This document provides an analysis of literacy instruction strategies for early elementary students. It discusses getting to know students' interests, abilities, and motivation through surveys. Teachers should use small group, whole class, and individual instruction and select texts at appropriate reading levels. Literacy lessons should take an interactive, critical, or response perspective to promote deeper understanding and critical thinking. Teachers are encouraged to use various assessments and select texts to support student goals and objectives. Feedback from families can help teachers better support students' literacy development.

1. LITERATE ENVIRONMENT
ANALYSIS
Elizabeth Benjamin
Walden University
Dr. Bernice Parrott
EDUC-6706R-3
April 17, 2013

2. Getting to know Literacy Learners,
P-3

3. Analysis
• When teaching students you must get to
know the whole child.
• Know your students interests, motivations,
and abilities.
• Work with students using small group, whole
class, and one-on-one instruction.
• Use inventories to assess students interests
and motivation to read.

4. Research
• Use inventories to get to know your students
motivation using the Motivation to Read
Profile Survey (Gambrell, Palmer, Codling, &
Mazzoni, 1996).
• Use inventories that measure cognitive and
noncognitive reading aspects.
• Measure a students attitude about reading
using the Elementary Reading Attitude
Survey (McKenna & Kear, 1990).

5. Selecting Texts

6. Analysis
• Map students books using the analyzing texts
matrix.
Analyze text readability.
Linguistic words
Informational textsNarrative texts
Semiotic Texts
Hard
Easy

7. Research
• Students must learn to read and read to
learn.
• Teachers must teach students text structure
and provide multiple opportunities for
students to read informational texts
(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a).
• Guide students through the reading process
using goals for moving toward more difficult
texts.

8. Literacy Lesson: Interactive
Perspective

9. Analysis
• The interactive perspective uses instruction
that addresses the cognitive and affective
needs of students and takes into
consideration the demands of the text.
• Students can use reading strategies and skills
independently and effectively to help
promote a deeper level of understanding of
the text.

10. Research
• Teachers must use a variety of formal and
informal assessments to assess strengths and
weaknesses in literacy development.
• Use a analyzing text matrix to determine
appropriate text levels and types to support
goals and objectives for individual students
(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b).

11. Literacy Lesson: Critical and
Response Perspectives

12. Critical Perspective
• The critical perspective provides students
with the opportunity to think critically about
a text.
• Discover ideas, issues, and problems that
matter to the students.
• Select texts that afford students the
opportunity to evaluate text for deeper
understanding.

13. Response Perspective
• Allow students multiple opportunities to
respond to their texts in meaningful ways.
• Select texts that elicit deep emotion and
feeling within students.
• Allow students time to think critically about a
text and then respond.

14. Research
• Use response journals to allow students the
opportunity to respond to their texts using
analytical reading.
• Analyze the author and their motivation for
writing the story (Molden,2007).
• Provide students with opportunities to
critically examine and then respond to the
text.

15. Feedback from Colleagues and Family
Members of Students
• What insights did you gain about literacy and literacy
instruction from viewing this presentation?
• How might the information presented change your
literacy practices and/or your literacy interactions
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
• Gambrell, L., Palmer, B., Codling, R., & Mazzoni, S. (1996). Assessing motivation to read. (Vol. 49,
pp. 518-533). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
• Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Analyzing and selecting text [Video webcast].
Retrieved from:
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps
%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1959070_1%26url%3
D
• Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010b). Perspective of literacy learning [Video webcast].
Retrieved from:
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps
%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1959070_1%26url%3
D
• McKenna, M. C., & Kear, D. J. (1990). Measuring attitude toward reading: A new tool for teachers.
The Reading Teacher, 43(9), 626--639.
• 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.

17. Case Study
• Jeremy
– His first day
– Mistakes made
– Successes achieved
– The moral of the story

18. Discussion
• What we can learn
from Jeremy
• Best practices
• Take-aways

19. Summary
• Define your challenges
– Technological as well as personal
• Set realistic expectation
– Mastery is not achieved overnight
• Keep your eye on the goal
– Mentorship programs

20. Resources
• <Intranet site text here>
<hyperlink here>
• <Additional reading material text here>
<hyperlink here>
• This slide deck and related resources:
<hyperlink here>

21. QUESTIONS?

22. APPENDIX