*Excerpt from ED345 Comprehensive Literacy Plan*

Goals for Students

As the teacher for this fourth grade class I would set goals for their reading,
writing, and word study based on the type of readers and writers I want them to
become in fourth grade and throughout their lives.
1) I want to encourage students to have habits that foster life-long reading and
writing. I want students to enjoy reading and writing and not see it as a chore
that they just have to do at school. This means that as their teacher I want to
instill in them not only a love for reading and writing, but the strategies and
skills that students will need to continue reading and writing in and out of
school. These include things such as fluency, comprehension, accuracy and
stamina.
2) My second goal for these students is for them to think of themselves as
readers and writers. I feel that when students see themselves as a reader or
a writer they will be more confident in their work and will enjoy literacy
learning as a whole. For students to be able to think like this I will need to
teach them what good readers and writers do and show them how to do
these things too. Along with this I also want students to understand why
reading and writing is so important and see the purposes of it in order to
better see themselves as readers and writers.
3) My next goal for these students is for them to draw on prior knowledge to
enhance their literacy learning. When students can connect learning to what
they already know the learning will be much deeper and stronger. As students
read and write I want them to be able to use their known strategies and skills
as well as new ones so that they can be the most effective readers and
writers possible.
4) Next I want students to be able to work independently while engaging in
literacy learning in order to challenge their thinking. If students can work
effectively by themselves they will learn to manage their strategies and skills
in an appropriate way as well as be more challenged by their work which will
help them gain deeper understanding. Along with this I want students to be
able to monitor and critique their own work. This means that they will

consciously think about their reading and writing and will be able to fix,
change, or add things to their work as necessary.
5) Another goal for students will be that they can use their knowledge of words
to enhance their reading and writing. As students learn about words, how
they work, how to use them, and how to spell them, I want them to have the
ability to use this knowledge in their reading and writing. This would mean for
example that their word knowledge helps them decode faster as they read, or
use more interesting words in their writing.
6) Students will be that they are able to create meaning using the strategies for
reading that I will be teaching. Being able to find meaning is an essential skill
for students in order to understand the reading that they are doing. To do this
they will need to think about and analyze the strategies they use, as well as
be able to think about why and how they are using these strategies.
7) My last goal for students is that they will be able to effectively use
metacognition. In other words I want them to be able to think about their own
thinking. If students have this ability they will be able look at and analyze
how they do things in learning. They can see what strategies they use and
how they work as well as understand why they do things. I feel that being
able to do this is something that all students need in order to be effective
literacy learners.

Data Analysis
Throughout the year in third grade these students were assessed multiple
times in many aspects of reading, writing, and language development. I have
carefully studied the data provided to me by their third grade teacher and compiled
it to show what I believe to be the range of reading, writing, and word study
development for this group of students.
Reading Development
WKCE Reading
Proficiency

Advanced 2
Students
Proficient 13
Students
Basic 3 Students

MAP Reading
Total Rit Score
(by the end of
third grade
students should
be scoring about
199.2)
Fountas and
Pinnell
Instructional
Level

Minimal 6
Students
199.2 or Higher
16 Students
Lower than 199.2
8 Students

Beginning of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
Levels I-P
15 students
meeting grade
level
Middle of Year
(Informational
Reading)
Levels K-T
20 students
meeting grade
level
End of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
Levels L-T
20 students
meeting grade
level

At the end of the third grade year the

assessment data indicates that the reading
levels of these students range from level L
to level T. According to Fountas and Pinnell
these would mean that the students in this
class are at the Transitional, Self-Extending,
or Advanced level of reading development.
Transitional readers are students who will be
reading books at levels H-M. At this stage in
their reading development students will
know many more words and will be able to
read silently the majority of the time. They
will be able to get more meaning from more
places in the text and self-monitor to make
sure the information they get is correct.
They will be able to use information such as
letter-sound relationships and language
structure as well. In this stage students will
also stop relying on illustrations but will use
them instead to add meaning. Students will
be able to analyze and solve problems more
effectively and will also read with more
phrasing and fluency.
Self-Extending readers will be reading
books at levels M-R. At this stage in reading
development students will be able to read
silently all the time and read with good
fluency when asked to read aloud. While
reading students will use all sources of
information that they can from the text and
take in all this information very smoothly.
Students will also start reading much longer
texts that will be read over days or weeks
and will be able to keep an interest in the
books for that long. Students will begin to

