2. What is a literate
environment
A setting that encourages and supports
speaking , listening, reading, and writing in a
variety of authentic ways- through print &
digital. In the following presentation I will
demonstrate how I used research based
practices to create a literate environment in
my classroom while teaching the leaner, texts
and instructional practices along with three
key perspectives used from Framework for
Literacy Instruction.
3. 3 Essentials of a Literate
Environment
• Getting to Know Literacy Learners
• Selecting Texts
• Literacy Instruction (Interactive Perspective, Critical
Perspective, and Response Perspective).
4. Getting to Know Literacy
Learners: K -3
What is Literacy ?
• Literacy is the ability to use
reading and writing for a variety
of tasks at school (Tompkins,
2010).
• Literacy is a way to provide the
opportunities to students to
create and make meaning
through exploring their lives
(Thompkins, 2010).
5. 1. Getting to Know Literacy Learners: K - 3
Analysis :
By using the following assessments: cognitive and non-cognitive I can gain a better
understand of my students abilities, skills, attitudes, and motivation toward literacy
development and what instructional strategies are needed. This information will guide me as I
develop the most effective literacy environment for my students.
• Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS); a
This provides a quick indication of my students attitudes toward reading and
the emotional state from very positive to very negative.
• Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
This will target my students ability to apply phonics concepts to read two and
three letter nonsense words. And it helps me to monitor my students
progress throughout the year.
6. 1. Getting to Know Literacy Learners
Research:
• I used the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) as my non-cognitive
assessment because it has a unique use of facial expressions through the character
Garfield, which is fun and engaging for the students (McKenna & Kear, 1990).
• I used Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) as my cognitive form of
assessment in order to measure if my students are on track for reading success. And
I am able to monitor the progress as well.
• Researchers say “a system of frequent assessment, coupled with strong content
standards and effective reading instruction, helps ensure that teachers’ approaches
are appropriate to each students needs” (Kame’ennui, Simmons, & Cornachione,
2000).
7. 2. Selecting Texts
Analysis :
In my classroom I make the best effort to select text that are age appropriate
which will peek the interest of my students.
Having narrative and informational genres that are in aligned with the
standards, that engage my students and match their literacy skills, will allow
in depth discussions with my students as well.
I had to realized that selecting a good text is a crucial decision that impacts
may students’ literacy development.
8. 2. Selecting Texts
Research :
Dr. Hartman has a literacy matrix that gave me different text options (Laureate
Education, Inc, 2010).
* The literacy matrix for text are placed in quadrants
based on narrative or informational text and from
linguistic text (more words) to semiotic text (more
pictures than words).
The matrix permits me to see the full scope of the text, so that I can relate my daily
objective to the text I choose. When we provide a variety of texts choices, we are
teaching our students about importance of reading (Duke, 2004).
9. 3.iteracy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Analysis:
* My goal, as a teacher is to specific my learning objectives, or goals, and
emphasize important literacy elements. These elements include concept of
comprehension, word recognition, vocabulary, and fluency which will help
them master this concepts.
• Teaching my students to be strategic, metacognitive learners can be a
challenge at the Pre-K level due to their development level. Meanwhile, I
must continue to model and use scaffolding to increase their higher order
of thinking when reading and writing.
* Also, I need to provide my students with a safe environment where
everyone feels comfortable and part of a team so they want hesitate to
participate or ask for help.
10. 3. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Research :
The interactive perspective of reading teaches students how to read and teaches to
be strategic thinkers (Laureate Education, 2010c).
When children begin to read they begin by identifying letters and the
sounds that each letter can make. As they continue to read, they are
taught to interpret what they have read, instead of reading the words.
In my class I use daily journals to guide my students thinking so they
can have a discussion on what we have read. Teachers need to
assess their students’ strength in order to teach lessons that address
the cognitive needs of the students (Framework, 2011). Dr. Janice
Almasi describes how we as teachers should not just teach students
how to read but how to become strategic, metacognitive thinkers in
terms of how they will approach the text.
