Balanced Literacy Essential Elements Goal To teaching reading as a total process that promotes: 1. higher order thinking 2. problem solving 3. reasoning To teaching reading as a total process that promotes: 1. higher order thinking 2. problem solving 3. reasoning Print-rich Environment Quality literature Comfortable atmosphere Real world materials Quality literature Comfortable atmosphere Real world materials Recommended Resources Big Books Leveled books Trade books Little books (beginning readers) Quality literature Informational books Word walls Classroom library Big Books Leveled books Trade books Little books (beginning readers) Quality literature Informational books Word walls Classroom library Dictionaries Software Charts of poems and songs Poetry books Multicultural literature Directions Posters Emphasis on Comprehension Phonemic awareness Phonics instruction Word study Phonemic awareness Phonics instruction Word study Balanced classrooms integrate authentic reading and writing with purposeful word study. Comprehension Processing text with prior knowledge Active process Children become aware of how they read and what strategies help -- and when in the reading process Processing text with prior knowledge Active process Children become aware of how they read and what strategies help -- and when in the reading process Comprehension Three cueing systems: 1. Semantic (meaning) 2. Syntactic (grammar/sentence structure) 3. Graphophonic (letters, sounds) Three cueing systems: 1. Semantic (meaning) 2. Syntactic (grammar/sentence structure) 3. Graphophonic (letters, sounds) Grouping Children and should be on different levels within the classroom. Flexible grouping (homogeneous and heterogeneous Children and should be on different levels within the classroom. Flexible grouping (homogeneous and heterogeneous Differentiated Instruction Reading aloud Shared Reading and Writing Guided Reading and Writing Independent Reading Reading aloud Shared Reading and Writing Guided Reading and Writing Independent Reading Response to Text Always return to the text Important to comprehension Need to balance Literature circles, drama, art projects, shared writing Always return to the text Important to comprehension Need to balance Literature circles, drama, art projects, shared writing Reading and Writing Complementary processes . daily Journals Diversity Important to use multicultural literature and multiple perspectives Authentic Assessment Running Records Reading inventories Checklists Portfolios Continuous feedback Running Records Reading inventories Checklists Portfolios Continuous feedback