Posted by: Alesia Netuk
Updated: October 2nd, 2023
Balanced Literacy Approach
Balanced Literacy Approach
A balanced literacy approach integrates reading, writing, and word study components. It aims to provide a balance of teacher-directed instruction and student-centered opportunities. The balanced literacy approach provides instruction using whole group, small group, and independent learning opportunities. Educators utilize authentic texts to provide meaningful and engaging reading, writing, and word study activities.
Reading instruction is provided through multiple methods: read alouds, shared reading, guided reading, close reading, and independent reading.
Writing instruction includes opportunities for modeled writing, guided writing, and independent writing. Lastly, word study focuses on letters, sounds, and words, including vocabulary, phonics, and word-solving strategies.
Read Alouds
Read alouds occur when the educator selects a text and reads it aloud to students. Books should be chosen with intentionality, keeping the purpose of the read aloud in mind. Educators can choose from a variety of texts, including picture books, big books, poems, and novels.
Read alouds can be used to teach a variety of skills and reading strategies. For example, an educator may choose a book with rich descriptions to focus on the concept of visualization. Pausing at specific points in an exciting story can provide opportunities for students to work on making predictions. A book with excellent use of adjectives and adverbs can be used as a mentor text when teaching students how to add details to their writing.
Questioning and critical thinking skills can be modeled as the educator pauses during the reading and “wonders” out loud. Read alouds also provide opportunities to expose students to a variety of genres. By setting these specific purposes for read alouds, educators can use texts to introduce or reinforce concepts being taught in the reading, writing, and word study components of their program.
Guided Reading
Guided reading is an instructional strategy using a small group setting. Four to six students are grouped homogeneously according to their reading levels. The educator chooses a text for students to read that is at their instructional level – not too easy and not too difficult. Students read their copy of the text independently, with the educator leaning in to provide support when needed.
For example, when a student misreads a word, the educator may prompt, “Did that sound right?” or “Did that make sense?” The educator can also support word-solving strategies by using cues such as, “What word do we know that looks similar to this one?” or “Find a part you know.”
Guided reading sessions include a pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading component. The pre-reading component may include previewing the book by reading the title, looking through the pictures, and making predictions. The educator may choose to review vocabulary or structures that students may find challenging.
During reading, students read independently while the educator provides support. The post-reading component of the lesson may highlight observations the educator made during reading, such as how a student solved a word, the way someone read with expression, or how a student went back and corrected a mistake. The post-reading component should also include a discussion related to the meaning in the text, such as comprehension, inferencing, or confirming predictions.
Shared Reading
Shared reading is a more interactive activity, where students are given the opportunity to join in on reading the text, or portions of the text. The role of the educator is to model fluent, expressive reading. Because the educator is involved in the reading, students are able to access texts that may be beyond their independent reading level.
During shared reading, it is essential for all students to have access to the text. This may take the form of a poem or chant written on chart paper, that all students can see. Big books are also ideal for shared reading. Or, it may be necessary to provide each student with a copy of the book being read.
Shared reading can begin with the educator reading the text aloud, with students following along. This allows for the modeling of fluent reading and the use of the expression.
During subsequent readings, students are invited to join in. For example, they could be reading a poem, reading a line that is repeated throughout a story, or reading the last word in lines of a rhyming text. The text being used for shared reading can be revisited more than once, over subsequent days.
Like read alouds, shared reading can be done with a specific purpose in mind. For example, if students are reading a poem written on chart paper, word study can be integrated into the activity by having them find the rhyming words. Similarly, shared reading can be used to discuss punctuation such as periods, exclamation marks, and question marks. The texts used for shared reading can be incorporated into writing, with students using the shared text as a model for their own writing.
Close Reading
During close reading, a text is revisited multiple times, with a focus on exploring its deeper meaning. Educators choose texts that offer more complex plotlines and rich vocabulary, along with messages students can learn from. Simple texts do not offer themselves as well to close reading, since the text will be explored over several days.
Close reading may take the form of a read aloud, guided reading, or independent reading, depending on the age and reading proficiency of the students. The educator sets the purpose each time the text, or a specific portion of the text, is listened to or read. For example, students may be asked to connect their prior knowledge and experience to the text, to listen for challenging vocabulary, or to identify stated versus implied information.
Independent Reading
During independent reading, each student is reading a text, either of his choosing or within parameters set by the educator, with little to no assistance. For example, each student in a small group may be reading a novel as part of a book study. Or, the educator may have asked students to select a piece of non-fiction to read. Independent reading can also be a time when each student has selected a text to read purely for enjoyment.
Learn to read with short reading passages that build strong fluency and comprehension skills:
Alligator Reading Passage
In this non-fiction passage, students learn about the alligator. Where does the alligator live? What does it eat? How does it look like?
Alligator Reading Passage
Lion Reading Passage
In this non-fiction passage, students learn about the lion. Where does the lion live? What does it eat? How does it look like?
Lion Reading Passage
Raccoon Reading Passage
In this non-fiction passage, students learn about the raccoon. Where does the raccoon live? What does it eat? How does it look like?
Raccoon Reading Passage
Toucan Reading Passage
In this non-fiction passage, students learn about the toucan. Where does the toucan live? What does it eat? How does it look like?
Toucan Reading Passage
Farmer – Reading Passage
Why would someone want to become a farmer? Kids write a paragraph, state their opinion on the topic, and provide a few reasons to support their thoughts.
Farmer – Reading Passage
Lifeguard – Reading Passage
Why would someone want to become a lifeguard? Kids write a paragraph, state their opinion on the topic, and provide a few reasons to support their thoughts.