11. 4. Literacy Lesson: Critical & Response Perspectives
Analysis :
Critical Perspectives – Thinking critical about reading will teach students
how to examine texts critically and analytically (Laureate Education, 2010).
I will encourage my students to think out the box when listening
or reading a story. I always remind them to think about schema,
reasoning and the motivation of the author. In the text “Rumble in
the Jungle, my students were able to determine the author’s
purpose for writing about Frank. This book brought up some
profound issues that sparked the interest of my students. The
earlier that we start teaching our students to think critically about
a story, the easier it will be for them, as they begin reading more
difficult texts.
12. 4. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Analysis:
Response Perceptive - The response perspective of reading will teach
students to respond to and share their experiences relating to the text
(Laureate Education, 2010). I feel my students need to connect to each text
that they read. While using the response perspective to examine a text,
there should be a response provoked in each student, as a result of a
activity. Some examples to encourage a response in students are:
^ Journaling – Now after each book we read in class my students have a
chance to response in their journal with drawing, writing etc.
^Dramatic play – With this response perspective after reading “Rumble in
the Jungle” it gave me an opportunity to use one of the compendium
instructional procedure “Hot Seat”. My students were able to role play Frank
and some of the other characters in the story. This helps to build
comprehension and it allows them to step into the shoes of the character
and get a feel for what the author wanted them to learn about the text
13. 4. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Research :
Critical Perspective – In the video Critical Perspective Dr. Janice Almasi
explains that by teaching our students to examine texts critically then they
will be able to see multiple perspective, evaluate their validity, and find the
author’s intent or purpose. (Laureate Education, n.d.). Yes, this is true
because my students has (Grand Conversation) about "Rumble in the
Jungle, Frank was missing his old friend, but he had to develop a new
friendship with the new neighbor. My students explored the idea and
reflected on the feeling. (Instructional Procedure)
Response Perspectives – In the video Response Perspective Dr. Janice
Almasi discusses how teachers should allow a transaction with a text rather
than a reaction. There is a need for our students to be transformed by a
text. The goal is for the students to personally and emotionally respond to
each text they encounter. That is why I thought this book was great because
the students were able to make exchanges in discussion and then in small
groups they had to draw a diagram (Sketch-to-Stretch) of what the story
meant to them. (Instructional Procedure).
14. Closing
It is very important that all teachers consider all the
components of Framework for Literacy Instruction with the
three perspectives in mind; interactive, critical, and response
as well as the main components; the learner, the text, and
the instructional practices. At the beginning of this course
everything was new to me and I had to work hard at
managing my class as well as my lessons on a daily bases. I
have truly gained a lot of information that I will surly carry
with me throughout my career. I now feel a little bit better with
incorporating all these literacy components in order to create
and effective literacy environment for my students.
15. 5. Questions To think about
• What insights did you gain about literacy and literacy
instruction from viewing this presentation?
• How might the information presented change your
practices and/ or your literacy interaction with students?
• In what ways can I support you in the literacy
development of your students or children? How might
you support me in my work with students or your
children?
• What questions do you have?
16. References
• Afflerbach, P. (2012). Understanding and using reading assessment K–12 (2nd ed.). Newark, DE:
International Reading Association.
• McKenna, M. C., & Kear, D. J. (1990). Measuring attitude toward reading: A new tool for teachers.
The Reading Teacher, 43(9), 626--639.
•
Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn
& Bacon.
• Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.) A. Critical perspective. [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
• Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.) B. Response perspective. [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
• Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Virtual field experience™: Strategic processing [Video file].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
• Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Perspectives on literacy learning. [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
• Molden, K. (2007). Critical literacy, the right answer for the reading classroom: Strategies to move
beyond comprehension for reading improvement. Reading Improvement, 44(1), 50–56.
