This document discusses various aspects of literacy instruction for early readers from Pre-K to 3rd grade. It emphasizes the importance of getting to know individual learners through observation and documentation. When selecting texts, teachers should use a literacy matrix to choose books at different levels across linguistic, narrative, and difficulty parameters. Lessons should incorporate interactive, critical, and response perspectives by engaging students in discourse around texts and allowing diverse responses. Teachers are encouraged to support the development of strategic processing and critical thinking skills in early readers.

1. Literate EnvironmentLiterate Environment
AnalysisAnalysis
Lisa M. HerreraLisa M. Herrera
Walden UniversityWalden University
Prof. Pamela FitzgeraldProf. Pamela Fitzgerald
The Beginning Reader, Pre K-3 – EDUC 6706R-2The Beginning Reader, Pre K-3 – EDUC 6706R-2

2. Getting to Know
Literacy Learners, P–3
There are four parts to the assessment
process: observation, documentation,
interpretation, planning and evaluation –
Dr. Donald Bear, Assessing word knowledge
(Laureate Education, n.d.-b)

3. Getting to know ones learners is an integral part of
any classroom.
• Take observations to weekly curriculum planning meeting
• Set aside time each month specifically for evaluating
observations
• Document informal conversations regarding the literacy
development of children
• Speak with parents regularly regarding observations of
their children

4. Selecting Texts
Use the
Literacy Matrix
(Laureate Education, n.d.-a)
Where does the text land within
each parameter?
Linguistic----Semiotic
(Word to Picture Ratio)
Narrative---Informational Very Easy----Very Difficult
Number of words on a page
Number of syllables
Per page
Number of new words
within the text

5. “As, teachers we have a responsibility to provide
students with a wide range of literacy
experiences that demonstrate the ways to read
and write in our daily lives” (Castek, Bevans-Mangelson
& Goldstone, 2006, p. 716).
• At least twice yearly review classroom library discarding
books that are not developmentally appropriate or obsolete
• Provide greater access to informational texts (Duke, 2004)
• Analyze distribution of classroom text types for each unit
and make adjustments as necessary (Laureate Education,
n.d.-a)
• Use informational texts in authentic ways (Duke, 2004)

6. Literacy Lesson:
Interactive Perspective
Teaching students how to read and write: teaching
children how to be strategic processors and
thinkers (Laureate Education, n.d.-e)

7. The interactive perspective calls us to think about
how we teach our students and the choices we
make in our literacy curriculum.
• Engage children in extended discourse around text
(Laureate Education, n.d.-d)
• Differentiate planned activities; when necessary plan
different activities to meet your children where they are
• Make sure the print in the classroom is relevant to the
children (Laureate Education, n.d.-d)
• Have examples of print readily available
• Use available resources to expand your thinking as an
educator

8. Literacy Lesson: Critical
and Response Perspectives
The ability to look at and examine texts
from multiple perspectives allows one to
critically evaluate text and judge the
validity or veracity of the text-
Dr. Janice Almasi, Critical Perspective
(Laureate Education, n.d.-c)

9. It is never to early to start teaching our children
to think critically about the texts that they
encounter or to provide them with opportunities
to respond authentically.
• Deliberately choose texts that will encourage critical
thinking
• Allow children to respond personally to the text (Laureate
Education, n.d.-f)
• Use multiple strategies in order to further meaningful
critical literacies (Molden, 2007)
• Encourage the children to share their own diverse
perspectives (Mankiw & Strasser, 2013)
• Provide opportunities for children to respond creatively to
texts

10. 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?

11. References
Castek, J., Bevans-Mangelson, J., & Goldstone, B. (2006). Reading adventures online: Five
ways to introduce the new literacies of the Internet through children's
literature. Reading Teacher, 59(7), 714–728.
Duke, N. (2004). The case for informational text. Educational Leadership, 61(6), 40–44.
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-a). Analyzing and selecting texts [Video file].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-b). Assessing word knowledge [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-c). Critical Perspective [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-d). Developing language and literacy [Video file].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-e). Perspectives on literacy learning [Video file].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.-f). Response Perspective [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
Mankiw, S., & Strasser, J. (2013). Tender Topics: Exploring Sensitive Issues with Pre-K
through First Grade Children through Read-Alouds. YC: Young Children, 68(1), 84-89.
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.