be explaining how each assessment addresses a childs specific literacy development. After this I will list specific examples of literacy concepts, skills and/or strategies that are appropriate to the developmental level of the students within the classroom in both reading and writing. This will give you an idea of what I will be teaching the children based on my assessments. Lastly, I will explain in detail how the components of literacy instruction will facilitate the development of a balanced literacy approach through the literacy concepts, skills, strategies and philosophy I have stated previously. Within my discussion of instruction I will provide you with the various classroom activities you will expect to see in my classroom on any given day. Each child has had different language learning experiences prior to entering first grade. This means I will have varied levels of literacy development within my classroom that will each need to be accommodated and nurtured for. There is not any single method of teaching literacy that works for every child. Within a single classroom there is a variety of learning preferences among students. This is why it is important to have a 11

thorough knowledge of the various ways students learn so I know how to give each child an optimal learning experience. I value balance and diversity in instruction. This means it is important to provide lots of variety in lessons that can address core literary skills developmentally appropriate for each child based on their level of literacy development. It is crucial to thoroughly comprehend the range of reading and writing behaviors in my class because this will be the basis for my instruction, assessment and strategies. A typical first grade class consists of a diverse group of children who will have varied amounts of prior literacy knowledge. Although not all children develop at the same time and rate, most children go through a similar sequence of developmental stages as they grow (Rog, 2001). There are five elements of comprehension to look for when monitoring the range of reading behaviors: Phonemic Awareness (understanding that sounds make up words), Phonics (knowing which letters represent which sounds), Vocabulary, Comprehension (making meaning of words), and Fluency (demonstrating the prior elements well and with authenticity). The following chart uses these five elements to graph the range of reading behaviors most commonly seen in a first grade classroom. Range of Reading Behaviors: Emergent Understands directionality: left to right, top to bottom Focuses on pictures Pretend reads Transitional Knows most letter sounds Uses pictures and some consonants to decode words Predicts texts from pictures Beginner Begins to cross check using the three cueing systems: Visual, Meaning, Structure Begins to reread Begins to selfcorrect Advanced Developing chunking strategies Manipulates vowel sounds Develops selfcorrection strategies

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Shows beginning of phonemic awareness: Rhyming and playing with sounds Knows most letter names Knows some consonant sounds Developing and understanding of concepts of print

Recognizes some sight words Phonemic awareness: segmentation

Begins to chunk sounds Begins stretching sounds to figure out words Begins to selfmonitor Recognizes many high-frequency words by sight Retells the beginning, middle, and end with guidance

Demonstrates comprehension through retelling Understands the difference between fact and fiction Develops and understanding of comprehension strategies: making connections, visualizing, questioning, monitoring, determining importance

While observing the variety of writing behaviors in a first grade classroom, there are six key traits to look for: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. The following chart uses these six traits to graph the range of writing behaviors in a typical first grade classroom. Range of Writing Behaviors: Experimenting Ideas: Uses scribbles for writing Dictates a story Shapes resemble letters Writing forms lines that imitate text Organization: Attempts left to Emerging Ideas: Some recognizable words Labels pictures Shows detailed drawings Pictures supported by few words Developing Ideas: Attempts to tell a story Pictures support the writing General idea is understandable Organization: Uses a title Limited use of transitions Capable Ideas: Writing tells a story or makes a point Idea is on topic Details are present but not developed Organization: Use of appropriate Experienced Presents original ideas Topic is narrowed Uses interesting and important details Organization: Original title is applied Beginning is

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right writing Attempts top to bottom writing Experiments with spacing Voice: Communicates feeling with colors and shapes No awareness of audience Work is similar to other students Word Choice: Writes letters in strings Imitates word patterns Pictures stand for words or phrases Copies from word wall or other environmental print Sentence Fluency: Mimics letters and words across the page Words stand alone No sense of sentence patterns. Conventions: Writes letters in strings

Organization: Writes left to right, and top to bottom consistently Experiments with a beginning Begins grouping like words Voice: Hints of voice are present Writing looks different than other students A mood is present Topic is addressed predictably Not much of an audience established Word Choice: Words are recognizable Environmental words are correctly used Attempts to use phrases Language serves its function Sentence Fluency: Words are stringed together in phrases

Beginning is present but not and ending Attempts to sequence events Voice: Expresses some feelings Repetition of ideas Awareness of an audience, but there is a limited connection Word Choice: General words Attempts new words Settles for words that will do Big words used to make an impression Sentence Fluency: Simple sentences Sentences tend to begin the same Experiments with sentence patterns Conventions: Uses phonetic spelling Uses capitals at the beginning of sentences

title Attempts transitions between sentences Attempts an ending Sequencing is logical Voice: Writing is expressive Has an individual perspective Writes to convey and story or idea to the reader Word Choice: Uses favorite words correctly Experiments with new and different words Tries to choose words for specificity Attempts to use descriptive words Sentence Fluency: Simple and compound sentences Attempts complex sentences

attention getting An effective ending is tried Easy to follow Voice: Variety of emotions Takes some risks Clear point of view Has a clear sense of audience Word Choice: Words used accurately Avoids repetition Sentence Fluency: Variety Correct sentence structure Variety of sentence beginnings Conventions: High frequency words spelled correctly Capitals are properly used Punctuation used correctly Indents paragraphs Control over

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Attempts to write standard letters Attempts spacing words and letters Student needs to explain text/pictures for interpretation

Single sentences are attempted Short and repetitive sentence structures Conventions: Attempts at semi-phonetic spelling Mixes upper and lower case letters Applies spaces between words and letters Punctuation used randomly Nonstandard grammar

