3. The Literacy Block
Whole group: 10-20 minutes
Read-aloud; modelled reading; shared reading; mini-lesson
Small group & individual: 10-20 minutes
Guided reading; conferencing; independent reading;
responding to text
Whole group: 5-10 minutes
Group sharing time
4. Instructional Approaches
For excellent follow-up on
Modelled/Shared/Guided/Independent instruction in
Reading, see:
Sakai/Resources/Curriculum Documents/Guides to
Effective Instruction/Reading/ pp. 60-85 (on the pdf
version)
5. Critical Literacy
Goes beyond simply decoding and understanding texts
Can be thought of as a way of thinking that challenges
the inherent meaning of information and, by extension,
life situations
Leads to understanding of power relationships that may
help students to perceive and take action against
injustice
6.
7. Social Justice Resources
Select a book from the table
Read the handout, “Questions to Promote Critical
Literacy.”
Read your chosen book and consider which questions
from the handout you might address in your own
classroom (take into account grade level)
What other questions might you pose?
Share your book and thoughts with a partner
8. Further Resources for Social
Justice
Be sure to examine the rich resources posted on Sakai:
Lesson 8/Resources
9. Literature Circles
Roles:
Discussion Director
Literary Luminary (Passage Picker)
Internet Investigator
Graphic Organizer Selector
Connector
Vocabulary Enricher
Illustrator
10. Literature Circles
Take apart the set of role sheets at your table
Each group member will select a specific role
Spend approximately 15 minutes completing the
instructions for your role (if there are roles left over and
you have finished early try a role that has not been
taken)
Conduct a Literature Circle session, giving each person
about 5 minutes to explain his/her role and how it was
completed
11. Independent Reading
Examine the sample of an Independent Novel Study
assignment at your table.
If you wish to have a copy of this assignment, go to
Sakai/Week 8/Resources
12. Publishers’ Programs for
Literacy
Nelson Canada: Nelson Literacy
Pearson Canada: Literacy in Action
13. Novel Promotion
Novel promotion: Each group will prepare a creative
promotion for its novel, lasting no longer than 5-10 minutes.
You are encouraged to use a multi-modal approach to this
assignment, which may involve integration with the Arts
and/or the use of digital technology. Promotions should
include concise information about the genre of the novel
(e.g. science fiction, historical fiction, mystery, graphic novel,
fantasy, etc.), recommended grade level, highlights of the
plot, links (where appropriate) to social justice issues or
cross-curricular connections. The novel promos will be
presented in week 9 (Nov. 4/5)
