May 24, 2016

To Whom It May Concern:

First and foremost I would like to thank you for this wonderful
opportunity. With the third grade data that I have been given, I have
created a positive and well-balanced literacy plan that can be used
year after year. My goal as a teacher is to help students become
stronger readers and writers and teach them tools that they will use for
a lifetime. I have not only analyzed and diagnosed the students needs,
but I have created a plan to enforce that each student learns through
multiple methods.
Thank you for your interest and consideration. I look forward to
hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Amanda Rake
ELM
rakeal@alvenro.edu

A. Set Goals
Be immersed in lots of books [genre, authors, and topics] to
connect reading and writing, because when they read and write
they use what they read to do so. Eckhoff [1983] mentions how
a childs writing reflects the styles and features from the texts
they are reading.
Expand their appreciation for reading but also enjoy, understand
and interpret the text. I want them to read from both an efferent
and an aesthetic stance.
Be at a self-extending reading level [levels: M-R] to an advanced
[levels: R-Y] or higher reading level. A self-extending reader uses
the text to connect with previous reads, builds background
knowledge and brings their knowledge into their reading.
Advanced readers have the ability to read and obtain new
vocabulary. They also can extend beyond the reading and can

create their own interpretations and understandings. (Fountas

and Pinnell, 2001)
Be at a self-extending [3-4 grade] to advanced [4-6 grade]
writing level. A self-extending writer can write about many
different genres and uses more complex sentences. Students
who are at a self-extending writing level can critique their writing
and write for many different purposes. Those who are at an
advanced writing level can write using a variety of purposes and
tenses. They also can write about a variety of topics that are
more then just writing from about the present time, personal
experiences and/or known settings. (Fountas and Pinnell, 2001)
Read for understanding and comprehension by using strategies
such as summarizing, predicting and think about the text as they
read. While reading students also should think about key ideas
and main ideas to build on their comprehension. They need to
think within the text, beyond the text and about the text.
Read with expression and meaningful phrases. Use the authors
meaning and punctuation while reading, so they will be able to
read more words per minute.
Continue to strive toward being at the Syllables and Affixes
stage where they can spell two-syllable words. I want them to
explore affixes that affect the meanings of words. Since I am
there to support them as they construct the foundation for
exploring other word meanings, I want them to become familiar
base words and affixes very closely.

 I want the students to apply what they know about word

knowledge to decode while reading.

B. Analyze Data & Diagnosis Literacy Needs

The data sheet that I have been given tells me about the
childrens instructional reading levels and their level of world
knowledge/orthographic study development as well as their reading
and writing development. The assessment that was given to the
children was the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment in
September, January/February and in May. The students were reading at
an instructional level and reading narrative/fiction text. They also were
given the Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory and/or
Primary Spelling Inventory. A writing assessment, which was scored
from the Teachers College Rubric, measured their on-demand writing.
In September students wrote a narrative piece, then an argumentative
and then the informative writing sample was taken at the end a unit.
Looking at the data I have been given, I was able to come up
with the ranges of development for reading, writing and word study.
Based on the information I was able to depict what this group of
students excel at and what they need to still develop.
Range of Reading
First I looked at the childrens range of reading development. At
the end of third grade the students were reading from a transitional

[levels H-M] to self-extending [levels M-R]. Looking specifically at the

students instructional reading levels [which ranged from K to P] I can
conclude that many of the students are at a self-extending level,
however they are at the beginning of the spectrum for being at a selfextending level [level M-R]. According to the OASD Instructional
Guided Reading Levels Proficiency Benchmark students by the end of
third grade and beginning of fourth grade should be reading an a level
P; a level P reader is also known as a self-extending reader.
A transitional reader [levels H-M] has flexible ways of problem
solving words and can analyze letter-sound relationships. They can also
read with phrasing and fluency at the appropriate levels. They typically
read books that are organized into short chapters. By having a large
pile of known words, they do not solely rely on the pictures to tell the
whole story. A student who is at the self-extending reading level [levels
M-R] can identify characters in books and can picture themselves in
the events of the stories. They can also connect the text they are
reading to those they have read in the past. These readers are able to
not only read a large variety of genres but can read the same book
over a period of days or even weeks [Fountas and Pinnell, 2001]. A
self-extending reader uses the text to connect with previous reads,
builds background knowledge and brings their knowledge into their
reading.
Range of Writing