Uses and experiments with punctuation Attempts standard grammar

Not all sentences start the same Conventions: Transitional spelling used with less frequent words Spelling of high frequency words is correct Capitals used at the beginning if sentences and proper nouns Correct end punctuation Paragraphing is present

standard grammar

As Cambourne and Holdway emphasize in their conditions of learning theories, children learn best when they are in an optimal environmental setting that is most conducive to learning. One of the best things I can do for my classroom is to help them feel that they are a part of a community of learners. It is a safe and riskfree environment that enables a community to grow. It is also crucial that I have a strong understanding of ways that I can help my students feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. The teacher is a learner as well. They make mistakes and know

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when to say they dont know something. An effective teacher shows they are a learner through: Asking questions about students backgrounds Modeling self-correction and thought process on problem solving Experiments with options to solve a problem Lets the students catch him/her learning Uses the we in learning strategically Articulates thinking and making sense of communication Lets students be the teachers Demonstrates his/her own learning Reads to herself/himself during Silent Reading Time Shares personal learning and informal conversations Models having questions and using resources Takes risks, changes plans and talks about the process Asks for help and seeks answers through other sources (i.e. the Internet, dictionary) Says I dont know! Then share the process of finding out Makes mistakes and asks for help

The following chart details the roles of the teacher, the classroom, and the environment that when combined, create a community of learners. The teachers role is to Avoid having students engage in excessive copying from the board Have lined paper and introduce finger spacing (tools) Have clear expectations Limit the use of workbooks and worksheets Be aware of tone and body language Provide encouragement Focus on the process rather than product Offer a heads up for time limit (use of timer) Limit the number of The students role is to Not always finish assignments, but love to engage in the process Be very active/hands on; exploring and experimenting Begin to think more logically and relate to cause and effect Enjoy being read to, including chapter books Be experimenting with handwriting with less concentration on spelling Begin to self-assess Create writing that revolves around storytelling and The environments role is to.. Have organized specified zones Have large spaces for movement Have places for working while standing Have work close to students at eyesight range Have a quiet place for reading and writing Display student work in the room Have defined spacious and confined areas Be colorful and stimulating Have stability ball chairs Have visual aids on walls

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assignments and complexity which can lead to a higher quality of work Introduce centers at the beginning of the school year Establish routines Model reading and writing/share strategies Limit timed tests Provide opportunities for children to write about what they like and know well Establish guidelines Provide many opportunities to practice skills and strategies Set classroom rules Provide authentic learning experiences to connect to self Be aware of fluctuating moods Read aloud often from multiple genres Develop personal relationships with students Provide opportunities for group work and alone/individual work Provide opportunities to share Show and Tell Use humor to deal with students Encourage purposeful noise and focused talking Provide quiet time Encourage cooperative learning and play in a noncompetitive way Prepare for transitions Communicate closely with parents Provide opportunities for artistic activities Know the content Create meaningful, yet enjoyable lessons

pictures Enjoy topics about friends and family Demonstrate a wide range of abilities Enjoy interactive activities like singing and dancing Enjoy both cooperative and individual work Be responsible for own work Be learning to make decisions/choices Should be writing and reading throughout the entire day Be able to combine words into sentences Be feeling overwhelmed at times at times Assume responsibility for behavior Apply reasoning skills Be a perfectionist, needing extra uninterrupted time for work without multitasking Be on and off again in their relationships Need to be encouraged to take their time Desire to discover and invent

Have personal white boards for maximum participation Have materials for role playing and dress up Have paints, colors, and other art materials Have many books, easily accessible Have centers and places for active engagement Have blocks, puzzles and classifying materials Have timers Have cozy reading nooks Have opportunities to explore and enjoy music Have clipboards for independent student work Have a system for writing folders/portfolios Provide easy access to all materials Provide a variety of writing tools including different types of paper Have a Word Wall Have an Author Wall and picture ideas for writing

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Use games to teach

As I stated earlier, this chart closely follows the theories of both Cambourne and Holdaway. Both theorists emphasize the important role the teacher has to be supportive and encouraging in order to maintain a community of learners. Holdaway describes what his conditions look like in a classroom and when they are combined they produce a community of learners. The healthy literacy classroom rapidly becomes product-rich without external pressure being exerted to produce it -- story-writing, publishing, play-reading, audience reading, literacy generated research, and a host of other activities, all add to the hum of a community using literacy skills for authentic and satisfying purposes. The walls are bursting with displays of childrens output and all manner of studies are arising from reading and discussion. A healthy literacy classroom is a good place to be in.

I will now introduce to you the various ways I will be assessing my students through pre-assessment, formative assessment (ongoing, used to inform instruction), and summative assessment (given at pre-determined intervals). A critical role of the teacher is to determine the appropriate literacy levels each of my students are ready to begin with. Because students within my classroom read at a wide range of levels, I need to determine these levels so I can plan appropriate instruction. Assessing my students also helps me to assess myself. By monitoring my students progress, I can become more informed of the concepts I need to focus on, the success of my instruction, what reading materials to choose, and what I need to do to modify my instruction.

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The three reading levels to take into account are Independent, Instructional and Frustration (Tompkins, 2010). When a book is too difficult for a learner to read successfully even when assisted, the book is considered to be at the Frustration Level. Students reading accuracy at this level is less than 90% and they show little understanding of what is being read. In reference to both Cambourne and Holdaways Conditions, children do not learn successfully when they are frustrated, and this level of book should not be required for students to read. At the Instructional Level, students can read and understand books with support. Their accuracy rate is 90-94%, recognizing most words they read (Tompkins, 2010). With the support of the teacher, they can comprehend what they are reading. In terms of Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development, the Instructional Level is where most of the learning is happening. At the Independent Reading Level, learners can read comfortably with 95-100% accuracy. Their reading is fluent, and they can comprehend what they are reading without assistance. Books at this level should be read for learners enjoyment but are considered too easy for instructional purposes. After I have determined students reading levels, I want to assess my students regularly to make sure expected progress is being made in both reading and writing. If I observe students who are not progressing, I want to be able to get them back on track. There are a number of things I specifically look for when I am monitoring my students progress. Oral Language and Vocabulary Development:

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Function refers to the purpose for which language is intended. For instance, when Im talking to an infant, I will be using different language than when I am interviewing for a job. These differences in language are not evident to children and need to be learned (Rog, 2001). This concept can be particularly difficult for English learners (Tompkins, 2010). I can assess a students awareness of function by observing them talking in real, day-to-day classroom activities. A formal assessment tool for this is the Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (SOLOM). This test rates a students listening, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar.

