This document discusses early literacy and approaches to teaching reading. It contrasts top-down and bottom-up theories of literacy learning. A balanced literacy approach integrates both simple, skills-based instruction as well as holistic, immersive reading tasks. It outlines the "big five" components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Early literacy development relies on building connections in the brain between oral language and written language. Teachers must understand language and literacy development to effectively support students and close achievement gaps.

1. EARLY LITERACY
Wiring the Brain for Reading
“Reading is Rocket science!” Louisa Moats

2. NORMS
Be patient, supportive, positive, and open-minded to others ideas
and opinions.
Be respectful to others, listen, and build relationships.
Use technology for class purposes.
Be prepared with materials and an attitude to learn new things.
Accept that mistakes show your brain is growing in new ways!
If you are on social media, chatting online, working on your activities
that you are doing with your student today, or doing assignments from
other classes – you are losing participation points for your final grade.
Organization

3. Today’s Objectives
*Contrast the major theories of literacy learning and
language development.
*Discuss the current status of literacy and major
literacy initiatives.
*Explain the role of language in early literacy
*Explain the basic principles of teaching reading.
*Discuss the qualities of highly effective teachers.
Organization

4. Approaches to Literacy
Top Down – Think of it as BIG PICTURE and holistic –
WHOLE LANGUAGE
Immersion is the KEY – so the belief is that if students
are immersed in reading tasks they will “pick up” on
reading skills. Subskills are not specifically taught.
Bottom Up - Reading is broken into complex tasks
that start out simple and then work up to complex.
Phonics is emphasized!

5. Approaches to Literacy
It is NOT a question of either / or
BOTH approaches are integrated in BALANCED
LITERACY
• Students need to start with small simple tasks and
build to higher level more complex skills.
• Students must know how to break a word apart
(decode) learned through phonics instruction.
• Students must ALSO know the big picture of how
those decoded words fit into the large picture of
comprehension and fluency etc.

6. Bottom Up Approach
Bottom up approach is very explicit.
It incorporates “Visible learning” ( pg.11)
Visible learning means the goal is clear to students
and is challenging but not overwhelming. It also
means that students engage in practice, feedback is
provided, and progress is tracked. Teacher bases
future instruction on the evidence that is seen
during practice.
It DOES NOT mean drill and kill 
This is what you will be doing in your guided reading small group
lessons each week!

7. A design
for
Responsive
Literacy
Instruction

8. Good Reading requires skills in 2 domains:
Decoding
(Word recognition)
Comprehension
Phonological
Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Text
comprehension
Welcome to the BIG 5!

9. Oral language
speaking and listening are hard wired in the brain.
These skills begin at birth.
Literacy
the ability to read and write. These skills develop later.
Side note*
-As of 2003, 22% of all adults in United States were functionally illiterate.
-Approximately, 36-38% of all fourth graders and below basic in reading skills. Students
from low income and minority jump to over 70%.
Early Literacy

10. It’s about “plowing” connections…
Think of your brain…

11. The more connections
you make…
The more learning
that takes place.

12. Where oral language lives in the brain…
Phonological processing begins
even in the womb when a baby
listens to their mother and father
speak their native language.
Then grows as the child grows.

13. Brain Architecture
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/
key-concepts/brain-architecture/
If your interested in more information check
out this great website!
https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/reading-
brain/

15. The early catastrophe (Hart and Risley, 2003)
What can you do in your classroom to grow
this gap?

16. MANY factors can hinder or strengthen a
child’s ability to LEARN and READ!

17. Academic Vocabulary
What do these words mean?
Semantics
Syntax
Morphology
Phonology
Pragmatics

18. AVID Strategy – 10-2-2
The structure involves the following:
10 minutes: presenting information/note-taking (Writing to learn)
1. Write down what stuck out to you most about this new learning
about the architecture of the brain.
2 minutes: Summarize information within your group (Collaboration)
2. Discuss your thoughts with your table partners.
2 minutes: Process information personally, add to your notes, clarify or
write down further any questions (Writing to learn)
3. Finish or add to your notes from question #1 after you have
discussed with your group.
This strategy allows students the necessary time to process information and concepts
presented in whole group . The structure allows for: greater retention of information,
improvement in the quality of notes, question, and summaries.

19. Early Literacy in action
https://mediacast.ttu.edu/Mediasite/Play/2971b979bdb542c6bb126772560
4e4d11d
As you watch take notes:
1. What pre-reading skills do you see
this young child already exhibiting?
2. What skills are embedded in her
“reading” that connect with the new
vocabulary we just covered?

20. Break

21. Station 1: Mock Assessment Activity - Student
Interest survey and ELBA
Station 2: Rhyming Awareness Activities
Station 3: Phonological awareness
Station 4: What do we know about Early
Literacy and Language Development (read and
discuss)
Oral Language and Early Literacy Stations

22. Homework for next week!
1. Complete the reading in Module 1
Week #2
2. Phonological Awareness Listicle – due
in class

23. Minute Quick Write/Exit ticket:
Take a post-it.
Answer the following questions in one
minute:
1. What was the most important thing you
learned today about literacy?
2. Any unresolved questions you still may
have?
Writing to
Learn