The next portion I looked at was their writing scores. The writing
assessment was scored from the Teachers College Rubric using the
numbers score one, two or three. A score of two would be what I would
expect to see at the beginning of the year. A two and a half would be a
score that I would expect to have in the middle of the year, so a score
of a three would be expected by the end of the year grade level. The
first writing on demand sample was narrative, in which their scores
ranged from 0-3.5. Looking at their informative writing scores I notice
that the range is from 0-3. The argumentative writing scores ranged
between mostly 2.5 and 3. For the narrative writing piece, which was
their first writing assessment, the scores ranged between 0 and 3.5
[most scored between a 2-3]. Since this is a performance-based
assessment, that is close to a childs real writing, I am able to give
feedback as well as set instructional goals, when I have them in my
class this will be a great way to start off the year.
The characteristics and behaviors for the children vary between
the levels of development. To score the writing one circles the column
that matches the students work. Elaboration and craft are worth
double the point value. After the points are added up they are
transferred into a scaled score.
Third grade students for the narrative writing piece should have
overall told the story bit by bit. The characters should have been
introduced in the beginning and use phrases such as: a little later, and

after that. The organization of the writing should be cleat and

separated from what happened first from what happened later. The
reader should have been able to picture what was happening in the
story. In relation to language conventions the student should be using
what they know about spelling patterns to help them seplel and have
other peers chich their spelling.
The overall structure for an informative piece of writing should
have the reader be engaged white learning information about a
subject. The writer should include ideas, observations and questions.
The craft of the writing piece should include expert words that assist
teaching the reader about the subject more in depth. The writing
should be interesting and include drawings, captions or diagrams.
Overall the spelling of the writing piece should be consistent. You
should be able to see what they knew about spelling patterns to help
spelling and editing. The writer should have punctuation after each
sentence, and if they use dialogue should include comma and
quotations marks.
The last writing piece rubric is for opinion writing. The writer tells
their readers their opinion and ideas on a text or topic and also
includes reasons. They writer includes an appropriate hook to make
them care about their opinion. The writer should connect their ideas
and reasons with examples. Examples and reasons should agree with
the writers opinion and should include several sentences about each

reason. The writer should have elaborated significantly to support

their opinion. While the reader reads an opinion piece they should have
started thinking or feeling certain ways. Language conventions should
include what the writer knows about word families and spelling rules.
Range of Word Study
The childrens word study assessments, which were given in both
September and May, shows what stage that they were in according to
the Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory as well as what
part of the stage they were in [early, middle, late]. This test is used to
determine not only the level of word knowledge or orthographic
development but also to make instructional decisions. Since all of the
scores are not there for the May assessments I have used both
information from both May and September. Besides five, twenty
students fell in the within word pattern in May. The other five students
with only September scores were at either a Within Word Pattern or
Letter Name Alphabetic.
Students who are in the within word pattern use their automatic
knowledge of short-vowel sounds and letter sounds to read and spell
words. This stage is typically developing in first grade for ages 6
through 9. The Words Their Way states that, many low-skilled readers
remain in this stage. Since the English orthography is very extensive,
the within word pattern stage is the longest of the stages. Ambiguous
vowels and homophones are two different types of words that students

are exploring. It is important to understand what the students are

using by confusing.

Relative Areas of Strengths and needs across the data

While looking at the data, I was able to depict some areas of
strengths and weaknesses across the classroom. As I go through the
documents I will start to think about what whole group instruction as
well as what small groups I would gear toward teaching first.
When looking across the data I noticed many strengths regarding
to the students fluency while reading. When looking at the assessment
scores for the F/P Benchmark, majority of the students scored a three
or two, so I would assume that they could read smoothly with correct
pauses and at an appropriate rate. One weakness that I noticed while
looking at the data was the lower scores for writing in response to
reading, which measures comprehension. Eleven out of XXX students
in the class fell in the partial score, which means they had partial
understanding of the text. When looking at the comprehension
conversation many of the students, eleven students, were more limited
verses satisfactory. Nine of the students scored a satisfactory. Limited
means that they scored a five or six based on the F/P Benchmark
Assessment. They may have had a partial understanding or very
limited understanding of important information and ideas or other key
understandings. There is a relative strength in fluency, however a

relative weakness in comprehension. When looking at the words per

minute they are reading significantly slower then a typical third grader
should be. According to the Fountas and Pinnell Oral Reading Rates
students at the end of third grade should be reading approximately
100-140 words per minute as well as reading at levels N, O, or P. Now
when glancing at the end of second-third grade students should be
reading at least 90-120 words per minute while reading a level L, M, or
N book. Majority of the third grade students that I have been given to
analyze are reading at a level M or lower and their words per minute
are less then 100 wpm. Those students who are reading at a level N or
higher are reading at or above 100 words per minute and have a
satisfactory or excellent fluency rate, however their scores for
comprehension are limited; those students are reading words
proficiently but not comprehending what they are reading fully. Overall,
the students are reading slower and focusing on the words, rather then
the big picture of what the reading is actually talking about.
Information that is lacking
Although I have a lot of information about how my students are
as readers and writers, there is still information that I would need to
create a better diagnosis and a stronger/ more in-depth literacy plan. I
do not know the students personally, in which I do not know what
motivates them.

