EDLI635 Theory and Practice of Literacy Instruction

The article, "Seven Literacy Strategies That Work" by, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and Douglas Williams discusses seven practical strategies that can be used in the classroom to enhance student reading. Using a KWL chart in literacy lessons is something that I have done in the past in my own classroom. Using this chart gave the students a good introduction to what they will be reading about. After listing their questions and hearing what their friends are wondering about the topic, the students got a clear focus on where they are headed while reading the book. At the end, filling out the last column was an excellent way to wrap up and write down the most critical points of the book. KWL charts are a fantastic way to involve students in the reading lesson. It allows them to organize their inquiries and develop an interest and purpose in their reading. Before reading a book with a class, I would complete a KWL chart with them. I would give each student a personal chart and dra...

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Explain the three levels of words and how you can use word levels to decide which words to teach. The first level of words is familiar words that are used very often. These words don't have to be taught to students. The next level of words includes those that often appear in print or conversation however they may be difficult for students to understand and read. The words in this tier are the most important for teachers to focus on in a classroom.  The third level includes highly technical and very unique words. These may be words that are part of Science, Math, or Social Studies curriculum. If so, these words can be left to the biology, social studies, and math teacher to teach. When selecting words to teach you, it can be based on materials within the classroom. Fluency does not have to be a separate lesson, instead, let it be embedded within content or reading lessons. How do you teach your student...

How can you ensure that your struggling readers have access to texts they can easily read? An important factor to develop fluency is to practice reading with high success - 98% - 100% - and read with comprehension. Having a large variety of books gives access to students to books on their level. Struggling readers should be taught how to identify what type of book is just right for them. The books can be arranged in a library format. When children choose books they should be ones that they can read accurately and have background knowledge and experience with.  The books can also be with texts that are connected to science and social studies lessons. How can you foster a learning environment in which students have many opportunities to practice reading? The way that students learn to read is when there is a  nice balance of whole group reading, small group reading, and side by side instruction. A classroom that is focused on the whole group reading won't have high ...

View my fluency and word study chart here What texts and materials do teachers have in their classrooms that support students' development of fluent reading?  A student library is a great way to encourage independent reading on an individual level and promote fluent reading. When children have a choice of books on varying levels, they are able to choose the one they feel is most appropriate for them. When a students read books on the proper level of understanding and decoding,  fluency is more likely to develop within student's reading. Additionally, a selection of books in a library setting gives the students a positive outlook toward the reading sessions. How do they select vocabulary to teach in all areas of your curriculum?  Teachers should choose words to teach based on students level of understanding, knowledge, and background. These words can be either those that are used often and necessary for general education. Or, words that are part of the science ...

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