Elements of Literacy Instruction
Five essential reading elements that I focus on in the classroom include phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
Classroom Activities
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Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
- Word work
- Word sorts
- Blending and segmenting activities
- Tap syllables
- Poetry
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Fluency
- Model fluent reading
- Repeat readings
- Phrased reading
- Readers theater
- Guided oral reading instruction
- Read to someone or listen to reading
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Comprehension
- Make Connections
- Ask Questions
- Visualize
- Determine Text Importance
- Make Inferences
- Synthesize
- Retell
-
Vocabulary
- Read aloud
- Guided reading
- Semantic maps
- Acting out word meanings
- Give students access to a variety of genres.
Literacy Programs
During my classroom experiences, I have worked with different literacy programs. These include The Daily 5, Fountas and Pinnell Literacy Program: The Literacy Collaborative, Fundations, and Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study.
Key Ideas
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The Daily 5
Students complete five reading and writing choices while the teacher implements guided reading.
- Read to Self,
- Work on Writing,
- Read to Someone,
- Listen to Reading, and
- Word Work.
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Fundations
Multisensory, structured language program that incorporates:
- Phonemic awareness
- Phonics/ word study
- High frequency word study
- Reading fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension strategies
- Handwriting
- Spelling
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Fountas and Pinnell Literacy Program/Literacy Collaborative
- Leveled Literacy Intervention Program
- Language and Word Study
- Reading Workshop
- Writing Workshop
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Lucy Calkins Unit of Study
A systematic curriculum that aligns with the three types of of Common Core writing.
- Narrative Writing
- Opinion Writing
- Information Writing
Reading and Writing Workshop
Reading and writing workshop has been proven effective in teaching students literacy. The following workshop is from “The Sisters” Daily 5 program.