Content and Form Content refers to semantics, or the meaning of words. Students who understand content and form understand relationships between words and the multiple meanings a single word can have. Form refers to the conventions that determine how words go together. Sentence structure and formal grammar are examples of form. I can assess students understanding of content and form with the SOLOM test and observation of language structures and grammatical correctness.

Sound Structure Students with an understanding of sound structure are able to sound out words and make predictions based on how sounds are combined to make words. I can assess for this by observing a learners articulation and whether or not they are speaking clearly and fluently.

Phonological Awareness: Similar to sound structure, phonological awareness refers to the understanding that words are made up of sounds. When assessing my students, there are a number of things I want to look for:

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Recognition of Rhyme and Alliteration I will be checking to see if the learner is able to focus on which elements of sound make words sound the same or different.

Phoneme Blending and Syllable Splitting I will be checking to see how the learner is able to blend sounds and isolate onsets (the part of the word that comes before the vowel) and rimes (the part of the word that begins with the vowel).

Phoneme Segmentation and Manipulation I will be checking to see if the learner can isolate sounds in a word, blend sounds together to make a word, and can take out beginning sounds of a word and replace them with another sound (cat becomes that).

Concepts About Print: An assessment tool to determine learners concepts about print is Marie Clays CAP test. The test is administered individually and takes about ten minutes. The teacher reads a short book aloud while the child observes. Then the child is asked to open the book, turn the pages, and point out particular features of the print (Tompkins, 2010). The CAP test assesses: Letter Names and Sounds Refers to the recognition of letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Invented, or phonetic spelling is a critical practice in early writing and is how children develop letter name and sound recognition. I can assess for this by testing the learner to recognize and point to any letter on a page, a particular letter on a page, and the same with a word, sentence or punctuation.

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Forms and Functions of Text Refers to the different types of writing and the reasons for the differences. Through the understanding of form and function, children can begin to understand genres, themes, plot structures, characters, and language convention. I can observe a childs understanding of form and function when they can explain familiar patterns in literature and the differences in text, such as lists, poems, fairytales, and informational text.

Desire to Read and Write Children are most likely to enjoy reading and writing when they have a lot of experience and practice. If a child is learning literacy within both Cambourne and Holdaways Conditions of Learning, they are most likely to be engaged and therefore have a desire to read and write (Tompkins, 2010). I can observe a childs desire when I see they are actively participating in activities and show excitement about the learning.

Much of my monitoring of my students concepts about print will be during classroom literacy activities such as shared reading and writing, which I will be introducing when I explain my instructional process. The following charts explain the various types of formal and informal assessments routinely used in my first grade classroom. The first chart lists common forms of informal assessment for reading (Tompkins, Chapter 3): Types of Informal Assessment for Reading: Anecdotal Records What It Does: The purpose of keeping anecdotal records is to determine the developmental reading stages of each student. Making and recording my observations will help me to determine the appropriate text for each student will plan my instruction. My running records want to be ongoing, to capture each point of the students progress. As I take record, I want to report my

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observations, not evaluate the students success. My aim is to record precisely what the student is saying, and to not think about what I think they should be saying. Running anecdotal records can help me to determine the progress of the following components of a students reading: Directionality (left to right, top to bottom, return sweep) Using background knowledge Using context meaning Matching words and voice Sampling visual letter cues and checking to make sure it makes sense Using conventions of print Discovering new things about text Searching for cues: word sequence, meaning, letter sequence Taking risks and confirming risks Self-correcting through reading and rerunning Checklists are a convenient way to assess each students learning. I plan in advance the objectives I will be assessing and make these objectives clear for my students before they begin to work. Because I will have already set the assessment criteria, grading is easier. A time I will be using checklists is at the beginning of the year when I have each student give a book talk. Book talks are used to gauge each students comprehension of conventional print. Each student will be building a collection of their work in folders to document their learning. At the end of the year, a selection of these samples will be included in each students portfolio. A rubric is a scoring guide that evaluates student performance. They are similar to checklists give a more in descriptive evaluation of each students levels of achievement. These levels commonly range from outstanding/proficient to beginning/emerging.

Checklists

Student Work Samples

Rubrics

The next chart lists some informal methods of writing assessment (Tompkins, Chapter 3): Observation I will be observing each students development of their compositions and 23

Running Records Writing Samples

conference with the students as they revise and edit their writing. I will be keeping running records of students use of writing strategies, and the way they organize their ideas. I will be using writing samples to determine each students six traits of writing, as described in my writing behaviors section (Idea, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Convention)

I will use these methods of informal assessment throughout the year whenever I am introducing a new concept, skill, or strategy, as needed to monitor individual progress. The next chart list forms of formal assessments for reading, when they should be administered, and what literacy behaviors are being addressed, and how the information is helpful to my instruction: Type Of Assessment: Concepts about Print When It Is Given: September for preassessment Middle of the year for progress May- summative assessment for future teacher Same as above What Is Assessed: The three types of concepts about print: book-orientation, directionality, and letter and word concepts Students ability to use phonics strategies and skills How Is The Data Helpful? To monitor students growing awareness of concepts about print and help guide instruction To monitor students progress and guide my choices for leveled books and strategies to teach during instruction Same as above

Letter Identification

Phonemic Awareness

September for preassessment Periodically, ongoing Beginning of the school year Monitor progress several times during the year When students read leveled books, until