One piece of information I would have liked to receive is their

independent reading level scores and what level at which they can
read with ease [not get frustrated with the text]. I do not know if they
like reading more then writing or vice versa, nor do I know what
genres, authors or difficulties they encounter while reading or writing. I
would like to know if the readers fell more towards transitional or selfextending levels when reading at a level M. A level M can be both
transitional and self-extending therefore they may have different
literacy needs. The difference between transitional and self-extending
is much different.
Another piece of information that I am missing is what strategies
they are using while they reading and writing. Perhaps the students do
not have a bank of strategies that they know work well yet, in which it
would be important to practice different strategies to find out which
ones work best.
Since I do not have samples of their writing, I do not know what
they have learned over the summer and/or what they forgot over the
summer. I would first have them write something interesting that they
did over summer and explain why they had the best summer. I will be
looking at their reasonings as well as how they organize and what
strategies they use while spelling.
Among other information that is lacking, I do not know if any of
the students are exceptional learners or have a learning disability.

In the beginning of the year I will have many different types of

assessments that will help be better understand where the student is
as well as their likes/dislikes and struggles as a writer and as a reader.
Beginning of year assessments
There are many assessments that would help guide me when
creating my literacy plan. I have a variety of assessments that I will
use for reading, writing and word study in the beginning of the year to
find out the literacy needs for the children. Assessments help
differentiate instruction by determining the next step in instruction for
the whole group, small groups and individuals. It is also important to
have assessments all year round to assess a childs reading, writing
and word study. Assessments can be both formal and informal;
assessments are a useful tool that promote for higher achievement
gains in a classroom and help determine what degree the children are
reaching their goals.
In the beginning of the year I would assess them by giving them
a Reading and Writing Inventory. I want to know their dislikes and likes
about reading and writing. I would ask them to bring in a couple of
their favorite books to read to get a feel for their independent reading
level. It is critical to know what level they can read with ease and their
frustration level. I would ask them oral questions about reading and
writing to get more in depth with their thinking. I would prompt them
with questions in order to gain insight of their thinking. I will ask

questions such as: what do you find most enjoyable/not enjoyable

about reading/writing, what do you think you could improve on, do you
prefer quiet or loud spaces when reading/writing, what strategies do
you find useful, how do you go about solving an issue about
reading/writing and other questions that will help gear my lesson
planning. Then I would ask them a goal that they have for themselves
this year based on both reading and writing. During reading and
writing workshops they would create new goals for themselves to track
their progress.
One specific assessment that I will give the students is the
Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark assessment that focuses on reading.
The benchmark assessment assesses: accuracy rate, fluency, reading
rate, comprehension, writing about reading, phonics and word analysis.
When listening to them read I would be paying attention to how they
sound out words and check if they know certain word chunks,
affixes/suffixes, and letter to sound recognition. I would also be able to
see take note on how they figure out a new words and how they
decode them. Listening to them would help me be able to help support
word solving during both reading and writing. I would use this in
September, January and May to monitor the students progress
throughout the year. In September and May they would read from a
narrative text, and in January would read a text that is non-fiction.

I would do running records weekly. I would conference with the

children at least once a week to listen to them read. During this time I
would assess for accuracy, fluency, comprehension and their reading
rate.
To monitor the literacy learners growth I would have them write
in their readers notebook to assess their reading comprehension. I can
assess their thinking by reading their notebooks and talk with them
about what they have read through conferencing. Their readers
notebook would be checked frequently so I can monitor their growth in
reading, writing and word study throughout the year. As they write I
will be checking to see if they are using their words correctly and
looking at how they challenge themselves as a writer. The words I will
be most likely checking are those that we have learned in the call,
word wall words, as well as words that relate to their own word study. I
will be able to look also at common mistakes they are making in their
writing pieces.
The Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory would be
one assessment that I would use to help gain insight on where each
child is. I can determine what spelling stage they are at, which will help
me when creating small groups. After I understand where each child is,
I would group them based on misspellings that they portrayed in the
Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory. Word sorting can be
done as a whole group and then can done individually and/or with

partners. Word sorting is a great tool because it is very versatile- it can

be used both for assessment purposes and as an instructional strategy.
When assessing their writing, I will use multiple ways to monitor
them by both assessing them informally and formally. I will have them
write on demand before, during and after a unit of study. I plan to
confer with the students during each unit of study to help them create
goals for themselves as writers. With the use of rubrics, I can plan for
instruction both in the mini lessons and for small group instruction. It is
important for assessments to be ongoing during the learning process.
Writing projects, such as poems, how to papers, stories and/or
letters, are another forms of assessments that I plan to use that will
help me monitor their growth as literacy learners throughout the year.
This assessment can be connected with their reading unit. Students
can use what they are reading to help them with their writing.
Depending on the genre or type of text we are focusing on in reading, I
can create writing prompts that will extend and deepen the students
knowledge. Before starting the writing unit I would plan to make sure
students understand the writing process and then create a student
checklist. Students will be able to keep track of their writing by keeping
a writing portfolio folder. By keeping a portfolio I will be able to monitor
their progress and see how they have applied what they have learned
in mini-lessons and in conferencing to their final work.

