A literacy-rich environment stimulates students to participate in language and literacy activities daily, giving them an understanding of the function of oral and written language. Such an environment contains abundant, high-quality literacy materials like books, dictionaries, labels and signs. It has a physically organized space that encourages reading and writing, along with daily literacy routines such as read-alouds, independent reading and writing, and sharing. The classroom culture is also culturally sensitive and integrated, helping students experience different cultures through bulletin boards and other means. Assessment and a variety of instructional methods, including technology, group work and projects on the walls, are also characteristics of literacy-rich classrooms.

1. By: Jocelyn Brooke Pruden
Introduction to Literacy-Rich Environments:
A literacy-rich environment is a setting that
stimulates all students to participate in language and
literacy activities in their daily lives thereby giving
them the understandings of the utility and function
of oral and written language (The Access
Center, 2007).

2. LITERACY-RICH
MATERIALS
A literacy-rich environment has
an abundance of high-quality
literacy materials. Like in the
photo, literacy-rich classrooms
have materials such as a variety
of
books, dictionaries, labels, signs, e
tc. These materials help students
with reading, writing, speaking
and listening because they
provide the resources needed to
educate students effectively.Retrieved from www.dorireads.blogspot.com

3. HAVING AN
ORGANIZED
CLASSROOM
A literacy-rich
classroom has physical
arrangement that
encourages reading and
writing. The physical
arrangement of the
classroom is crucial to
developing literacy
growth for children (The
Access Center, 2007). This
classroom has areas
Retrieved from www.gracepresby.org

4. Literacy RoutinesA literacy-rich
classroom has daily
literacy
routines, including
read-
alouds, independent
reading and
writing, and sharing.
This classroom area
has a great space for
read-
alouds, independent
reading, and sharing.
Here a teacher could
have writing mini-
Retrieved from www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2009

5. Classroom
Culture
A literacy-rich classroom has culturally sensitive and integrated curriculum. This photo
is a great representation of how to integrate culture. Bulletin boards are a great way of
incorporating culture in the classroom. Students could find things to add on the bulletin
board each week that represents a different culture. This provides an interesting way for
students to experience art, culture and daily life of other cultures in a dynamic way. This
classroom helps students to read, write, speak, and listen to other cultures.
Photo retrieved from carolineelizabeth.wordpress.com

6. ASSESSMENT IDEAS
A literacy-rich classroom uses
assessment to guide
instruction. This photo
primarily relates to writing. A
teacher could examine the
student’s writing to see what
spelling stage the child is in, as
well as find ways to guide
further instruction for
individual students.
Photo retrieved from www.teachingblogaddict.com

7. THINK SMART
A literacy-rich classroom uses a variety
of instruction. Using a variety of
instruction can relate to
reading, writing, speaking, or listening.
One way to vary instruction is to use
technology, like the smart board in the
photo. A teacher could vary instruction
by using music, computers, I pads, CD
players, visual aids, games, etc. This
classroom seems to have many student
projects and student work on the wall.
This is a fun way to differentiate
instruction.
Photo retrieved from www.lisle202.org

8. GROUP WORK
A literacy-rich classroom uses
a variety of groups. You could
vary groups in
reading, writing, speaking, as
well as listening. Like in the
photo, a teacher could vary
groups by small group, whole
group, partner
work, independent
work, teacher/student
work, etc. By varying
groups, it helps students to
reflect on their own
opinions, as well as consider
ideas from their peers.
Photo retrieved from debbiediller.wordpress.com

9. C H AR AC TER ISTIC S OF LITER AC Y- R IC H
C LASSR OOMS
C ON C LU SION :
Each of these characteristics are centered around the concept of reflective, motivated
learners who use reading and writing to learn more about themselves and the world.
Photo retrieved from blogs.voices.com

10. SOURCES
 The Access Center, (2007). Literacy-Rich Environments. Retrieved November
10, 2012, from The Access Center website:
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/literacyrichenvironments.asp