Word Recognition

Students ability to segment the phonemes in words, isolate individual sounds Students ability to decode words using the three cueing systems The time it takes to read, errors made,

Same as above

Running Records

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students become fluent readers

self-correction, phrasing and expressiveness

The following chart lists three types of formal writing assessments, when they should be administered, what is being assessed, and how the information is helpful to my instruction: Type Of Assessment: Writing Vocabulary When It Is Given: In September I will be checking for each students baseline of knowledge In January I will be checking for each students progress In May I will be assessing to inform next years teacher Same as above, although I will continue to assess until the individual has acquired mastery of the objective being assessed. Same as above What Is Assessed: The spelling of sight words (high frequency vocabulary) Use of phonics How It Is Helpful: To inform my instruction To report the data to various audiences on individual and class-wide progress To help determine writing groups for guided writing

Hearing and Recording Sounds

Same as above

Same as above

Writing Sample

Use of the six traits of writing in a dictated topic sample

To inform my instruction, both class wide and for individual coaching For guided instruction (group writing) For choosing read alouds

As I teach my students, I want them to determine importance, draw inferences, notice text structure and understand the purpose of text while questioning and visualizing

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as they read and write. To help my children develop their reading and writing skills, there are strategies based on my assessments that I will teach them to help facilitate the process. The goal of reading is comprehension. When we read, we dont just look at the words and understand them; there is a process involved in reading (Tompkins, 2010). The following chart lists the ten strategies used for reading and how and when they are used (in-class worksheet; Owacki): Strategy: Predicting How and When Its Used: Readers predict using information from text to tell what might happen next. Predicting is mostly used beforehand but also occurs during reading. Readers use information from text to tell something we have learned that is Hidden between the lines. Inferring is used mostly during the reading and mostly accessible while observing the six character traits. Readers think about why they are reading and making a plan to help them understand. This strategy is used before reading. Readers can explain the important parts of the text to someone else. This comprehension strategy is used mostly after reading to summarize the most important events. Readers ask themselves what they understand and what they dont understand. This strategy is used throughout the reading process, before, during and after. Readers check with themselves to see if they understand and are finding ways to help themselves with the reading process. This is the first strategy I want to teach my students. Readers use this strategy during reading to become aware of whether or not they comprehend what they are reading. Readers make pictures in their mind to help them understand. Visualizing is used before, during and after. Readers think about how the text reminds them of things personally, of another book, or the world around them. This strategy is used before, during and after reading. Readers focus on what they really want to learn from the text. Setting a purpose beforehand helps with this. This strategy is used before, during and after reading. Readers decide whether or not they liked the text and how they can use what they learned.

Inferring

Setting a Purpose Retelling

Questioning

Monitoring

Visualizing Connecting

Determining Whats Important Evaluating

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This strategy is used after reading. The reading process involves three cue systems that work together for comprehension. The three cues we rely on are: Semantic Cue System (Meaning): This refers to all the things we use to understand our reading. We are using this system when we ask ourselves, Does this make sense? We use our prior knowledge, text, and illustrations to understand semantics. Syntactic Cue System (Structure): This refers to the structural cues we rely on to understand text, such as our knowledge of English, natural language, grammatical patterns, language structures and book language. We use these cues when we ask ourselves Does this sound right? as we read and write. Graphophonic Cue System (Visual): This refers to the visual things we rely on when reading and writing. Sound and symbols, word chunks, analogies, and print conventions are examples of this. We use graphophonics to help understand whether or not what we are reading or writing looks right. Marie Clay is a noted teacher and literacy researcher who came up with a series of reading strategies for comprehension (Clay, 1995). The following are two examples of Clays reading strategies: Self-Monitoring refers to the meaning, language structure, and visual information readers use to monitor what they are reading. Readers who selfmonitor are aware of when something they read doesnt make sense, sound right, or look right. Some prompts for students to engage in self-monitoring

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might include, Were you right? Why did you stop? Could it be___? See if you can find what is wrong. Self-Correction refers to independently correcting errors to construct meaning from text. Readers who self-correct dont need to externally ask how to correct their reading miscues. Some prompts for students to engage in self-correction might include, Try that again. Youre almost right. I like the way you figured that out. There following chart lists the times when students will use specific strategies while reading: Before Reading: Predicting Setting a Purpose Questioning Connecting Determining Whats Important During Reading: Predicting Inferring Questioning Monitoring Visualizing Connecting After Reading: Inferring Retelling Questioning Connecting Determining Whats Important Evaluating

The following chart identifies the strategy used during each stage of the Writing Process: Prewriting Drafting Revising Editing Publishing/Sharing

Writing Strategy:

Brainstorming Creating a Working Copy Rewriting Creating a Final Copy Creating/Designing Presentation Details

The following chart goes into details the six trait of writing that are demonstrated in any format or genre of writing (in-class worksheet, Six Traits of Writing, Plus One):

Trait: Ideas and Content

The writing: Is clear, focused and interesting 28

Organization

Voice

Word Choice Sentence Fluency

Conventions

Holds the readers attention Develops a theme or story line Has a clear main idea Contains relevant supporting details Showcases the main idea Has an inviting introduction and a recognizable conclusion Contains smooth transitions Is logically sequenced Moves the reader through the text Engages the reader Builds a relationship between the read and the writer Is individualistic and expressive Is honest, appealing and from the heart Shows strong commitment to the topic Contains interesting, natural and precise language Has strong imagery Flows and has rhythm Contains varied sentence structure Sounds natural when read aloud Contains well-constructed sentences that show how ideas relate Demonstrates good control of grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and paragraphing so that the message is clear.

