Creating a Literacy Environment

A Tale of Two ReadersRoshanda M JohnsonWalden UniversityProfessor Barbara Calabro READ 6706 Literacy Development PreK-3Date

IntroductionReading is a complex but purposeful process that can begin as early as conception, and according to Reutzel and Cooter (2015), Reading is the skill that makes virtually all other learning possible (p. 5). A literacy environment that nurtures each students growth and development is essential and takes into account the selection of resources, classroom design, and intentional facilitation by teachers (The Access Center, 2007).

To ensure all students are successfulKnow your leaners and your content.Utilize pre-assessment and post assessment strategies.Plan lessons with your learners in mind as well as multiple ways to engage them.

Use formative assessments to guide learning.Adjust instruction as needed.Reflect on what worked and what didnt so you can adjust your instructional plan accordingly.

Know Your LearnersMeet emergent literacy, learner, Mark!Mark is a four year old student, who comes from a highly literate background. His parents are professionals and he has been introduced to many different experiences.Why it important to know this students background?Research shows that parents, cultural factors, attitudes and income can play an important role in a childs motivation and academic achievement (Usher& Kober, 2012).

Pre-K 4Once an understanding of a students background is reached, the first step in reaching instructional goals and implementing effective instruction is assessment (The Access Center, 2005). I chose to assess Mark in areas of oral language, listening comprehension, and concepts of print.

Emergent Literacy Learner, MarkAssessments UsedTo assess Marks oral language development, I utilized the SOLOM (Student Oral Language Observation Matrix) assessment which is an observation tool created by the California State Department of Education (Reutzel & Cooter, 2016). This rubric is designed to focus attention on general oral language traits. Listening comprehension can be a good predictor of future reading comprehension (Reutzel & Cooter, 2016). To assess Marks listening comprehension I used the Story Retelling Evaluation Guide created by L.M. Morrow. I chose this strategy as is it assesses elements of a story on which students will be tested in the future such as setting, characters, and plot. We live in a visually complex world and strong concepts of print can guide the emergent reader in making sense of the world around him. To assess Marks concept of the length of words I employed the Mow Motorcycle Task. Research-Based StrategiesOne research-based strategy I will utilize to further develop Marks oral language is engaging in higher level teacher talks. Though we participate in conversations daily, Roskos, Christie, & Richgels (2003) suggest that using rare words and encouraging children to extend their comments into more descriptive and more grammatically developed statements could provide a more cognitive challenge. While these assessments helped me assess oral language, listening, and concepts of print as well as research-based strategies to support further development, it is important to incorporate various research-based writing strategies as well. Writing serves as a type of laboratory, in which even very young children are actively creating and testing hypotheses about how writing works (Cabell, Tortorelli, & Gerde, 2013, p. 652). One way I can increase concepts of the lengths of words is through interactive writing. In Interactive Writing the teacher draws attention to certain elements as she writes or takes dictation during literacy lessons (Cabell, Tortorelli, & Gerde, 2013).

Know Your LearnersMeet beginning literacy learner, Lekita!Lekita is a seven year old, African American female, who comes from a economically disadvantaged background in which neither of her parents received higher education.Why it important to know this students background?Studies show that children from less economically advantaged backgrounds may know far less words than their more economically advantaged peers and these differences in vocabulary affect their comprehension skills and widen the achievement gap (Kaefer, Neuman & Pinkham, 2015). 1st GradeAssessment is a tool by which educators can determine where beginning readers are and which direction to go. NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) suggests that assessments be used to identify childrens needs, support learning and determine interventions (as cited in Gillis, West & Coleman, 2011). I chose to assess Lekitas attitude towards reading, fluency and reading comprehension.

