Organizing a Balanced
Literacy Program
Dr. Jennifer Herbold
June 24, 2008
Introductions
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Who am I?
Who are you?
Format for this workshop:
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Your participation/input is essential
Herbold-NMSD
Agenda
• Defining “Balanced Literacy”
• What are the essential components of an effective
literacy program?
• What should a balanced literacy program include?
• Thoughts related to Deaf/HH children
• The practical aspects of a balanced literacy program
• For more information and Q&A
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Defining Balanced Literacy
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What does literacy mean to you?
What does balance mean to you?
The significance of “balanced literacy”
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The dangers of becoming an eclectic literacy
program
Herbold-NMSD
Review: Essential Components of
an Effective Literacy Program
Long Term Planning
Short Term Planning
Variety of Reading
Materials
Linking Assessment to
Instruction
Instruction in Reading
Solid Linguistic
Foundation
Building Conceptual
Knowledge
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and Writing
Building on Prior
Experiences & Learnings
Interaction and
Dialogue
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What does a balanced literacy
program include?
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Independent reading-Independent writing
Shared reading-Shared writing
Guided reading-Guided writing
Modeled reading (sign/read aloud)Modeled writing
“In a truly balanced literacy program, how you teach is as
important as what you teach.” ~Dorothy Strickland
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Independent reading &
Independent writing
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Independent Reading: Students
read independently
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Encourages strategic reading
Increases comprehension
Supports writing development
Extends experiences with a variety of
written texts
Promotes reading for enjoyment and
information
Develops fluency
Fosters self-confidence by reading
familiar and new text
Provides opportunities to use
mistakes as learning opportunities
Reader independently solves
problems while reading for meaning.
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Independent Writing: Students
write independently
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Strengthens text sequence
Develops understanding of
multiple uses of writing
Supports reading development
Develops writing strategies
Develops active independence
Adapted from http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blcomp.htm &
http://www.topsfieldschools.org/CURRICULUM%20Dev/components_of_a_balanced_literac.htm
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Herbold-NMSD
Independent reading &
Independent writing
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Take 5 minutes to review the handouts on
independent reading & writing
Highlights
Questions?
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Guided reading & Guided writing
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Guided Reading:
Teacher introduces a
selection at student's
instructional level
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Promotes reading
strategies
Increases comprehension
Encourages independent
reading
Expands belief in own
ability
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Guided Writing:
Teacher works with
students on their
composition.
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Provides opportunities to
plan and construct texts
Increases spelling
knowledge
Produces written language
resources in the classroom
Creates opportunities to
apply what has been
learned
Adapted from http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blcomp.htm &
http://www.topsfieldschools.org/CURRICULUM%20Dev/components_of_a_balanced_literac.htm
06/2008
Herbold-NMSD
Guided reading & Guided writing
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Take 5 minutes to review the handouts on
guided reading & writing
Highlights
Questions?
Herbold-NMSD
Shared reading & Shared writing
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Shared Reading: Teacher
and students read text
together
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Demonstrates awareness of
text
Develops sense of story or
content
Promotes reading strategies
Develops fluency and phrasing
Increases comprehension
Much conversation about the
meaning of the story and
some group problem solving
take place.
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Shared Writing: Teacher and
students collaborate to write text
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Student and teacher both act as
scribe.
Develops concepts of print
Develops writing strategies
Supports reading development
Provides model for a variety of
writing styles
Models the connection among
and between sounds, letters,
and words
Produces text that students can
read independently
Necessitates communicating in a
clear and specific manner
Adapted from http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blcomp.htm &
http://www.topsfieldschools.org/CURRICULUM%20Dev/components_of_a_balanced_literac.htm
06/2008
Herbold-NMSD
Shared reading & Shared writing
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06/2008
Take 5 minutes to review the handouts on
shared reading & writing
Highlights
Questions?
Herbold-NMSD
Modeled reading (sign/read aloud)
& Modeled writing
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Reading Aloud: Teacher
reads selection aloud to
students
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Provides adult model of
fluent reading
Develops sense of
story/text
Develops vocabulary
Encourages prediction
Builds a community of
readers
Develops active listening
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Modeled Writing:
Teacher models writing
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Develops concepts of print
Develops writing strategies
Supports reading
development
Provides model for a variety
of writing styles
Models the connection
among and between sounds,
letters, and words
Produces text that students
can read independently
Necessitates communicating
in a clear and specific
manner
Adapted from http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blcomp.htm &
http://www.topsfieldschools.org/CURRICULUM%20Dev/components_of_a_balanced_literac.htm
06/2008
Herbold-NMSD
Modeled reading (sign/read aloud)
& Modeled writing
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06/2008
Take 5 minutes to review the handouts on
modeled reading & writing
Highlights
Questions?
Herbold-NMSD
Let’s learn to read a book!
(What does this mean?)
It was near midnight and the Prime Minister was
sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo
that was slipping through his brain without leaving
the slightest trace of meaning behind.
“To the Prime Minister of Muggles. Urgent we meet. Kindly
respond immediately. Sincerely, Fudge.”
“You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow
hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the
greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens
the world has ever seen?”
Snape said nothing. He looked away from the sight of
her tears as though they were indecent, but he could
not pretend not to hear her.
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What additional components are
needed for D/HH children?
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Discussion
This depends on the child! There is no one-size-fits-all.
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Added language/bilingual components into program to
build basic language skills
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Language abilities
Hearing abilities (sometimes this can be misleading)
Children’s personalities and academic abilities (not all hearing
children are alike when it comes to reading)
Other?
Remember, many D/hh children are either learning a first
language at the same time as learning to read, or learning a 2nd
language at the same time as learning to read. What does this
mean?
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Setting up a balanced literacy
program in your classroom
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First and foremost, the role of assessment!
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Know what your children need. Not all of what they need will be
similar. Some will need more time with guided reading and
others with independent reading. How do you know?
Timing
Can one canned program provide a balanced literacy
program?
Where to find the resources for a balanced literacy
program?
Thoughts on setting up the classroom “physically”
Let’s spend a few minutes brainstorming a balanced
literacy schedule for your own classrooms.
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Websites-Books-Training
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Remember that there are variations in how components of a balanced
literacy program are presented (some combine two components, etc).
However, the basic information in most websites are very similar. Here are a
few examples:
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Books:
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http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blcomp.htm
http://www.stenhouse.com/pdfs/0383ch01.pdf (excellent .pdf document on the various
components of a balanced literacy program.)
http://www.topsfieldschools.org/CURRICULUM%20Dev/components_of_a_balanced_literac
.htm
Cunningham, P. M., Hall, D. P., & Sigmon, C. M. (2000) The teachers guide to four-blocks.
Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company
Dorn, L. J., French, C., & Jones, T. (1998). Apprenticeship in literacy: Transitions across
reading and writing. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: Teaching
comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Oczkus, L. D. (2007). Guided writing: Practical lessons, powerful results. Portsmouth, NM:
Heinemann.
Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
You may want to seek out additional training related to specific components
of a balanced literacy program (e.g. shared writing in the classroom)
06/2008
Herbold-NMSD