Creating a Literacy Rich Creating a Literacy Rich ClassroomClassroom

By: Ashley Presley and Tania Molina

A “literacy-rich” classroom provides students with a wide variety of texts

that include oral, print, and other media communication. The classroom

is designed to not only enhance the language learning process but also in

order to create a warm and comfortable transition for any student

immerging into a new language.

We love Literacy!!

Elements of a Literacy Rich Elements of a Literacy Rich Classroom:Classroom:

The classroom has Visual AppealThe classroom has Visual Appeal with attractive with attractive posters, charts and "word-walls" at students’ eye-level.posters, charts and "word-walls" at students’ eye-level.

Classroom has labels with words and Classroom has labels with words and picturespictures on all supplies, materials, learning centers and on all supplies, materials, learning centers and objects.objects.

List of classroom rules is postedList of classroom rules is posted (using pictures, (using pictures, words, objects and photographs)words, objects and photographs)

Students’ namesStudents’ names have been posted on all desks, have been posted on all desks, cubbies, and supplies ( this allows the student to feel cubbies, and supplies ( this allows the student to feel welcome and comfortable and that the classroom actually welcome and comfortable and that the classroom actually belongs to them)belongs to them)

Areas of the room devoted to materials and equipment to Areas of the room devoted to materials and equipment to encourage writing, viewing, and representing through encourage writing, viewing, and representing through art art and dramaand drama..

Elements Continued…Elements Continued… A large and accessible Reading CenterA large and accessible Reading Center where where

students have immediate access to a variety of printed materials students have immediate access to a variety of printed materials ( age appropriate books, poetry, dictionaries, menus, recipes, ( age appropriate books, poetry, dictionaries, menus, recipes, labels, signs, printed directions, student work, alphabet displays)labels, signs, printed directions, student work, alphabet displays)

An Audio CenterAn Audio Center where students are exposed to music or where students are exposed to music or story CD’s for a variety of written text and sounds.story CD’s for a variety of written text and sounds.

Student-published booksStudent-published books will be on bookshelves, will be on bookshelves, student artwork and other representations will be displayed, and student artwork and other representations will be displayed, and works-in-progress will be evident.works-in-progress will be evident.

Student-made books or postersStudent-made books or posters that display that display photographs with captions provide a record of past shared photographs with captions provide a record of past shared experiences and successes.experiences and successes.

A Writing CenterA Writing Center which offers a variety of media such which offers a variety of media such as: (letter stamps, large writing charts, graphs, pockets as: (letter stamps, large writing charts, graphs, pockets charts, enlarged recipe cards, write-on boards)charts, enlarged recipe cards, write-on boards)

A Wall on which to display A Wall on which to display important texts,important texts, high-frequency wordshigh-frequency words and and newly learned newly learned

vocabularyvocabulary. Many teachers begin their word . Many teachers begin their word wall by adding the name of all the students wall by adding the name of all the students which helps students feel important. Word which helps students feel important. Word

walls enable students to have an easy walls enable students to have an easy visual reference to every day words and visual reference to every day words and vocabulary to which they can use in their vocabulary to which they can use in their

written and oral language. Teachers should written and oral language. Teachers should add words to wall along with the students add words to wall along with the students

every week.every week.

Creating the Essential Elements of Creating the Essential Elements of Promoting Literacy:Promoting Literacy:

Environmental Print

Word Wall

An inviting reading environment helps to stimulate children’s interests in books and reading. By

arranging the furniture and materials in a comfortable, accessible manner, children will want to

spend more time looking at books either alone or with peers in the reading center.

Reading Centers are not only designed

for Learning but for Fun!