Know Your LearnersAssessments UsedChildrens attitudes play an important role in the process of their literary development (McKenna & Kear, 1990). To assess Lekitas attitude toward reading I used the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (McKenna & Kear, 1990). This assessment uses a pictorial format that allows the reader to rate his or her feelings about both recreational and academic reading on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the most positive feeling. Fluency is one of the pillars of literacy and includes accuracy, reading rate, prosody and phrasing (Reutzel, & Cooter, 2016). I chose to assess Lekitas ORF (Oral Reading Fluency) using the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills).Comprehension is the goal of reading (Reading Horizons, 2014). To assess Lekitas reading comprehension I utilized a DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) that has been adopted and adapted by the Arlington city schools. Research-Based StrategiesOne research-based strategy I would incorporate to motivate Lekita to read is allowing her to pick books on topics that interest her. Cambria and Guthries (2010) noted choice as a great motivation strategy for readers and describe it as a source of intrinsic motivation.A research based strategy that could support her fluency development is Readers Theatre (Reutzel, & Cooter, 2016). Readers Theatre would employ Lekitas naturally outgoing nature while increasing her fluency.One research based writing strategy that could be used to support and further develop Lekitas comprehension is An About/Point chart (Wallace, Pearman, Hail & Hurst, 2007). This chart helps students organize information from a story or text and determine main points. These main points can also help the reader write a summary.

Selecting Texts The world of childrens literature is a beautiful and ever expanding world and just as our classrooms are diverse, so are the choices students, parents and educators have when selecting texts. Exposing our students to a variety of genres is integral to broadening their base of understanding and keeping them engaged in literature. The emergent reader is learning the alphabet and alphabet sounds, reading and writing his or her name and perhaps those of classmates, and recognizing environmental print. The beginning reader is combining sounds to make words, beginning to read independently, writing phonetically and starting to become more fluent in his or her reading (Laureate Education, 2014c). Both have different needs and as a result, educators must choose texts that are interesting and motivating but are also rich and meaningful. Utilizing a matrix is a great tool for analyzing digital, narrative and informational texts for emergent and beginning readers.

Emergent reader, Mark, is in Pre K and excited about literacy! Digital Text: The Naughty Penguin by Amy LeeAboutMuch like the informative text, this book has a great balance of words and pictures and would be plotted near the middle on the linguistic to semiotic continuum (Laureate Education, 2014a). I chose this book because it is an interesting story of a mischievous penguin named Paul who does not listen to his mother and instead goes off to make trouble with a polar bear and a group of snow bunnies. He falls into the ice and needs his mothers help. This story teaches a valuable lesson about listening to parents and will engage my emergent reader in its characters and plot. As it relates to complexity, the graphics help tell the story and though it has a simple theme, it is a theme my sometimes mischievous young student can relate to.Narrative Text: Penguins, Penguins Everywhere! by Bob Barner. AboutThis text falls closer to semiotic on the matrix utilizing huge collage pictures supported by simple rhymes to tell the story of the 17 species of penguins. The three texts will support CCSS (Common Core State Standards) for reading as I utilize each book to demonstrate print concepts, build phonemic awareness of letter sound P, and help students recognize and produce rhyming words. In addition to addressing reading standards, Penguins will allow for a writing extension as students will use a combination of drawing and dictating to describe three things they learned about penguins (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.3).Topic: Penguins

Expository Text: Penguins by Jill Esbaum AboutThis book is part of the National Geographic: My World series, and communicates through both pictures and words. It is more linguistic than semiotic and will provide Mark with some great chances to explore vocabulary. Also, the text is more academic and structured with bold headings, a structure different from most books in our library.

Beginning reader, Lekita, is a fluent reader with great comprehension skills but with an almost indifferent attitude towards reading. Choosing a topic of her liking may encourage her to read more!

Digital text: Kinky Hair is Queenly Hair by Dynast Amir

AboutThis narrative story is mid-range on the linguistic to semiotic matrix, using bold, colorful paintings to support the text. Such words as prophets and colonialism may be unfamiliar to Lekita but offer a chance to introduce her to the dictionary or search engines such as Kid Rex. Additionally, the structure of the text moves from past to present as Amina (the main character) finds out that great people throughout history have had kinky hair just like she has.

