Balanced Literacy in the 5K Reader’s Workshop Classroom By Laura Oelstrom

What is balanced literacy? Balanced Literacy is an approach to teaching reading in which students are actively involved in four main areas every day. The areas include: – Interactive Read-Aloud – Shared Reading – Word Work or Word Study – Reader’s Workshop

Interactive Read-Aloud Interactive Read-Aloud Parts – Introduction of the book – Reading of the book – Think Aloud: The teacher verbalizes what he/she is thinking while reading the book aloud to the class. (done by teacher multiple times per book) – Turn and Talk: The students discuss the book with a partner after the teacher prompts while reading the book. (done by students multiple times per book)

Benefits of Interactive Read-Aloud Teacher can plan ahead and “mark” text at good thinking points. The format of Interactive Read-Aloud holds ALL students accountable, not just a few. Interactive Read-Aloud gets kids to think and have ideas while reading. This transfers over to independent reading time. Teacher is no longer the “conversation cop”.

Teacher’s Role in Interactive Read-Aloud Teacher plans ahead and “marks” text as needed. Teacher directs questions at all students and teacher walks around carpet/group area to ensure all students are involved. Teacher shows students (within the Interactive Read-Aloud format) that they all have valuable information to share.

Student’s Role in Interactive Read-Aloud Students know that they are expected to discuss book and therefore must pay attention. Students do “turn and talk” with a partner. Students repeat and mimic teacher’s questions while with their reading partner during reader’s workshop. Students work on their skills of: retelling, predicting, inferring, checking for meaning, and independent partner work.

Shared Reading This method of instruction is based on the strengths children gain from sitting in a parent’s lap to read a book. The teacher and the children read together from an enlarged text. Text can be: a big book, a poem, a song (as long as there is print large enough for the children to see). The main focus of shared reading is comprehension, but many other reading skills may also be taught through shared reading.

Before reading the shared reading book Teacher and students look at the cover: what will the story be about? Teacher/students make connections to their own life experiences. Teacher gives a brief introduction to the story. Teacher/students make predictions about the story. Teacher and students take a “picture walk” or “book walk”. They look at pictures to help them learn more about the content of the story.

During the shared reading book Teacher/students discuss illustrations in the story. Teachers/students stop and discuss the story as a large group while the story is being read. Students do “turn and talk” discussion with a partner. Teacher/students do a “think aloud”, talking about what they are thinking while reading the story.

After the shared reading book Teacher/students retell the main events of the story. Teacher and students have a whole class discussion about the story. Teacher/students dramatize the story for each other.

A Typical Shared Reading Week Day 1: Read story together, predict, and build meaning about the story. Day 2: Read story together and problem solve the tricky parts. Day 3: Read story together and connect the story to words work/word study. Day 4: Read story together. Study punctuation and illustrations to help with phrasing, fluency, and intonation. Day 5: Dramatize and perform the story.

Word Work or Word Study Word work or word study varies from classroom to classroom and school to school. Word study involves giving students plenty of opportunity (at least fifty repetitions) to read and write the words that they are “studying”. Most word work involves students sorting words, writing words, and reading words. Students should have fifteen minutes of daily word work practice.

Benefits of Word Work Word work is a fun way for students to practice word skills. Word work helps students learn and practice spelling patterns. Word work helps students memorize high frequency words. Word work helps students notice irregular spellings of words. Word work can be differentiated for individual students.

What is Reader’s Workshop? Reader’s Workshop is workshop based model for teaching reading to students. The daily Reader’s Workshop includes: – Mini-lesson – Private reading time – Mid-workshop teaching point – Partner reading time – Conferring – Strategy Grouping – Guided Reading

The Mini-Lesson Mini-lessons follow a predictable process each day: connection (to old learning), teaching point (new skill), demonstration of new skill, active engagement (students practicing new skill), and a link (connecting this lesson to future reading work). Mini-lessons provide new learning for some students while reinforcing learning for others. Mini-lessons teach skills that students can use independently in the Reader’s Workshop.

Private Reading Time Private reading time is also known as read to self. Students read “good fit” books while working on their comprehension and fluency. Teachers allow students an extended period of time to read without teacher interruption. Teachers typically use this time to meet with strategy groups or guided reading groups. Private reading time allows all students to practice reading at their individual, independent reading level.