Something to remember during the writing process is that it doesnt start out perfect; you keep working on it until you get it to where you are happy with it. It is really important to remind my students of this as they learn the key concepts and strategies of writing. Now I would like to tell you about the methods of instruction that are necessary for a balanced approach to literacy. A balanced literacy framework offers instruction for both reading and writing that combines explicit instruction, guided practice, collaborative learning, and independent reading and writing (Tompkins, 18). A balanced approach brings together both teacher- and student- centered learning concepts and includes these general characteristics: Reading and writing. Oral language that is integrated into both reading and writing.

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Reading instruction that provides strategies for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Writing instruction that includes the writing process, the six traits of good writing to communicate ideas effectively, and conventional spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Reading and writing used as tool for content-area learning (i.e. science, math). Strategies and concepts are taught through scaffolding, with a gradual release of responsibility to students.

Students work collaboratively and communicate with peers. Students are actively engaged and motivated learners as they participate in authentic literacy activities.

These characteristics are present within my instructional components of balanced literacy. Each component taught is to be tied with all the other parts. The following chart is a list of the instructional components of my literacy plan. I have tied each component to the content being used and my instructional strategies (in-class work packet): Instruction: Listening (in-class listening work packet) Concepts: Listening is a choice There is hearing, and there is listening Listening needs to be taught discreetly as a skill Teaching students to hear with the intention of learning something Instructional Strategies: Model effective and active listening Regard what the student has to say as important Integrate listening into daily speaking, writing and reading Plan opportunities for students to practice active listening for a variety of purposes Games/Books that encourage making observations Shape cards and matching 30

Viewing (in-class worksheet)

Seeing vs. Viewing Viewing needs to be taught discreetly Students learn to make

observations to focus and learn

games Using art to teach shapes, position Discussing and making observations of illustrations in books Picture Walks

Reading Instruction: Genre Study (in-class worksheet) Content: Picture Books Traditional and Fracture Tales Fiction Biography/Autobiography Poetry Informational Multicultural Students learn the three Word Study: Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Spelling cueing systems (in-class worksheets, Words are made up of Tompkins Chapter 1) separate sounds Letters stand for sounds Instructional Strategies: Understanding genre serves the act of communicating Genre study gives and expectation of what should be there within a genre Genre study serves the purpose of comprehension Rhyming Elkonian Box Minilessons Letter Sorts Alphabet Chart Environmental Print Letter frames (wikisticks) and spacers Minilessons Word Play: games and worksheets Word Walls Word Sort Cognitive Strategies: Visualizing, drawing inferences, evaluating Metatcognitive Strategies: Thinking about your own thinking During Independent Reading Time: have books available that is at their level (mildly challenging) Reread text for different purposes Choral reading and readers

Word Study: Word Development (in-class worksheets, Tompkins Chapter 2) Comprehension (in-class worksheets, Tompkins Chapter 1)

Students learn decoding skills Students learn the syntactic system Students learn the meaning of words Students learn the semantic system

Fluency (in-class worksheets)

Reading material that is just at the edge of the students developmental level (ZPD) Reading whole sentences as a whole, not word for word

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Punctuation

theater

Writing Instruction: (in-class work packet) Genre/Format Study Content: Poetry Memoir Reports Storytelling Prewriting Drafting Editing Publishing/Sharing Instructional Strategy: Analyze the genre before applying the style to students own writing Make observations about the genre Brainstorming Organization Creating a working copy Rewriting, cutting and pasting parts and reordering them Creating a final copy Providing details Providing a beginning, middle and end Adding personality and expression Using punctuation, proper spelling and grammar Sentences transition for fluidity

Writing Process

Six Traits

Main Ideas Organization Voice Word Choice Conventions Fluency

It is important to remember the most effective teacher strategy for developing fluency: scaffolding. If I want my students to learn to read and write independently, I need to use scaffolding to gradually release responsibility to my students. I use scaffolding as the key strategy for each literacy activity that takes place during each day. I scaffold reading and writing strategies throughout my instruction. During minilessons I can teach strategies using explanations, demonstrations, and thinkalouds. For students to understand what a particular strategy does, I demonstrate using step-by-step explanations. Students will be able to practice these strategies on their own during independent reading. The ultimate goal is for my students to turn

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these reading and writing strategies into skills they have acquired through regular practice. Next, I will describe the literacy instruction I provide in order to teach my children the necessary reading and writing concepts, strategies, and skills. After I provide an explanation of what happens during each lesson, there will be a chart that gives an overview of the role of the teacher, students, and the environment during each of these types of lessons. Interactive Read Aloud Reading to children is a vital way to encourage the development of concepts about print, story structure, and other elements of text (Rog, 2001). It is vital to choose high quality developmentally appropriate books for reading aloud. The stories need to be relatable to the children and characters should be clearly defined and few in number. The plot needs to be quick-paced and sequenced. Books need to include a range of vocabulary that extends what they already know. Read aloud activities should last about ten to fifteen minutes and occur daily. The learning objective of read alouds is to teach comprehension, strategies, building vocabulary, and modeling fluent reading. At the beginning of each read aloud I introduce the book and demonstrate reading strategies as I read. It is the teachers job to model reading. As I read I often pause and think aloud. I want to motivate an interest in reading. I read expressively and fluently. I make frequent eye contact with my students and make sure everyone can clearly see the book and hear me. I use scaffolding to help my students construct proper predictions and ideas about the story, asking questions such as I wonder what will happen next? Students will participate in the story, making predictions and

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questioning along the way. Afterwards we will retell the story once or more and distinguish the main idea and main characters. During read aloud time I assess through observation, recording my observations through checklists, post-it notes, etc. I may want to target a few children at a time to assess during the read aloud. Interactive Read Aloud (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Plan the objective to be taught Choose the book I will read and plan stopping points and questions Introduce the objective/strategy to my students Introduce the story Focus on what the lesson is about Ask students to listen and find ways to connect Read aloud while practicing the objective/strategy After modeling the objective, have students try thinking aloud while reading Assess students through observation Prompt the students for participation Role of the Student is to Focus Listen Think Make connections Be actively engaged Share thinking Model to other students the how-tos of the objective Practice the thinking and speaking Listen to the little voice in their head Role of the Environment is to Provide a place for all the students to be seated on the floor where all the children can see the text Include a chair for the teacher to sit on Utilize books that are highquality Provide a risk-free place