Lifeguard – Reading Passage
Quarterback – Reading Passage
Why would someone want to become a quarterback? Kids write a paragraph, state their opinion on the topic, and provide a few reasons to support their thoughts.
Quarterback – Reading Passage
Teacher – Reading Passage
Why would someone want to become a teacher? Kids write a paragraph, state their opinion on the topic, and provide a few reasons to support their thoughts.
Teacher – Reading Passage
Shared Writing
Shared writing is an interactive experience where students contribute to the writing, either in a small or whole group setting. The educator acts as the scribe and records the students’ ideas. The writing is done in front of the students, which allows the educator to focus on different teaching points throughout the process.
For example, when constructing a letter together, students offer ideas and the educator may pause to ask about adding punctuation or uppercase letters. Or, the educator may have students stretch out an unfamiliar word to learn its spelling. Other concepts, such as word choice or paragraphing, can also be taught through shared writing. Because the educator facilitates the activity, shared writing allows learners of varying levels to participate.
Guided Writing
Like guided reading, guided writing is a small group activity where students have some independence, with the support of the educator available. The educator creates the small group by selecting students who can all benefit from the writing concept or strategy being explored.
For example, a group may be created to work on the use of quotation marks, composing sentences of varying lengths, or adding descriptions through the use of adjectives and adverbs to their writing. Students work on individual pieces of writing, with the educator leaning in to offer advice or reminders when needed.
Recommended worksheets for guided writing:
Tell About Elephant
Students describe how the elephant looks, where it lives, and what it eats. Students learn to form written sentences that others can understand.
Tell About Elephant
Tell About Kangaroo
Students describe how the kangaroo looks, where it lives, and what it eats. Students learn to form written sentences that others can understand.
Tell About Kangaroo
Tell About Lobster
Students describe how the lobster looks, where it lives, and what it eats. Students learn to form written sentences that others can understand.
Tell About Lobster
Tell About Squirrel
Students describe how the squirrel looks, where it lives, and what it eats. Students learn to form written sentences that others can understand.
Tell About Squirrel
Independent Writing
Independent writing provides students with the opportunity to use the skills and strategies they have learned to compose individual pieces of writing. They write independently, with little to no assistance from the educator. Educators may provide students with a topic or genre, such as writing a newspaper article or a narrative. Or, students may be given the freedom to select a topic and format for their writing.
Independent writing may follow the process of brainstorming ideas, composing a draft, revising and editing, then publishing the final product.
Recommended worksheets for narrative writing:
Summer Creative Story Starter #7
One of the most difficult challenging parts of creative writing is getting a new piece started. Can you become invisible? Let’s find out!
Summer Creative Story Starter #7
Summer Creative Story Starter #8
One of the most difficult challenging parts of creative writing is getting a new piece started. With this story starter, kids write about the new pet!
Summer Creative Story Starter #8
Summer Creative Story Starter #14
One of the most difficult challenging parts of creative writing is getting a new piece started. With this story starter, kids write about newspaper boat!
Summer Creative Story Starter #14
Summer Creative Story Starter #21
One of the most difficult challenging parts of creative writing is getting a new piece started. With this story starter, kids write about an adventure with an umbrella.
Summer Creative Story Starter #21
Modeled Writing
During modeled writing, students take on the primary role of watching and listening, as the educator does the writing. The purpose of modeled writing is to allow students to observe the thought processes that occur as one writes. Once a skill or strategy is modeled by the educator, students can then participate in their own purposeful practice.
The educator may use chart paper, so all students can see the writing. Modeled writing can be used for a variety of purposes, such as demonstrating grammar and convention skills, composing a summary, or determining when to start a new sentence. The educator thinks out loud, so students gain an understanding of the writer’s actions. Unlike shared writing, students do not contribute ideas to the writing, and instead, focus on learning from the skills and strategies being modeled.
Word Study
Unlike more traditional spelling programs, word study does not focus on the memorization of random, unrelated words. Instead, it looks at patterns in words that help students develop a larger vocabulary they can both read and write. Word study asks educators to consider where students are currently at in their development and to plan the next steps through lessons created with intentionality. Word study is also effective when it complements the reading and writing program.
For example, the educator may discover that students are having difficulty solving multi-syllabic words during guided reading. Word study lessons may then focus on root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Or, educators may select a word from a shared reading activity, such as “cat,” then focus their word study on learning to write more words from the “at” family. This allows for authentic learning opportunities that allow students to benefit from the link between reading and writing.
Recommended worksheets for word study using sight words and phonics approach:
Butterfly Life Cycle Vocabulary
Students create a map that tells what they know about butterfly transformation. Classmates describe how butterfly changes over the life cycle and show what they understand.
Butterfly Life Cycle Vocabulary
Art Vocabuary – Artist
Grab a pencil and a dictionary, and let’s get to work! This is an excellent way to blend true literacy without sacrificing art content! Vocabulary word: Artist.
Art Vocabuary – Artist
Summer: Cloze the Gap! Set 9
Kids replace the gaps with summer-related words. Summer vocabulary in this set: daisies, relax, bathing suit, canoeing , easy, fan, hiking, lake, pool, travel.
Summer: Cloze the Gap! Set 9
Cloze the Gap – Halloween Worksheet
Read the sentences and fill the gaps with Halloween-related words. This fun and educational Halloween activity is an excellent way to strengthen vocabulary skills.
Cloze the Gap – Halloween Worksheet
LEARNING MATERIALS TO MEET EVERY CHILD’S NEEDS
Here, at PrimaryLearning.Org, we tend to deliver the best-differentiated learning materials to K-2 students. Our resources can be easily incorporated into multisensory lessons to meet every child’s needs, whether s/he is a visual, kinesthetic, or auditory learner.