An assessment for word study would be looking at how they edit

their paper. By observing how students use their knowledge from their
reading and writing lessons, you can see how they apply that to their
papers. I can observe in their writing what words they use most often
and if they are thinking out the box and using more complex words. I
will be able to assess vocabulary development in their writing by
looking at their common mistakes they make while writing, as well as,
how much they are challenging themselves as they write and if they
are taking my feedback from prior writing experiences and applying it
to their current writing. Perhaps, I will challenge them to use at least
five or more of their spelling words when they write; this will push
them to expand their thinking as they write. I will be keeping track of
common mistakes as well as what strengths they have when reading
and writing.
Overall I plan to use a variety of authentic assessments because
they do not take away from the students time while they are reading
and writing. Having the students do turn and talks both in writing and
reading lessons will act as my informal assessment. By applying what I
would like to know about my fourth grade class I would administer
appropriate assessments for reading, writing and word study
throughout the year to monitor improvement. I will also use this
information to form my whole group instruction, as well as, for small
group and individual purposes.

C. Comprehensive Instructional Plan:

The next focus is how I will effectively teach these children to
become stronger readers and writers. I have focused my literacy plan
based on a theoretical framework, and I have created my plan based
on how I believe children learn literacy best.
Personal Beliefs/Explanation of theory
While looking at the different theoretical frameworks it is
important to include a variety of theoretical perspectives because it
improves the quality of literacy instruction and includes a variety of
student and teacher centered activities [Tompkins, 2014]. As I state
my beliefs about how children learn literacy best, I will also include
what overall theoretical framework best supports that given belief.
I believe that students are more engaged when they are reading
and writing during authentic activities, and a students engagement in
activities allows the child to become more successful. This belief
relates to the engagement theory in constructivism [Tompkins, 2014].
This theory promotes project based learning and working together. I
can also use the engagement theory concept as I assess students
during independent reading by listening to them read and then follow
up with a couple questions about what they reading. I would tell them
what I thought they did great and give them something to work on for
next time [Fountas and Pinnell 2001, page 484]. As my students are
learning and engaging I want them to ask questions, find information,

and create what new knowledge they have retained to solver

problems; this heavily relates to inquiry learning, which is connected to
constructivism. Since some of the information will be familiar to some
of the students, I want them to add new information to their schema;
this concept is called assimilation. The more difficult construction
process is called accommodation; this is where the students create a
whole new mental file, schema, for what they are learning [Tompkins,
2014].
I believe that students learn literacy best through social activities
that reflect the community and culture that the students live within,
which is based on the sociocultural theory for sociolinguistics. By using
powerful multicultural literature students will be able to learn about
others around the world and those within their own classroom. Children
can share their family traditions, values and beliefs. As they share their
cultural backgrounds students will be able to recognize how we are
different but also very alike and I will foster a culturally responsive
classroom. Another reason I use this theory within my own practice is
because it allows for all students to participate and bring their own
knowledge by giving them a chance to teach the class. It gives a
chance for the students who would normally shy away from talking or
sharing in the class to participate and gain confidence. By embracing
diversity I can create a safe feeling so students can feel comfortable

when sharing and learning. I believe that a culturally responsive

classroom is a healthy classroom.
I also believe that the overall concept of sociolinguistics is a
worthy theory to base ones instruction from. I believe that students
need to socialize and collaborate during all content areas. Children
work best when they can talk about their learning. Scholars learn more
as they do tasks together then independently, especially those tasks
that are more challenging. Using language helps the students organize
their thoughts and reinforces understanding. Within the sociolinguistic
theory is a lot of collaborating. Children collaborate with their teacher
as they receive feedback. The students work with peers in small groups
and share ideas. Students will participate in authentic practice and
meaningful activities that will foster engagement and create an easier
way to remember what they are learning.
While those two concepts are crucial, it is important to add
information processing to the mix of learning. This concept is where
the mind is compared to a computer and describes how the
information moves from a series of processing units. Reading and
writing are related, therefore they need to be expressed in models as a
two way flow of information.
The transactional theory, by Louise Rosenblatt, connects to
information processing. I believe that students need to know how to
create their own meaning through their own interpretations of the text

and their knowledge about literature. Students need to be aware of

their interpretations and understand that everyone is entitled to their
own.
I believe that students learn best from books that foster critical
literacy. Books that deal with social issues are great because they allow
students to respond and become agents of social change [Tompkins,
2014].