Narrative text: I like my hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

AboutThis narrative text utilizes big, beautiful watercolor paintings and simple phrases to describe Keyanas hair combing rituals. The text deals with common everyday experiences, but the graphics provide a more challenging experience for the reader as they are necessary to understanding Keyanas struggle. In regards to CCSS, these texts support CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.5 --Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. Topic: African American Hair

Expository Text: Who Was the Hair-Care Millionaire? Madam C. J. Walker by Mary Kay Carson

AboutThis text is the true story of African American hair-care magnate Madame C.J. Walker who began her own business by concocting hair treatments and selling them door-to-door. Though largely linguistic, this short biography will not be intimidating to Lekita. The text has multiple purposes and perspectives, making it a challenging text. An additional advantage of this text is it can be used to facilitate writing. Lekita could write her own business plan, compare and contrast hair care products and styles of the past and present, or write about how our lives would be different had Madam Walker not invented these products.

Selecting Texts Texts come in many forms and can be used for many purposes. Knowing our young readers interests, feelings about literacy, and developmental stages is instrumental in selecting the appropriate texts. Though the beginning and emergent reader have different needs, much thought must be put into choosing literature that will enhance reading and writing instruction as well as support their needs. Allington (2002) proclaims that exemplary literacy teachers take great professional responsibility for their students being successful and are very purposeful in what to teach and with which materials and tasks they accomplish these purposes. With that thought always close in mind, selecting texts for emergent and beginning readers is a process of selecting for success.

Implementing Instruction forthe Emergent Literacy Learner

Reading and writing develop simultaneously and are interrelated. According to Mayer (2007) reading and writing are bidirectional. Therefore reading enables writing abilities, and learning how to write improves reading ability. Having identified Mark as a student from a very literate background with great oral language, listening comprehension and concepts of print, I wanted to create a lesson to challenge and support his writing and oral language development.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book.

After having been read several books about penguins over the course of this week and last, Mark wrote an opinion piece about his favorite penguin related text.

Providing students with rich writing experiences is an important part of laying a foundation for later literacy learning. Assessing students cognitive and non-cognitive areas is imperative to choosing and implementing research based strategies and planning to create multiple pathways to their success.

Implementing Instruction forthe Beginning Literacy Learner As students move from emergent literacy learners to beginning literacy learners, they grow and change immensely. They progress from understanding concepts of print and reading pictures to using strategies to identify new words and reading independently. Students simultaneously progress through the stages of writing, moving from scribbles and letters to conventional writing and spelling (Reading Rockets, 2010).

For students to have reading, writing, and speaking success, effective vocabulary instruction must take place. To support my beginning literacy learners vocabulary development, I chose to utilize the Five-Step Method to accompany the reading of I like my hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley (2001). The Five-Step Method is an instructional strategy that employs seeing, listening, discussing, defining, and writing to teach tier two and three words (Reutzel & Cooter, 2016). I chose this strategy because the beginning readers vocabulary development needs to be supported both orally and through text (Laureate Education, 2014c). Lekita was able to engage in dialogue, add new words to her repertoire, write and learn in a new way in this lesson.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) 110.11.5.A Students understand new vocabulary and use it correctly when reading and writing.

My momma is never gentle when she braids my hair. My hair be tangled, but she combs it rough anyway. She weaves braid hair into my hair. I cry at first, but I like it when its done.

Steven Stahl said, "Vocabulary knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world" (As cited in Diamond & Gutlohn, 2006). Though Lekitas references and background knowledge may not be that of a typical or mainstream first grade student, she has clearly found ways that words fit into her world. This beginning literacy learner taught me how important it is for me to not only assess and implement research-based strategies but also to accept and appreciate that building upon a readers background knowledge also means building upon and celebrating diversity.

Reflection Reading is a complex but purposeful process that can begin as early as conception, and according to Reutzel and Cooter (2015), Reading is the skill that makes virtually all other learning possible (p. 5). With that in mind, our role as literacy teachers is critical. Over the past few weeks I have learned that an effective literacy-rich classroom should be a place where students build the skills necessary for literacy development and lifelong learning. It is important to know our leaners and differentiate instruction so that all can be successful. Some students will come from highly literate homes while others may not. It is our job to create an equitable learning environment for all. If given the support they need, students with be better prepared to grow in all the pillars of literacy.

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