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Goal
The District has designed
various instructional programs in the area of English
Language Arts to support students in developing
proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and
listening. This instruction is intended to support all
students in achieving the New York State English
Language Arts standards and provide equitable
opportunity to become life long learners. This
instruction will allow learners to apply literacy to
real life situations and make meaning of the world as
effective members of the global society.
Middletown’s Literacy Framework
Students learn to read, write,
and speak successfully when a variety of instructional
approaches are made available. Middletown believes that
the following approaches provide a comprehensive
framework for the implementation of the District’s
literacy programs, Pre- K-12.
Reading Aloud
The purpose of the read aloud
is to help students discover meaning through listening
and discussion. Reading to children stimulates their
desire to become a reader. Through conversation,
dialogue and discussion, the teacher assists the reader
in getting meaning from, and bringing meaning to the
text. The learner listens to complex language patterns
and acquires knowledge of text structure, vocabulary and
concepts. As the teacher reads aloud, students have many
opportunities to hear the teacher’s thinking about text
and engage in discussions about their thinking of the
text to create meaning.
Shared Reading
Shared reading is about the
systematic and explicit teaching of reading done with a
group of learners using an enlarged text. Students are
provided with an opportunity to participate successfully
in the reading process. Teachers demonstrate the reading
process and strategies that successful readers use.
Students and teacher share the task of reading in a safe
environment reading texts that may otherwise be too
difficult. In this way learners can apply these
strategies in their own reading. Texts may include big
books, overhead transparencies, and posters. During
these lessons teachers also discuss the conventions,
language, and structures of the written text.
Guided Reading
Guiding reading provides an
opportunity for students to learn, practice and take
responsibility for their reading. Students will practice
the skills and strategies modeled in the read aloud or
shared reading lessons. The text and focus of the group
must be based on the needs of the students. The role of
the teacher is to introduce the text and observe
students reading silently as they process the
information. It is important that teachers identify the
supports and challenges within the chosen text to help
guide the students throughout. The groups are focused on
reading, thinking, and discussing the text within the
group.
Independent Reading
The purpose of independent
reading is to provide many opportunities for students to
practice the strategies acquired in guided reading with
a text that is at a level lower than their instructional
level. Independent reading will also increase reading
stamina and encourage students to become lifelong
readers. During independent reading time the teacher
confers with students about appropriate book choice,
strategies the students use, and monitors student
progress. Classrooms contain libraries that range in
genres, levels, and interests. Students become experts
in choosing appropriate books that match their needs and
interest as a reader.
Word/Language Study
Word/language study provides
students with opportunities to become aware of sounds
and how they relate to symbols in the written language.
Beginning readers are taught the alphabet, relationship
between sounds and letters, high frequency words, as
well as spelling patterns. Reading, writing, listening,
and speaking are language processes that require
students to know about words and their meanings, but
students need to also understand the way words are
combined into sentences, paragraphs, and complete texts.
Literature Study
Literature study involves
reading and thinking about works of fiction and
nonfiction. Students gather together to collaborate and
discuss responses to text that may include characters,
genres, author’s writing style, literary techniques,
themes, and concepts. Students are consistently asked to
reflect on, analyze, and critique texts that they have
read.
Interactive Writing
Interactive writing provides
an opportunity for students and teachers to “share the
pen” in composing, rereading, and constructing various
types of texts. The teacher models and guides students
in their understanding of the writing process, the
mechanics of writing, and set a purpose for writing.
This practice enables students to understand various
strategies to use when writing independently. Teachers
write the words that students know how to write, as well
as words or parts of words that are too difficult.
Interactive writing is usually used with beginning
writers and is the bridge between Shared and Independent
writing.
Modeled Writing
Modeled writing provides an
opportunity for students to understand the process of
writing and the thinking that is involved as a writer.
The teacher composes and writes the text on chart paper
or a transparency for the students to observe, respond,
and question. The teacher models through a “think
aloud” the writing process which includes revisions,
asking questions, clarifying, and editing the text.
Shared Writing
Shared writing provides
students with the experience of the writing process in a
collaborative group. Children work together to compose a
text while the teacher “shares the pen.” Usually the
teacher contributes to the text and helps guide the way
the text is constructed but the writing comes primarily
from the children’s thoughts and ideas. As the students
compose the text the teacher discusses conventions,
structures, and features of the written text. This
approach allows the teacher to scaffold the writing
process for the student as they learn about the craft of
writing.
Guided Writing
Guided writing allows the
teacher to work with a small group, or an individual
student, to provide explicit teaching based on
identified needs of the student(s) through teacher
observation and student work. Writing skills and
strategies are modeled within an authentic context. This
provides students with an opportunity to develop
independence in their writing and self monitor their
learning of strategic writing.
Independent Writing
Independent writing needs to
be a daily component of the writing program in order to
build up stamina and develop “writing habit.” Students
are provided opportunities to choose to write for a
variety of purposes and a range of audiences. During
independent writing, students are given the chance to
practice using strategies learned through modeled,
shared, and guided writing instruction. Teachers confer
with students and discuss publication of their work.
Assessment
Recorded systematic assessments build a profile of
literacy learning that serves a crucial tool for
planning and instruction throughout all approaches.
Specifically, literacy assessments provide information
about students’ strengths and weaknesses in reading,
writing, speaking, and listening as evidence of
progress. Middletown’s literacy assessments are directly
linked to instruction. The data from these assessments
provides information about what the student can do and
what they need in their learning. |
Framework