Shared Reading During a shared reading lesson, students participate and observe as the teacher uses a song, poem, chart, or Big Book to demonstrate the use of reading strategies (Rog, 2001). Big Books are characterized as simple, repetitive text that at some point

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can be read by the children. The books include high frequency words and are different genres, providing different concepts. Like Interactive Read Alouds, Shared Reading is an interactive reading time when I read while demonstrating fluency. The difference is that the books I choose to read from are books that the students are able to read as well. Students will focus in on meaning level, sentence and phrase level, word level, and sound/symbol level. Shared reading activities usually last 20-30 minutes and occur daily, taught over the course of a week or two in multiple lessons. As we move through the lesson we begin first with focusing in on meaning level (semantic), moving on to structure (syntactic), word level, and finally sound/symbols (graphophonics). A lot of planning goes into shared reading lessons. I want to set clear learning objectives before each lesson. I consider the academic standards I want to focus on. Big Books are the most common text used during shared reading. During my first reading, children should observe quietly as I read. During the second reading I encourage students to participate with me. Sometimes children will play a certain role in the story, speaking when it is their turn. Other times, they may perform actions that correlate with certain parts of the text. Each time I read I focus on a different learning objective. Just like Interactive Read Alouds, I will assess my students by keeping records of observations of individual students as they participate. Shared Reading (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Role of the Student is to Role of the Environment is to

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(See Interactive Roles) Plan multiple reading for different purposes Demonstrate a one to one correspondence of words and a return sweep, using a pointer Think aloud good strategies of what good readers do Give informal assessment

Interact Practice the thinking Make observations Actively engage in choral reading (during the second read) Participate to come up to assist teacher Share thoughts Share space Ask questions

(See Interactive Roles) Provide high quality literature- Big Book Provide space for the students to sit Provide a chair for the teacher Provide an easel, a pointer, wikisticks, spacers, and charts for concepts

Guided Reading This is when students join together into small groups that I form based on areas the students need more time to focus on. The students in each group read at approximately the same level. During this time students do the reading themselves, silently and at their own pace. It is my job to choose a book that is appropriate for each groups developmental level. The group should be able to read the book with 90-95% accuracy. First, I introduce the book, setting the purpose for the reading and asking students what they already know about a topic relating to the book. Then I will take the students on a picture walk, going over the pages, asking students to making predictions about the book based on its pictures. I will remind them of strategies they can use for reading independently (cueing systems and self-monitoring). Next, the children read the book. Meanwhile, I provide support to help students decode while reading. As they read, I observe and assess their strategies and comprehension. Afterwards, I encourage students to respond to the book, talking about what they liked about it and what they could relate to. Children are generally ready for guided reading when they have directional control (left to right, top to bottom),

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understand that for every word they say there is one word that they see, they know the difference between words and letters, they have control over prominent consonant sounds, and they can decode an unknown word based on letter cues. Guided Reading (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Plan: develop questions and prompts, some type of activity connected to the reading Pre-assess the students and group the children/create groups Select appropriate text for each group: choosing appropriate level and content Set the context: strategy development Provide a hook/motivation before the book is read Make sure the lesson is about one clear concept Take students on a picture walk, discussing vocabulary and background knowledge Model/Coach students individually Assess students with running records Review at the end, reminding students of the strategy Role of the Student is to Actively participate Approximate/practice the strategy Read softly, simultaneously Role of the Environment is to Provide materials: multiple copies of leveled texts Provide a space: Table or rug area where groups can meet Provide activities for the rest of students to engage in: centers, independent reading (the students who are not part of the current group being guided are engaged in another activity, being productive) Provide a risk-free place for students to approximate in

Independent Reading When students read independently, they read silently by themselves, for their own purposes, and at their own pace. Its essential that the books students select are at

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their reading level (Tompkins, 2010). Independent reading mostly takes place during workshop activities, when students choose a learning center they will go to. Learning Centers are designated areas of the classroom where students can work with hands-on materials to guide their own learning (Rog, 2001). All learning centers incorporate literacy but there should be a center that is designated specifically as the Literacy Center, also referred to in classrooms as the reading corner. The literacy center is the focal point of my classroom. I provide spots for children to read quietly as well as a gathering place for discussions and read alouds. Independent reading time lasts about 10-15 minutes, with a time to gather beforehand to go over procedures if needed (usually at the beginning of the year). Although I have less direct involvement during independent reading, I am still observing my students to make sure they are making efficient use of their time. I am usually conducting guided reading at the same time the rest of the class is reading independently. Independent Reading (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Monitor students, observing their engagement Assess, using a checklist Model my own reading Individual Coaching Role of the Student is to Read independently Choose a book to read (they may also be doing some journal writing) Role of the Environment is to Provide a comfortable space to read Provide a large variety of print (anything anyone reads) Provide topical books (poetry, seasonal, plants, etc.) Take place at a good time: at the end of the day, after lunch, and first thing in the morning

Modeled Writing

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Modeled writing is a whole group activity in which I demonstrate some part of the writing process or the six traits of writers. I practice this aspect by writing in front of my students while thinking aloud. Students do not participate during this time. Their task is to observe the strategy I am using while writing. These lessons are kept very short and are to the point. An example of modeled writing is the very first activity of the day, which is the Morning Message. Each morning I write down a simple message on the board that is a couple sentences. An example is Today is Monday. It is cold today. As I write this message I will sound out every letter and announce when I am making a space to indicate a new word. I will explain why I capitalize Monday, and why I am marking the end of my sentence with a period. The students dont copy this message down, it is their role to watch and observe.

