The document discusses teaching literacy to pre-K through 3rd grade students. It emphasizes the importance of understanding students' literacy development stages and needs, selecting age-appropriate texts, and creating a literacy-rich learning environment. Effective instruction includes systematic and explicit teaching, differentiation, and incorporating students' cultural backgrounds.

1. How Do I Teach Learners at the
Pre-K – 3rd Levels?
Literacy Learning
Davidica McConnell
Walden University
Dr. P. McCully

2. Getting to Know Emergent and Beginning Literacy Learners
Getting to know the literacy learner involves knowing and addressing the
meta-cognitive and cognitive aspects of the learner (Laureate Education,
2014). Between birth and 3rd grade readers progress through three stages
of literacy development (Laureate Education, 2010.) These stages are:
 Emergent
 Beginning
 Transitional
I assessed my emergent learner using the Reading Attitude Survey which
assesses literacy strengths, weaknesses, and interests (Afflerback, 2007).
For my beginning reader assessment I used the Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS, 2012). These assessments helped me to
understand the diverse needs of young literacy learners and how to better
challenge and engage my students.

3. Selecting Texts
Factors to consider when selecting texts are (Laureate Education, 2014):
 Developmental appropriateness.
 Assortment of texts.
 Texts that address writing skills.
 Organization of texts along the continuum of narrative to informational, and from linguistic to
symbiotic.
These factors help me as an educator to incorporate texts that will enrich the learning environment for all
students.

4. Selecting Texts for Emergent and Beginning Literacy Learners
When selecting texts for my learners I consider the cognitive aspects of literacy
acquisition first. What do I need for my students to know and be able to do?
The Common Core Standards (2012) as well as state standards help to organize the
curriculum, but it is up to the teacher to determine which texts work best for each class.
I also consider the non-cognitive aspects of my learners. How can I motivate my
learners to want to succeed. For some, it may be an intrinsic motivation. For others, it
is going to be some type of extrinsic reward or the satisfaction of being successful
consistently.
I carefully select my texts in order to accommodate every learner regardless of ability,
age, race, cultural background, or interests. For example, I chose the following texts for
my emergent learner based on interests and attitude:
The Grouchy Ladybug- linguistic narrative text
Ocean Babies- semiotic text
A Frog Grows- linguistic informational text

5. Selecting Texts for Beginning and Emergent Literacy Learners
Harvery and Grouder (Reutzel and Cooter, 2016) assert that “the ultimate goal of reading instruction
is for students to comprehend the information they are reading.”
I began my beginning literacy learner lesson by doing the Flynt/Cooter Reading Attitudes Survey for
Elementary Grades (Cooter et al., 2014). It is imperative that we know how our students feel about
reading and why. We need to understand their interests and value their backgrounds.
I assessed the learner’s vocabulary using a teacher-made assessment. The
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has drawn the
following conclusions about both indirect and direct vocabulary learning:
 Children learn meanings of words indirectly through life experiences.
 Children learn vocabulary through explicit instruction from teachers.
 Developing childrens’ “word consciousness” can boost vocabulary
learning.

6. How Do We Create a Literacy Rich Environment?
 Post labels and visual clues.
 Post schedules, rules, and reminders.
 Post alphabet.
 Post students’ names.
 Post teachers’ writings.
 Maintain extensive classroom libraries.
 Create a wonderful space where students can write.

7. How Do We Create a Literacy-Rich Environment?
Systematic explicit instruction must be implemented in order to provide the
foundation for students to become readers. Reutzel and Clark (2011) explain that
the physical arrangement of the classroom can be powerful and supportive of
effective literacy instruction. Students need at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted
reading instruction per day in order for sufficient literacy skills to develop.
Instruction must be delivered systematically and explicitly. Students must be
scaffolded over time and instruction must be differentiated across the curriculum
(Just Read, Florida!, 2005).

8. Reflection
Effective instructional practices are the key to achieving desired
outcomes for our learners.
Problem solving/ critical thinking involves students being consistently challenged
and supported. Writing is an essential part of this strategy of learning.
Cognitive practices insist that students can learn from the inclusion of cognitive
models based on the teacher’s and students’ abilities to connect. Cognitive
practices support the learn by doing approach.
Culturally responsive teaching builds upon the diversity of content within the
curriculum. High expectations and positive perspectives are communicated through
teacher knowledge of appropriate instructional practices. Culturally responsive
teaching requires understanding and application of various cultural perspectives
and curriculum that enhances cultural background using materials, examples, and
strategies from students’ backgrounds and experiences.

9. Digital media means having access to electronic tools and media that enhance and support active learning
and engagement. This can be done through multiple media outlets including iPad apps, as well as Android
powered apps to accommodate nearly every classroom. Having students create media through multiple
sources is a tool that is necessary for college and career readiness in the 21st Century classroom. The focus
of a 21stcentury classroom is on students experiencing the environment they will enter as modern day
workers and developing their higher order thinking skills, effective communication skills, collaboration skills,
making them adept with using technology and all other skills that they will need in the 21st century
workplace (Educational Leadership, 2013.)

10. References
Afflerback, P. (2007). Understanding and using reading assessment, K-12. Newark, DE: International Reading Press.
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012b). English language arts standards: Reading: Foundational skills: Kindergarten. Retrieved
from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RF/K
Cooter, R.B., Flynt, E.S., and Cooter, K.S. (2014). Flynt/Cooter comprehensive reading inventory- 2: The assessment of K-12 reading skills
in English and Spanish. Boston, MA: Pearson
Dynamic Measurement Group (2012). Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Strategies, 6th Edition. Retrieved from
http://dibels.uoregon.edu/
Just Read, Florida! (2005). An example of the 90 minute reading block. Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/25798
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B. (2016). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child succeed (5th ed.). Boston,
MA: Pearson.
Laureate Education (2010). Analyzing and selecting texts. Boston, MA: Author. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_9735313_1&content_id=_27326515_1
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014k). Getting to know your students [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: author. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_9735313_1&content_id=_27326475_1
Reutzel, D.R. and Clark, S. (2011). Organizing literacy classrooms for effective instruction: A survival guide. The Reading Teacher, 65 (2),
110-114.
Top 10 Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom (2013). Educational Leadership. Retrieved from
http://edtechreview.in/news/862-top-10-characteristics-of-a- 21st-century-classroom