Reading Center FurnishingsReading Center Furnishings

Soft, comfortable chairs, such as bean Soft, comfortable chairs, such as bean bag chairs, giant pillows or a small bag chairs, giant pillows or a small foam couch foam couch

Child-sized rocking chair Child-sized rocking chair Stuffed animals to “read with a friend” Stuffed animals to “read with a friend” Small table with two or more child-sized Small table with two or more child-sized

chairs if room permits chairs if room permits Bookshelves, bins, or boxes which Bookshelves, bins, or boxes which

allows books to be seen at students’ allows books to be seen at students’ eye leveleye level

Audio Reading Center

Story Felt Board

Reading Center Materials and Reading Center Materials and

EquipmentEquipment Head sets, tape recorders, CD players, and recorded books Head sets, tape recorders, CD players, and recorded books Story Felt board and flannel story pieces Story Felt board and flannel story pieces Magnetic board and magnetic story pieces Magnetic board and magnetic story pieces

Writing Center Materials Writing Center Materials

Writing Tools- Plain and colored pencils, markers, crayons, erasers, stamps, glitter glue, scissors, tape and ribbon for book bindingVariety of Paper- lined, plain, white, colored, paper stapled together as a book, memo pads, journals, and envelopes.Materials that Support Writing- lists of the children’s names, wipe able writing boards, magnetic board and letters, laminated poster board pieces flannel board, letter tiles and blocks, alphabet chart, old magazine

A literacy-rich environment is important for all A literacy-rich environment is important for all students but the most beneficial literacy experience students but the most beneficial literacy experience

for students at all grades is to be read to daily. for students at all grades is to be read to daily. Read-aloudRead-aloud and and Guided ReadingGuided Reading sessions sessions

introduce students to the world of texts beyond introduce students to the world of texts beyond their own reading level and give them access to their own reading level and give them access to

ideas, places, and characters they might otherwise ideas, places, and characters they might otherwise never meet. They also help students become never meet. They also help students become

familiar with story language and text structure.familiar with story language and text structure. Students who have been read to will adopt and adapt Students who have been read to will adopt and adapt

to the language of books when they write, retell a to the language of books when they write, retell a story, share information, represent a character or story, share information, represent a character or event, dramatize a scene, or create a storyboard. event, dramatize a scene, or create a storyboard.

Guided Reading and Read AloudsPre-Reading (Introducing the Book):Parts of a book- Front Cover, Back, Spine, PagesWhat is a title? Where can I find it?What is an Author? Where can I find the Author?What is an Illustrator?What do you see on the front cover?What do you think this story will be about?What genre do you think this story will be?

Reading the Story

The first read through:Read story aloud to students. Throughout the story, stop every once in a while do the following:

• Ask prediction questions… what do you think will happen next?

• Questions about the character. What do you think the character is feeling at this point in the story?

• Questions about the setting of the story.• Read a page and ask students if they heard an

unfamiliar word.• Go over the word and its meaning. Use an

illustration if needed and then re-read the sentence to reaffirm students understanding.

Post- Reading:

After reading lead a discussion to reflect student comprehension

Ask questions about the parts of the story, what events happened in the beginning, middle and the end.

Create a story map with class which will include all the story elements: Title, Author, Setting, Main Character, Main Idea, and Resolution

Have the students create an alternate ending to the story

Reflective Writing in Journals

Buddy Reading

Silent Reading

Choral Reading

Modifications for Multi- Level Readers:

Student Created TextUsing a big book or picture book with large illustrations, cover all the text allowing students to invent ideas and sentences before reading the story. Afterwards they can compare their thoughts with what was actually written. Also, covering parts of a sentence to where students may guess the word or ending is a great decoding strategy that enhances comprehension.

Echo Reading Students will mimic or echo repetitive lines through out the story to participate in the read aloud experience.

Student- Recorded Audio Create a tape recording of various students reading parts of a story or parts of a character to play aloud in reading center.

Dramatizing the Story Students are natural actors, so using drawings, puppets are recyclable costumes are a fun way of allowing the students to live out the story.

Word StudyFind unfamiliar text with students. Clap out syllables and first sound out the word, then act out or illustrate the meaning. Discuss if the word may fit into a word or rhyming family ( cat, bat, sat). Add the newly learned vocabulary to the word wall display.