Modeled Writing (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Do the writing Model the strategy being used Think aloud Demonstrate with examples and non-examples (what not to do) Invite the student to try the strategy in activity (typically writers workshop) Plan the mini-lesson ahead of time Role of the Students is to Not participate in the writing but to observe the process Not help me with the editing Interact through answering and asking questions Pay attention and be involved Role of the Environment is to Provide something to write on for everyone to see Provide facility for the demonstration: A large poster, overhead, docucam, smartboard or dry eraseboard)

Shared Writing (also referred to as the Language Experience Approach)

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Shared writing activities are meant for students to document their language and experiences while seeing the process of a skilled writer. This lesson is a whole group activity, occurs every day and should last about ten minutes. Experience charts may be used to document a recent experience the children had, such as going on a field trip. As I begin the exercise, I call on students to recall memories of their experiences. As they share their anecdote I write it down exactly as I hear it. This way they can see exactly what their speech looks like in written form. As I write I am modeling the process of a skilled writer while demonstrating strategies. Because it is the students own language, the students are usually able to read the text and this is why its an effective strategy. The goal of this activity is to see writing in action.

Shared Writing (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Plan, building the writing activity around the experiences of the classroom Direct the thinking about the writing process Be in charge but invite the students input Act as a scribe, doing all the writing Write exactly what the students say (unless negotiated) Think aloud Demonstrate a single strategy Plan both the lesson and the Role of the Student is to Tell the teacher what to write Give input on what to write and elements of the writing (commas, periods) Be focused and attentive Role of the Environment (See modeled writing) This activity comes after whole group experiences such as field trips, assemblies, art projects, etc.

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experience they will be writing about

Guided Writing/Interactive Writing Guided Writing is a process where I gather with small groups of students to practice and coach a specific need based on my formative assessment of the individual students writing samples. Sessions are short and take place during Writers Workshop (to be described next). Through guided writing, I am using scaffolding to demonstrate specific writing strategies while practicing concepts such as writing high-frequency words, applying phonics and spelling skills. Guided Writing (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to (see guided reading for the role of planning) Pre-assess for content, who needs what, grouping children accordingly Create flexible, homogenous groups Remind students of the strategy and help them practice (structure is much the same as guided reading) Role of the Student is to Write individually to a specific task or strategy Role of the Environment is to Provide a space, either a table or rug (and a hard surface for each student to write on)

Independent Writing/Writing Workshop During independent writing activities students do the writing themselves. This is a time when they can apply the strategies and skills theyve adapted during the other

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activities. Students are encouraged to choose their own topics and move at their own pace. Independent writing typically takes place during Writing Workshop. Workshop takes place everyday and is at the same time everyday. Before students begin workshops, they have been instructed thoroughly of the rules and procedures. During this time students are expected to compose their own stories in the form of books with multiple pages, illustrations, and text. Children know that the end of writing workshop doesnt necessarily mean their book is finished unless they have determined it is done, in which case they are ready to begin a new composition. When it is time to wrap up their writing, students join me to share their compositions. Afterwards, children will choose which of their compositions they would like to put in their writing portfolios for assessment (Ray, 2004). Independent Writing (in-class worksheet) Role of the Teacher is to Observe Plan a specific writing topic as a form of assessment Coach the students if not assessing them Afterwards, I assess the writing and evaluate the students development Role of the Student is to Write independently Demonstrate the use of a strategy or genre. The Environment is Quiet Full of materials: a variety of paper, pencils, crayons, blank books) May include a computer Provides ample hard surface space for children to write on

This concludes my literacy plan. I have made sure to demonstrate my balanced approach, making use of a variety of reading and writing activities in order to facilitate the learning of specific concepts, strategies, and skills that cannot be addressed in one form of activity. My assessment and instructional strategies are developmentally appropriate and are sensitive to students diverse needs.

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I believe I have demonstrated my abilities as a teacher of literacy through evidence of knowing literacy theory and subject matter. I am able to plan a variety of literacy activities that engage my students and motivate them to have a desire to read and write. I provide a variety of instructional and assessment strategies, demonstrating my understanding of how to test for student progress. I am hoping this plan clearly expresses my teacher literacy standards and strengths and you believe I have what it takes to teach a balanced approach to literacy for the first grade class. Thank you for your time and consideration.

After the page that lists my references, you will find my classroom floor plan. While thinking about how I want to design my classroom environment, I thought about my philosophy of literacy and the theorists I referenced. I considered what these theorist would probably want their classroom to look like. I though about how my classroom can be most conducive to the Balanced Literacy Approach.

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References Cambourne, B. (1995, Nov.). Toward an educationally relevant theory of literacy learning: Twenty years of inquiry. The Reading Teacher (Vol. 49, No. 3). International Reading Association.

Clay, M (2007). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Clay, M. (1991). Becoming Literate: The Construction of Inner Control (2nd ed.) Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Holdaway, D. (2000). Affinities and Contradictions: The Dynamics of Social of Acquisition Learning. Literacy Teaching and Learning: An International Journal of Early Reading and Writing (Vol. 5, No. 1). Reading Recovery Council of North America.

Ray, K.W. (2004). About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.

Rog, L. J. (2001). Early Literacy Instruction in Kindergarten (4th ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association, Inc..

Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy For The 21st Century: A Balanced Approach (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson .

Wood, C. (2007). Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 (3rd ed.). Turner Falls, MA: National Foundation for Children, Inc..

All class worksheets were used for the creation of this literacy plan.