Student’s Role in Private Reading Time Students read the words in their “just right” books. Students understand the words in their “just right” books. Students practice reading their “just right” books with fluency (smoothness). Students let teachers know if their “just right” books are too hard or too easy.

Teacher’s Role in Private Reading Time Teacher provides daily time for independent reading. Teacher provides books that are “just right” for students. These are books that students can reading with 95%-99% accuracy independently. Teachers move students to new reading levels on an individual basis.

Mid-Workshop Teaching Point The mid-workshop teaching point is a quick two minute lesson. Teachers can gather students back at the rug or the students can remain at their independent reading spots. The teacher can plan a teaching point along with their weekly lesson plan or the teacher can point out a positive reading behavior he/she has noticed in the classroom.

Partner Reading Time Students are given a partner based on independent reading levels. Partners sit hip to hip and read to each other. Partners help each other with: fluency, comprehension, word skills, book discussion skills, reading involvement, reading volume, reading rate, and reading motivation.

Conferring The conferring steps for the teacher: – Research the reader (listen) – Support and compliment (give a praise point) – Decide on a teaching point – Teach the teaching point through a connection and teaching – Link – rearticulate what you just taught and encourage the student to do it while reading

Strategy Grouping or Strategy Lessons Strategy groups/lessons are a time when the teacher gathers a small group of students who all need to practice the same reading skill. Students in the small group may or may not be at the same reading level. For these lessons the teacher chooses books that support teaching a specific strategy. The goal of strategy group/lessons is for the students to apply the skill that is taught to all books, even in independent reading.

Guided Reading Guided reading lessons are small group lessons. All students in a group are at the same independent reading level. Students in the same group may be working on learning different reading skills.

Setting up for Reader’s Workshop- The Classroom Environment The Gathering Place – A large rug that fits all students – Whiteboard or Smartboard® – Anchor chart The Library – Most classroom books are arranged by level. – Other classroom books are arranged by categories. The Student Book Bins – Each student has a book bin with three to eight “just right” books (to start the school year).

Setting up for Reader’s Workshop- Things to consider Students will need to “shop” for new books for their bins about once per week. Some teachers like to assign private and partner reading spots. Some teachers assign A/B partners so that the same partner doesn’t always go first for partner read time. Teachers should make materials accessible for students so that they can be independent. Teachers may want to put student book bins in multiple locations to avoid congestion.

Management of Reader’s Workshop In the fall teachers need to teach expectations for noise level, work habits, physical transitions, and how to work/talk with a partner. Teachers must also teach students how to have reading stamina. This allows for the teacher to do conferring and strategy groups during Reader’s Workshop. The Reader’s Workshop model instills independent reading habits into students. It is important for students to have their choice of books at their “just right” level.

Anchor Charts in Reader’s Workshop Anchor charts are charts created by the teacher and students to support and remind students of the work in the classroom. Possible Reader’s Workshop anchor charts : – Teacher/student role in Reader’s Workshop – Picking books – Three ways to read a book – Independent reading/read to self – Partner read – Word work or word study steps – could be a chart for each day of the sorting process

Reader’s Workshop - September Reader’s Build Good Habits topics: – Management and procedural expectations – Reading identities – who are we as readers in this class? – Taking care of books – Understanding reading workshop procedures – How to stay focused on our reading – How to work with reading partners – How to have a good talk with our partners

Reader’s Workshop – Late September/October Readers use strategies to figure out words – Getting our minds ready to read – Acquisition of print strategies – Flexibility with print strategies – Reading with fluency – Choosing just-right books

Reader’s Workshop November-December Readers think and talk about books to develop ideas – Book talks with partners – Retelling – Envisioning, predicting, making connections, having thoughts – Strategies for monitoring comprehension – Strategies to fix comprehension challenges

Reader’s Workshop February-May Readers pursue their interests in books and other texts – Genre studies (e.g., nonfiction, poetry, picture books) – Author studies – Character studies – Procedure for working in reading centers – Reading projects – Determining importance, synthesizing text, inferring

Reader’s Workshop June Readers make plans for their reading lives – Reflecting on how we’ve grown as readers – Making reading plans for summer (and for life) – Setting goals as readers – Determining our new reading identities