Structure and Organization of plan

My literacy plan will be organized by different theories that I feel
are necessary to have a well-organized and engaging classroom.
Within the large framework I will talk about small frameworks within it
including the three-block framework. During the three-block framework
I will discuss different concepts, skills and strategies that I plan to
teach.
It is important to use a framework because the students will be
able to know whats expected of them, learning builds on previous
learning and they will be able to accomplish more in a school day [F/P
2001]. I want my students to be able to depend on themselves and
have self-direction, which means that there needs to be predictably
and organization within the class. The first block of the framework I
plan to use focuses on language and word study. Within this block
children will investigate language through the different texts I will

provide them with. Through a community meeting I would engage

students in talking about the news, talk about topics or read a short
paragraph that features a new word and explicitly teach them what the
word means. Another way to engage the students would be to have a
modeled reading and writing lesson. During this time I would model
either reading or writing to help my students expand their vocabulary.
Through thinking aloud they would hear my thoughts and reasonings
about the text. This is an excellent time for students to all study the
same text with support [F/P 2001]. The second block would be focused
around the reading workshop. The components that are critical to have
during a reading workshop are: mini-lesson [typically], guided reading,
independent reading and then a group discussion. In Fountas and
Pinnell they say, Students who have the chance tomorrow to apply
what they have learned today, form stronger learning patterns. This
quote really strikes me because I value independent reading because
this is where the students use their just right books and will show me
what they know and what they are struggling on. At this time I am able
to have individual conferences to discuss their reading. Overall I want
to guide my students in making personal and textual connections as
they read, and as they read I want them to be engaged and become
readers who like to read. The final block I would use would consist of
writing. In this block students will be learning what it means to be a
writer. As one would figure, reading and writing are both very

important and need to be done daily; consistency is key. During the

writing block I will be able to conference with students and give them
feedback that they would be able to use while it is fresh in their mind. I
would typically plan a mini-lesson to start off the writing workshop,
however this would always not be the case. The students would be
able to go straight then to independent writing where they would work
on their pieces from the day before. I would confer with the students as
they write. Each day I would have a small group of students that I
would work with, in which we would talk about aspects of writing as
well as writers craft and conventions. The last part of the writing
workshop would be investigations. This is highly important because
this is where I would really integrate the different content areas.
Students would not only be responsible for witting, but they would be
responsible for reading about their topics as well. Investigations would
be more structured by me and would complete independently or within
a group. During investigation students come to understand how to
communicate through writing as they explore different ways of
representing and summarizing. Using the three-block framework helps
make teaching more powerful and easier to plan. The framework is
also very flexible and can be done at different times of the day.
In my classroom I would have a designated place where I would
organize the three different blocks so students have a solid routine. As
we move through and transition from one to another we would have

different people pick ways to move. For example, I would have a jar
that is filled with Popsicle sticks in which one student would pick on
and we would skip to our spots or jump to our spots. Within my
classroom there would be designated places for students to work both
independently and in groups. The first goal I will have set for the
students is to build connections and make the text more
comprehendible. I will encourage the students to make predictions, do
a book preview, connect to prior literacy experience and/or personal
experiences and have them set a purpose for what they are reading.
As they read students will be still encouraged to make predictions and
connections, but they will also take notes, re-read, and visualize what
they are reading. The goal is to encourage students to initiate reading.
After they read they might chose to write in a reading log and respond
to their thinking. This will help them facilitate their comprehension. To
personalize learning and deepen their understanding I will encourage
them to learn new vocabulary within their text and explore the writers
craft. After they read I would support them to apply what they read to
related books and value the reading experience because it will help
them integrate learning into their own schema.
I will use multiple strategies that will help my students to
become stronger readers. These strategies will be applicable before,
during and after reading to ensure they are reading actively.

