Teacher Read-Aloud
Level of Support
Teacher selects and reads a trade book or story from the student anthology.
¨ Teacher provides full support.
¨ Students respond to pictures, meaning, and language.
Components
of a Balanced |
Reading
|
Level of Support |
Teacher selects and reads a trade book or story from the student anthology. |
¨ Teacher provides full support. ¨ Students respond to pictures, meaning, and language. |
Shared Reading/ Paired Reading |
Level of Support |
Teacher reads aloud using a core story from students’ anthology, a trade book, a chart, big book, poem, or song. Students join in. |
¨ Teacher provides high level of support. ¨Much conversation about the meaning of the story and some group problem solving take place. ¨ Students support each other. |
Guided Reading |
Level of Support |
Teacher selects and introduces new text on students’ instructional reading level. Teacher provides support as students read the text to themselves. |
¨ Some teacher support needed. ¨Reader problem solves a new text with minimal help if any. |
Independent Reading |
Level of Support |
Students read assigned, limited choice, or free-choice books. Students read silently or with a partner. |
¨ Little or no teacher support needed. ¨ Reader independently solves problems while reading for meaning. |
Word Study |
Level of Support |
Teacher leads students in an investigation of words. Experiences include word charts, word walls, making words with letters and letter clusters, letter sorting and word sorting, making word webs, using dictionaries, and cooperative learning activities that center on words, their sounds, visual features, and meaning.3 |
¨ Some teacher support needed. ¨ Teacher provides a short, focused teaching session and then makes provisions for children to work on their own. |
Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S.
(1996). Guided Reading: Good First
Teaching for All Children. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Shared Writing |
Level of Support |
Teacher and all students work together to compose messages and stories with the teacher acting as the scribe. |
¨Teacher provides full support. ¨ Teacher models and demonstrates the process of writing through “teacher think-alouds” and group discussions. |
Interactive Writing |
Level of Support |
Teacher and students compose a message or story together. Teacher shares the pen with students as they alternately contribute to various aspects of the piece.4 |
¨ Teacher provides full support. ¨ Teacher models planning and writing a message or story. ¨ Teacher selects
students to contribute to the class composition. |
Guided Writing or Writing Workshop, Collins’
Model |
Level of Support |
Students write independently and confer with teacher and classmates about their writing. Teacher gives focused feedback. Students respond to each other’s work |
¨ Some teacher support is needed for: Focused feedback Mini-lessons Teacher and peer conferences. |
Independent Writing |
Level of Support |
Students write for their own purposes. |
¨ Little or no teacher supports. ¨ Students use
print-rich classroom environment, texts, and technological resources as tools. |
Comprehending Strategies |
Level of Support |
Teacher models how something is done and/or how to think about it. (Comprehending strategies) Students are instructed how to apply comprehending strategies. Less able students benefit by hearing successful learners discuss the strategies they use. |
¨ Teacher support
is needed to provide students with models and explanations of the reasoning involved in
reading (thinking). ¨ Students use
modeled strategies with each other and on their own. |
Oral Language |
Level of Support |
Oral language is a significant part of a balanced literacy program. |
¨ Teachers model while providing many opportunities for students to develop oral language skills within the classroom environment. |