Balanced Literacy Approach
Our Language Arts program is a balanced literacy approach. Our curriculum is
designed to meet the individual needs of each child. Let me share with you,
briefly each component of our literacy program.
Read Aloud/Modeled Reading:
Children have daily experiences with read-alouds both fiction, and
non-fiction. During this time we find delight in books and model the
joys of reading.
Shared Reading:
The children join the teacher in reading and follow along in a big book. These
books have enlarged print so the children can read along with the text. The
teacher points out key word features and teaches word attack strategies.
Guided Reading:
Children with similar reading abilities work in small groups using books at
their instructional reading level. During guided reading specific reading
strategies are taught and practiced. Comprehension and vocabulary development
are also taught.
Independent Reading:
We know that the more children read, the better readers they will become. Here
the children are reading books that they can read with ease. We want this to
be a -smooth reading-, where the children can read most of the words, and
comprehend the story successfully and independently.
Write Aloud/Modeled Writing:
During modeled writing time the teacher demonstrates to the class as she
writes and talks about her own writing process. This includes brainstorming
writing ideas and showing how she thinks of the sounds, and spelling of words
as she writes. Note: In Kindergarten, we generally do not go through all the
steps of the writing process. The revising and editing are limited.
Shared and Interactive Writing:
In interactive writing the children and the teacher write a story together.
Often it is about a shared experience. Here correct spelling and punctuation
is modeled.
Independent Writing:
At the kindergarten level, most of the children's topics are about themselves.
They write about their stories, the things they like and things they have done.
Here children use inventive spelling, and write the sounds they hear. As
their skills grow in this area, their spelling improves, and more standard
spelling appears. The focus however remains on the purpose of the writing-
sharing and communicating their stories.
Other areas of literacy includes:
WORD WORK: Learning to spell high-frequency words such as the, have,said and pattern words such
as cat, hat, sat
PHONEMIC AWARENESS: Hearing sounds, rhymes, syllables, manipulating sounds, changing
beginning /ending/middle sounds, blending sounds, and stretching words into separate sounds.