My literacy plan will also be organized based on the different

assessments and feedback I receive, in which I will focus on teaching
students specific concepts/strategies. The materials in my classroom
will be consistent however will vary depending on the content being
taught. Students will be guided throughout the semester through
routines and motivation and the overall atmosphere will be welcoming
and will be positive. Here is where I will go into depth on how my
decisions in relation to my diagnosis and theoretical frames piece
together like a puzzle.
Earlier in my plan I talked about the different assessments I
would provide in the beginning as well as throughout the year to
ensure the students are moving smoothly across the Wisconsin
Common Core State Standards. Ways that I plan to assess reading are
through using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark assessment. I plan to
observe the students and take anecdotal notes to monitor students
growth. As I take notes I plan to take notes on questions the student
asks that are interesting as well as the strategies and skills they are
using independently without reminders and those that need reminders.
This will help guide and pinpoint areas that I may need to address to
either that student or the whole class. I plan to also have causal
conversations and include periodic conferences with the students to
track their progress. I plan to also assess students based on their work
samples from particular content areas, audio from reading, reading

logs, writing samples, or pictures of their projects. Students can be

allowed to help create rubrics and tweak them with me in order to
have students understand the criteria.
Assessments that diagnose students are also very important
because they allow me to determine their strengths and weaknesses in
which I am then able to support them and modify instruction. Doing a
running record is a great start because it allows the student to use
their just right books and show off what they know. This measures the
students fluency and word identification. An Informal Reading
Inventory is another useful tool that evaluates a students reading
performance.
When I am assessing I need to make sure that I am proficiently
assessing those who are English Language Learners. One assessment
that I may use is the Student Oral Language Observation Matrix. I will
observe them as they talk and listen in real life situations, this would
most likely be during class time. It is necessary that I still assess them
using the same assessments for the English speakers just to monitor
their growth. However, it is very beneficial to have them use KWL
charts because it allows me to assess what they did know, what they
wanted to know and what they have learned. I then start to create a
picture of what vocabulary they know and what we need to further
review. Another way I would assess ELLs is by having them assess
themselves because who knows you better than yourself! I would ask

the students what they may do if they were to come to a word they did
not know or perhaps what reading strategies they use. Again, this is
great because it allows me to grasp what difficulties the students may
have. As ELLs write, I will be there to watch and guide them over the
writing process. I will monitor their growth and use a rubric to assess
their writing so they know where they need to improve specifically.
Based on the results from the assessments, I will teach certain
concepts and strategies will students will need to become successful
readers and writers. One way I plan to support students is having them
create story notes as they read their books independently. As students
read they will briefly record information from the text onto a sticky
note or piece of paper. What the students write down will vary on what
the childs needs are at that time. This is a great tool to use because it
is very versatile and flexible based on the students needs. The way
that the ideas are organized will not only support their thinking but will
create a deeper meaning of the story [Fountas and Pinnell 2001, page
445]. Students could also try creating a story map comparing two
different characters. For both character they would write down their
problem, goal, how their problem was resolved and then the end result.
Again, those categories and the characters can change based on the
students needs and reading level.
Having the students create an important element chart would be
a useful tool because it makes them go through a simple and

organized process that challenges them to justify their thinking. As the

students create the three boxes, they write down the three prompts
within: The story takes place and An important character is and
The problem begins whenthenafter that...finally All of these
prompts allow students to add phrases that support their thinking. I
would expect the students to have more detailed explanations and/or
descriptions as the year goes on. Working on this technique will help
them comprehend what they are reading because they are reading
more actively [Fountas and Pinnell 2001, page 446].
I believe that students learn literacy best through a variety of
hands on activities. For example, word sorting connects to
constructivism because it is student-centered and allows for the
student to construct his or her own meaning. As they sort words they
are engaged and motivated because it is like solving a puzzle.
Students can practice both closed and open word sorts, which even
make for more interaction. Doing different words sorts within my
classroom would be beneficial because it will increase their word
knowledge, which will help them while reading [comprehension, words
per minute]. Having students just connect words will widen their
vocabulary which will help them while they read and write.
Having the students jot down important events that happen to
the character as they read will help them feel more connected to the
character as well as the story. As they discuss and think about their

actions [of the character], they will be more likely to create inferences
and synthesize information easily.
As students read more and more they will start to discover
patterns across different types/genres of texts. Students can create a
book-comparison chart to keep track of their books based on a certain
theme, setting or topic. This would be a useful tool to make sure that
students are reading different types of genre.
As students read more, it would be beneficial for them to create
KWL charts to track their learning. They will be challenged to access
prior knowledge and establish a purpose for reading. Students will be
asked to summarize their knowledge, which would be a great tool to
use to take anecdotal notes on how students are spelling or
summarizing.
As I work with my fourth graders I will use a large pool of
different instructional strategies. Every day we will start off with a
morning message. Within the morning message I will use different
literacy concepts and strategies that we have learned previously. We
will identify similarities and differences through creating a compare
and contrast chart. This will take us into summarizing and note taking.
This is critical to know how to do because they need to know how to
analyze at a higher level. After students read a short section of a
reading, I would have a student act as the teacher and summarize
what has been said, Other students can jump and add to the summary.

