2. Three Fundamental Parts of a
Literate Environment
• Getting to Know Literacy Learners
• Selecting Texts
• Perspectives: Interactive, Critical, and
Response
3. Getting to Know Literacy Learners
Understanding your literacy learners from
cognitive and noncognitive aspects is crucial to
providing effective literacy instruction. The more
you know about your students, the better you will
be able to connect to them (Laureate Education,
Inc., n.d.a). As educators, we must assess
regularly to gain knowledge regarding students’
reading levels, strategies, background knowledge,
and skill competencies in order to plan appropriate
instruction (Tompkins, 2010).
4. Getting to Know Literacy Learner
Cognitive Assessment
• In order to develop a general understanding of the
student’s basic reading skills, I issued the DIBELS
Next assessment (Afflerbach, 2012). The results
from the assessment portrayed all three students at
benchmark level. Student A scored the highest
percentage of accuracy; student B scored next to the
highest percentage of accuracy, and student C scored
the lowest percentage regarding accuracy, however,
he remained within benchmark range. The data
suggested all three students were ready to begin a
2.1 reading level literacy lesson.
5. Getting to Know Literacy Learner
Noncognitive Assessment
• Research states that this aspect of reading proficiency has
been overlooked in the process of literacy (McKenna & Kear,
1990).
• Noncognitive aspects of a reader include “the other”
characteristics besides basic reading skills (cognitive). There
are five noncognitive reader characteristics that contribute to
reading success: motivation, self-concept, attitudes, interest,
attributions (Afflerbach, 2012). Therefore, a student’s
attitude and perception towards reading can affect his or her
performance (McKenna & Kear, 1990).
• I administered the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS)
to my students (McKenna & Kear, 1990). The results were
beneficial in providing me with additional information that
helped create a learning environment that was differentiated to
compliment the varying abilities and interests.
6. Selecting Texts
“What readers know and do during
reading has a tremendous impact on
how well they comprehend, but
comprehension involves more than just
reader factors: It involves text
factors” (Tompkins, 2010, pg. 290).
These text factors include genre, text
structures, and text features
(Tompkins, 2010). Selecting
developmentally appropriate texts
from all genres is imperative.
7. Selecting Texts
“What readers know and do during
reading has a tremendous impact on
how well they comprehend, but
comprehension involves more than just
reader factors: It involves text
factors” (Tompkins, 2010, pg. 290).
These text factors include genre, text
structures, and text features
(Tompkins, 2010). Selecting
developmentally appropriate texts
from all genres is imperative.
