My Philosophy of Reading and Writing Instruction
My philosophy of writing and reading instruction is directly aligned with the Balanced Literacy approach. I subscribe to the belief that reading instruction should include a variety of best practices. I don’t believe there is one best way for children to become literate. Rather, a combination of strategies or a balanced approach will help students to develop their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
This school year I am going to be working as a Special Education teacher with students ages 18-22 who are in the DC juvenile justice system. It is important for them to be literate in my classroom and beyond because they need to learn how to function in the real world. They will need literacy skills to read and make meaning of ideas, complete forms, communicate their ideas clearly in writing and orally and to be active civic participants when they reenter the society. Literacy skills will come into play in their lives when they need to analyze arguments, assemble furniture, identify locations on a map, decode nutritional information on food packaging, find information online, and other important ways (NCTE, 2006). Many of these students will have gaps in their learning and may be reading several years below grade level. I will most likely have students with a wide range of abilities. Therefore, I will utilize a combination of elementary and secondary components of a Balanced Reading program in order to meet their individualized educational needs.
Definition of Classroom Literacy Program
In my classroom I use a Balanced Literacy approach, which can be defined as a spectrum of the strongest components of Whole Language and phonics instruction. Westover and Price (2006) pointed out that a Balanced Literacy at the [elementary level] includes word study, reading instruction, independent reading, writing instruction, and independent writing. NCTE emphasized that targeting motivation, comprehension, and critical thinking will increase adolescent literacy (NCTE, 2006). There are also overlaps with elementary and secondary reading practices that build on each other. Below I have outlined some of the instructional reading and writing strategies and best practices that I will use to help my students be literate.
Word Study
Word study is when students engage in phonemic awareness and phonics activities to understand spoken words and sound-symbol relationships. They learn to decode unknown words and read multisyllabic words
Reading Program
Reading Instruction should include read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, content area reading and independent reading. Each of the component is important because students will apply the sub-processing skills independently during the process of reading.
Read Aloud. Read Aloud is when the teacher reads to students and students interact and make connections with the text by asking and answering questions.
Shared Reading. Shared Reading is when a teacher reads a book multiple times in order to model, support, and develop skills and for students to make meaning of the text.
Guided Reading. Guided Reading is when a teacher works with a small, flexible group of students who have similar reading abilities, needs and or interests to develop strategies and comprehension skills.
Content-Area Reading. Content Area Reading is when students use the strategies they have learned to read and comprehend literary and informational texts in specific content areas.
Independent Reading. Independent Reading is when students apply strategies that they have been taught as they independently read texts that they have selected.
Writing Program
Writing instruction should include shared writing, interactive writing, guided writing, writing process, content area writing, and independent writing. Each of the component is important for students to write for a variety of purpose and for diverse audiences.
Shared Writing. Shared Writing is when the teacher and students share ideas and compose written pieces together.
Interactive Writing. Interactive Writing is when students collaborate with each other and the teacher to create writing pieces.
Guided Writing. Guided Writing is when the teacher guides students through a variety of writing through mini-lessons and conferencing.
Writing Process. Writing Process is when students engage in the process of becoming writers by going through the prewriting, writing, revising, editing, and publishing phases. Students also practice grammar and conventions as they write their own pieces.
Content Area Writing. Content Area Writing is when students are guided and supported to compose literary and informational pieces within specific content areas.
Independent Writing. Independent Writing is when students write independently for a variety of purposes on self-selected topics.
Motivation. Students can be motivated to be more engaged in literacy activities by teaching them reading strategies, providing students with a variety of text selections and by providing opportunities for student to select texts that interest them. Students learn best when they are motivated and interested in what they are doing. When students have a positive attitude towards the work, they will give it their best.
Comprehension. Students can make meaning of texts through vocabulary development and discussion of texts they read. Students can write about texts with more clarity after they have engaged in discussions about a text. They get to share their ideas about the text, pose questions, offer diverse opinions, use reasoning to evaluate a speaker’s point of view.
Critical Thinking. Students can develop critical thinking skills through self-monitoring, interpretation and analysis, multi-disciplinary approaches, and use of technology. Students can evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different types of media, analyze historical and current texts and their significance, and use technology as a tool to research ideas to support their thinking.
Professional Development Resources
Four resources for literacy instruction that I will use to support my professional development and/or teaching practices are:
- CBT with Juvenile Offenders A Review and Recommendation for Practice by Eva Feindler and Alison M. Byers
- My colleagues
- Reaching Out to At-Risk Teens: Building Literacy with Incarcerated Youth by Stephanie Guerra
- STEPHANIE GUERRA: www.stephanieguerra.com
References
National council of teachers of english. (2006). NCTE principles of
adolescent literacy reform. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Positions/Adol-Lit-Brief.pdf http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Positions/Adol-Lit-Brief.pdf
Westover & Price. (2006). Classroom implications for a balanced literacy framework. Retrieved from
https://www.worthington.k12.oh.us/cms/lib02/oh01001900/centricity/domain/55/gradelevelguides/strategic_balanced_framework_for_literacy_.pdf
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