I will reinforce effort since many students may not believe that hard
work and effort really does pay off. I will expect my students to
practice by doing homework. I want them to extend their thinking and
critique what they know and what they are still confused on. Graphic
organizers, pictographic representations, mental images and physical
models are all examples of nonlinguistic representations that I would
use as instructional strategies. Students will be doing a lot of group
work. As the teacher I will set objectives and provide feedback.
Students will also to self-assess their own work through rubrics and
free-writes.
An instructional strategy that I plan to use is to show students
how to use what they know and what they read to make connections
and build a meaning from the text. I plan to use a read aloud with the
class to model how strong readers read to create meanings from the
text. While reading the text I will focus on one aspect such as
summarizing. Since most of the class needs improvement on reading
comprehension, I would include summarizing as a read aloud. Through
multiple mini-lessons I would model how a strong reader summarizes.
I plan to focus on using post-it notes using their own independent
books so they can have an authentic experience.
When I first meet my 4th graders I want to begin the year with
finding out whom they are as readers, writers, learners as well as
whom they are individually outside of academics. I will set

expectations and have them help create a classroom community.

Although I am the ultimate classroom manager I want my class to have
a voice and express their feelings and concerns. As the teacher I need
to model what good readers and writer but I need my students to
observe my demonstrations and then practice and apply what they
have learned. I will give them opportunities to respond to books they
are reading and to classmates writing, and I expect that my students
will respond in reading logs and grand conversations and listen actively
to their peers. So my students can understand the classroom schedule
and complete assignments when they are due I will have an organized
classroom that contains block schedules for reading and writing time.
Most importantly my students will be engaged in literacy activities and
spend more time reading and writing because I will nurture their
engagement through authentic activities and opportunities to work
with classmates. At the end of the day, I will have a classroom that is
just more than a classroom filled with students; I will have a classroom
community full of students that value education and work with each
other collaboratively and respectfully.
For a free flowing classroom one needs to have classroom
management skills. The first task is creating a community of learners
than just a classroom full of 4th graders. The overall physical
environment will be welcoming and warm. Although organization and
planning will always be happening I plan to have the students help me

create a classroom where they want to be. Books will be all over the
classroom! Although I want them to expand their reading abilities I
really want them to expand their world. I will display the books in bins
that really invite the readers to take a look at them. These books will
be in the storage wall as well as in the library. I plan to have the
students do book reviews and recommend books to students to
increase their reading. When you look at my classroom set-up you will
notice that I have many places for students to work both independently
and in groups. Near the entrance there will be a homework/parent
note/ important paper drop off. Each student will have a cubby box to
place important things and I will have a place to put important papers.
Both the students and I will be able to keep an organized system.
Through the environment to the class I will be able to manage a strong
classroom.
Pacing and efficiency are key time management skills that are
related to effective instruction. With that being said, I will have a
routine that is flexible based on my students needs. Everyday we will
have math and literacy. Science and Social Studies will alternate every
day. This will give a large chunk to have both a science and social
studies workshop to finish specific tasks. During the reading workshop I
will integrate social studies and science too. I also need to think about
my students needs and give enough time weekly to meet with every
student as well as the different groups that will be created. The groups

of students will vary since students needs vary. Getting into good
habits and routines will help run a successful classroom.
Classroom motivation is a key part in my literacy plan. I want my
students to be curious about what they learning and what they want to
learn. By being confident and believing that they will successful during
the activity, they will be able to have intrinsic motivation. There are
many factors that affect a students motivation [Tompkins, 2014].
As the teacher I need to show the students that I care about
them and display excitement about what I am teaching them. At first I
may have to stimulate their curiosity and desire to learn, but I am
confident that they will start to bring their own questions to the table.
While having a positive attitude is important, I need to foster a healthy
classroom community. I will nurture positive relationships to show
students how to respect one another. Through instruction I will be able
to motivate them, in which I will offer students to have a choice of
activities and reading materials through their just right books. Students
will be learning through authentic learning activities. It is also
important for students to become life long readers and use different
strategies while doing so. Using external rewards when students
interest is low will be a motivator I will use to boost students
motivation.
I also have many factors in affecting the students motivation. I
expect my students to work collaboratively and to be successful. They

will be urged to set goals that are realistic. As students are

collaborating I will have them make choices and make plans and try to
only have healthy competition. As stated before students need to learn
different strategies when they are reading and writing. Providing
guidance for students who are struggling in very critical. Everyday
students in my classroom will have reading and writing experiences to
expose them to different genres and purposes. Through
encouragement my students will be able to write about topics that
interest them and will be able to pick books that are at their reading
level.

