Balanced Literacy

Literacy is the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to communicate with others. It enables individuals and communities to connect. Literacy is an essential to lifelong learning and being present in today's democratic society. It is speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and thinking critically. Literacy text includes books, newspapers, documentaries, posters, brochures, application forms, movies, songs, DVD's, emails, newscasts and the list grows as technology advances.

For our students, it is therefore vital that they learn that literacy is lifelong learning that includes a community of learners that support each other on their individual journeys to understand the complexities of effective communication and understanding.

Balanced Literacy is an integrated, supportive and comprehensive approach to language literacy learning. In our classrooms, students and teacher experience extended literacy time blocks intertwining reading, writing and language/word block study through teacher modeled minilessons, shared and guided lessons, conversations and individual conferences. Assessment is daily and ongoing both formatively and summatively to best meet the learning growth areas of the learner.

This web area is a practical resource for individuals who are invested to inspire and encourage our children to develop a lifelong appreciation for literacy learning:

The research

• The requirements of The English Language Arts Program of Studies, K-9
• Effective literacy learning strategies and skills for a variety of learners

The time blocks

• Requires teaching in big blocks to experience the three strands of language: oral, written and visual
• Oral language as the base of literacy with 4 components of balanced literacy daily including reading/writing aloud, shared, guided and independent reading/writing and student reading/writing conferences

Space

• Classroom areas for large group gatherings, small group work and independent work areas
• Classroom library, literacy stations, word walls, organized storage for completed and ongoing student work and print rich

Dynamic and flexible grouping

• Homogenous and heterogeneous groupings allowing children to support each other and fell part of a community of learners
• Allows for efficient use of the teacher's time

Providing a variety of text

• Including narrative, informational, poetic and graphic
• Providing for a continuum of reading learners: emergent, early, transitional and fluent

Gathering the information

• Allowing teachers to gather assessment to plan data- driven instruction through: conferences, running records, observations, reading and writing folders, rubrics and standardized test
• Allowing students to self assess through: conferences, reading and writing folders and rubrics

Strategies for

• "Gradually releasing responsibility to children as they gain expertise, teaching a few strategies of great consequence in depth over time, and giving children the gifts of time, choice, response, community, and structured guide my work and allow me to make thoughtful decisions based on principles I believe in."
  Debbie Miller, Reading with Meaning, Scholastic Canada, 2002, pg. 6
• Strategic teaching of reading and writing skills
• Awareness of the metacognition of reading, writing and critical thinking