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Classroom Floor Plan Key: 1. Word Wall and Smart Board- This is where students can gather to do word studies. The teacher can use the smart board for a variety of things. This is where children can view videos for building specific skills for reading and writing. 2. Guided Reading and Writing Table- The round shape of the table provides ample space for the teacher to work with each student of the group. Being seated in the middle of the round table allows easy access for me to guide each student. I have an easy viewing spot to make observations and assess the students as they read and write. 3. Carpet For: Interactive Read Alouds, Shared Reading and Writing and Modeled Writing- This carpet is big enough for all the students to sit comfortably and while being in direct view of both the chalkboard and the dry erase board. I have a chair to sit on while leading lessons. Next to the chalkboard is a calendar with which I provide mini lessons using the days and months of the year. On the chalkboard is an ordered listing of each activity of the day. Surrounding the chalkboard are posters with seasonal and topical poems and students work. The carpet has rows of different colors. This makes it easier to direct my students on where to sit and to redirect them if they are invading another students space (for example, John, your legs are on the blue squares, you need to move back to your yellow spot). 4. Independent Reading Area- This area has a soft and comfortable carpet for students to sit on while reading. They are encouraged to bring stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets to this area. The space is lined with books of all types. There is a space provided for my featured author of the month. On one side of the area

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is the Listening Center. This center provides CDs and cassettes to listen to audio stories and phonics samples. 5. Writers Workshop Areas- These tables are large and provide plenty of space for students to write during Writers Workshop. These tables can be places for many other activities to occur as well. Students can bring puzzles, games, and word activities to these tables. They can also use them to read during independent reading time. I think its very important to have multiple large tables around the room and spread out so they can serve different purposes concurrently. 6. Art Center- Ive provided a large table, easels, and an assortment of paints and other supplies for painting and all other arts and crafts. This is a very important part of the day. As children make paintings and illustrations, they are motivated to talk about their art and gain an appreciation for aesthetics. Gaining artistic appreciation helps childrens literacy development because it is a part of the process of imagining characters, scenarios, and stories while learning to communicate and express themselves. 7. Teachers Desk- This is where I have my computer. On my computer I have access to the Internet, which allows me a place where I can go to research things I dont know enough about, find suggestions for lessons and activities, and to keep my records and assessments of all my students. I also type up my lesson and unit plans and save them in a file on my computer. I also use my computer to email my students parents and keep them up to date with all the goings-on of the classroom. I keep lots of books at my desk as well, and while students work independently I will sometimes read my own books quietly.

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8. Centers- These spaces are designated for centers. Centers arent actually a place. They indicate they are anything that can be used as a learning material to help students practices strategies for reading and writing. The smaller centers (games, puzzles, etc) can be found all around the room. 9. Along the walls and in the middle of the room are spots for students work files and supplies. They each have a little spot space where they can put their works in progress and work that they will consider for putting in their writing portfolios. They also have their own supply boxes. While I have all sorts of writing supplies all over the room, they also have their own supplies so they know that they will always have what they want to write with without the possibility of it being in use by another student. Their supply boxes also include their own spacer for separating words while writing sentences. 10. Materials- These are all the spots where students can find a variety of materials for writing and drawing. 11. Books- These are all the spots where books are. Books are easily accessible in my classroom. 12. Dramatic Play Area- This area changes throughout the year, but it always serves the purpose of giving students the opportunity to pretend and come up with stories and scenarios while playing with other students. Lots of negotiating, sharing, and learning to compromise takes place in the dramatic play area. 13. Word Study Materials- This is the spot where I keep all of my manipulatives for word study. I have graphs and charts and pointers and wikisticks. I also have magnetic letters and word cards.

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14. Sand Table/Science Center- This area is for students to use their senses to make observations and predictions. This area helps literacy development because it encourages students to engage in spontaneous dialogue and learn ways to describe what they see. 15. Food and Water Area- This is where I keep snacks for the students. This is also where my students can keep their own water bottles. This area is filled with environmental print, with labels of food and other products that my students are familiar with. 16. Computers- I have two computers that students can use during choice playtime. These computers have various interactive games for my students to practice skills such as phonics and decoding strategies. 17. Listening Center- As explained above (independent reading area) the listening center is a place where my students can listen to various books on tape and other audio samples. Of course, this is an ideal version of my classroom. I will not always be able to have the space and things I want. But having this framework helps me to build a classroom with the things available while keeping in mind all the things I ideally want to provide my students with so they can experience a most thorough and balanced approach to literacy.

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My Professional Development Plan Self-Reflection and Goal Setting

While working on my literacy plan I thought about areas of teaching where I still need time and practice. These are areas I might be able to talk about and recognize but need more experience to gain a skillful teaching practice. I have selected my goals based on the Wisconsin Educator Standards for Teacher Development and Licensure. Teachers know how to teach. While I am gaining more and more knowledge of teaching with each passing semester, I still need a lot more classroom practice with students. While my literacy plan demonstrates I can explain teacher practices, I still have only a small amount of experience where Ive seen authentic examples of what this actually looks like in a classroom. I do not feel yet that I have enough experience teaching within a classroom environment. With another field experience, which will allow me to practice teaching more lessons, and with my student teaching, I am confident I will be ready and excited to teach. As Cambournes Conditions explain, I am receiving plenty of demonstration and am actively engaged and responsible but I need more experience being immersed in the teaching experience. Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons. I have read about many kinds of learning activities and strategies and observed some of them while being in school. To employ these strategies in my practice I recognize I still need experience organizing and planning systematic instruction based on the state standards and curriculum goals, the community and students. With time I expect I will be very familiar with the state academic and teacher standards and will have plenty

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of opportunities to demonstrate them. Once I know my objectives for instruction I imagine I will get better at coming up with diverse activities that I can employ to address the many objectives. Teachers know how to test for student progress. In this semesters ED 325: Literacy In Middle Childhood, I have learned of the different ways I can assess children, what behaviors and progress I want to look for and how to diagnose students strengths and weaknesses. I have only begun to learn how to assess formally and need to become more familiar with the variety of formal assessments to test childrens development. I need more practice determining the appropriate instructional level for students and to gain more skill in recognizing when specific concepts are too easy or too difficult for student learning.

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