Environment and Design

With the use of my creativity and awareness I made an extra
special classroom design that accommodates all learners. First I would
like to point out that my students will be sitting in pods [groups of six]
in which they will be able to move their chairs around the table to sit
closer to one another. Another feature of the pods in that each one is
equipped with their own storage/tool center, which is attached to
one side of the table. Each storage holds the students important
papers as well as tools that may need during the day such as their
crayons, markers, pencils etc. The storage also holds their just right
books so they are available at any time without distraction. When I am
giving a mini lesson [or group discussion] I would have the students go
to the class discussion and share area. This is where the SMART
board and chalkboard/white board is. This area is large enough for all
of the students to sit comfortably. As you may have noticed there is
another share area, which is a little smaller. This space can hold all of
the students as well however it allows students to sit at their desks if
they need to sit in a chair through a discussion. Another area that is
available to the students is the kidney table. This table is great for
small group discussions. The computer center allows up to four
students to work on research, typing and to increase independence
and responsibility. The divider between the class discussion area and
the other side of the class is the storage center. This storage center

holds everything that students may need if they run out of something.
It also stores what the students missed if were absent. At both ends of
the storage center you will find math, science and social studies
things. This is where I will keep everything for the content area so it
is easily accessible. Since both sides of the storage will be boards I will
be able to posters, anchor charts and different student work displayed
on both sides.
You are surrounded by the next design characteristic when you
look at the wall. On the west side of the wall you will notice the
routine board and white board. I have included a routine board so
students know what the agenda as well as the date and any important
dates. The white board is available for the students to use when
working as well as for me to write any important things for the
students as they are working. This board is close enough to the
students desk that they will be able to see it while they are working in
their desks. When the students arent working in their desks they will
have multiple places to work. If you notice in the northwest corner you
see table and chairs. This is a place for students to work in groups or
if they need to work in a more quiet setting. The other work place is in
the library as well as on the other side of the library walls. These
places would be ideal for to students to utilize as they read or are
doing investigations. On the east sidewall you will find a huge
resource wall. The resource wall is meant for our class anchor charts

and other resources that the children will find useful. The last thing
on the wall that is needed is a display for student work, which will be
located when you first walk into the classroom. I feel that it is
important for students to always see and acknowledge their hard work;
I also find it important for others to admire their work therefore it
would make sense to be close to the door. There will be also plenty of
beanbags and different chairs for students to sit comfortably as they
learn.
The last piece of the classroom is my desk, which of course will
always have some sort of flowers on it to brighten up the room. I
imagine my classroom being very inviting and friendly to all.
Differentiation
To ensure that I have a well-balanced classroom and an inclusive
classroom for that matter, I plan to differentiate instruction to meet the
literacy needs for reading, writing and word study. My overall goal for
my students is for them to improve their learning. As the teacher it is
my job to observe and understand the differences and similarities of
my students. Each week I will have a checklist for each content area
with the different goals for that student as well as for all of the
students. I will continuously assess them to identify what they are
using and what they are confusing. I want to help them move forward
and continue to learn. By recognizing that my classroom will be full of
diverse learners, I will be able to use different techniques within my

lessons to meet all of my students needs. Students will be challenged

to problem solve on different issues and concepts rather then just a
chapter of a book. Students benefit from learning from one another.
With all of these comes a choice. Students will have a choice during
reading and writing experiences. This acts as a motivator to them
because they are being responsible for their own learning.
I will use a variety of different reading levels during instruction so
all students can be active and engaged. I will show students how to
contruct meaning as they read and ask them to construct their own
meaning and bring background knowledge. Units will be planned
carefully to support each student.

Evaluate the Implications of your Plan on Student Learning:

What are the implications of your plan on student learning?
If I follow through on my literacy plan with these children, I
can predict that the students learning will thrive. I believe that
the students will have a lot of different tools to use as they read
and write in all of the different content areas. My goals are
intertwined the literacy plan, so I believe that all of my student
goals will be checked off. Students will enjoy reading and writing
and will be challenged to do a lot of higher-level thinking.
a. What are the strengths of your plan? I really took a
lot of time getting to know my students and for what I did

not know about my students I asked questions. The first

thing is diagnosing your students through their past
assessments because that is all I had about them.
b. What are areas that need further development?
The areas for development are finding ways to assess my
students with the use of a guide that can be used for
everyone. Although everyone does not need the same
rubric it would really balance out everything by having one
rubric.

Comments: Looking at my other literacy plan and

this literacy plan I feel that I was way more organized and
focused on my thoughts. This allowed me to cover more of
what I wanted to see in depth than just saying it quickly
and too vague.

Reference Page:
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and
writers: Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Gail E. Tompkins, Literacy for the 21st Century, A Balanced
Approach: 6th Edition (Boston: Pearson Education Inc, 2014).

http://www.heinemann.com/fountasandpinnell/supportingMaterials/Oral
ReadingRates.pdf
https://www.readinga-z.com/fluency/fluency-standards-table/