Fountas and
Pinnell Accuracy

Beginning of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
Below 95% - 1
Student
95% - 3 Students
96% - 4 Students
97% - 1 Student
98% - 2 Students
99% - 10 Students
100% - 2 Students
Middle of Year
(Informational
Reading)
95% - 0 Students
96% - 1 Students

enjoy illustrations (if present) in these books

and use them to add to the information they
gain. They will also be able to use new
methods of word analysis to make attempts
to figure out new words, including multiple
syllable words. Last students will read many
different kinds of texts and build their skills
by having many systems for learning with
these different texts and will become more
absorbed in books while identifying with
characters and events.
Advanced readers will be reading
books at levels R-Y. They are able to read
very fluently both silently and out loud and
are good at using word knowledge to solve
words. They use reading as a tool to acquire
more vocabulary and learning in content
areas and consistently develop new
knowledge of texts. Students at this stage
also actively look to make connections with
texts and can go beyond the text to add
their own interpretations. They will be able
to sustain interest much longer and notice
and comment on many aspects of the
writers craft while reading (Building an
Effective Reading Process over Time
handout, ED345, February 2015).
The accuracy score is based on the
amount of errors students make during an
oral reading.
More than 12 errors = less than 95%
10-11 errors = 95%
8-9 errors = 96%
6-7 errors = 97%
4-5 errors =98%
1-3 errors = 99%
0 errors = 100%
In relation to instructional level, getting
a very low score (below 90%) could mean
that the text is too hard for a student. This
is referred to as the frustrational level for a
student. If there are so many errors made
then it is possible the student is not read for

97% - 4 Student
98% - 6 Students
99% - 12 Students
100% - 1 Students
End of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
95% - 0 Students
96% - 1 Students
97% - 2 Students
98% - 2 Students
99% - 1 Student
100% - 0 Students
(Some Date
Missing)

Fountas and
Pinnell
Comprehension

Beginning of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
0-4 2 Students
5-6 18 Students
7-8 2 Students
9-10 0 Students
Middle of Year
(Informational
Reading)
0-4 1 Student
5-6 17 Students
7-8 5 Students
9-10 1 Student
End of Year
Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
0-4 0 Students
5-6 1 Student
7-8 5 Students
9-10 0 Students
(Some Data
Missing)

a text at the level of the one they are

making the errors with. On the other hand a
student with a very high score, (above 95%)
meaning they have no, or very few, errors
would mean that the book this student is
reading is at an independent reading level
for them. A score in between these (9094%) would be considered a students
instructional level.

In assessing comprehension students can

score a 0-3 in each of three categories. The
scores in these categories are then added
up to get a score out of 10. Scoring a 0 in a
category would mean a student shows no
comprehension of the text. Scoring a 1
means they show very limited
understanding of the text. They may be
able to answer a few questions but cannot
express any important ideas. Scoring a 2
means that the student has partial
understanding. They can include important
ideas and understanding but still struggle to
add other key understandings. Last, scoring
a 3 would mean that the student shows
excellent understanding of text and can
discuss almost all important ideas.

Fountas and
Pinnell Fluency

Beginning of Year
Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
0 2 Students
1 2 Students
2 12 Students
3 6 Students
Middle of Year
(Informational
Reading)
0 0 Students
1 3 Students
2 4 Students
3 16 Students
End of Year
(Narrative/Fiction
Reading)
0 0 Students
1 1 Student
2 4 Students
3 1 Student
(Some Date
Missing)

Fountas and
Pinnell Words
Per Minute

Beginning of Year
Range from 29147
Middle of Year
Range from 37164
End of Year
Range from 46-90
(Some Data
Missing)

Fluency is scored from 0-4. A score of 0

would indicate that a student reads word by
word with inappropriate phrasing. They
have no smoothness or expression and pay
no attention to punctuation. A score of 1
indicates that students read in mostly two
word phrases with very little smoothness
and expression. They pay little attention to
punctuation and read at a slow rate. Scoring
a 2 would mean students read in three to
four word phrases with increasing smooth
reading. Reading is guided by meaning and
punctuation and is at a faster rate. Finally
scoring a 3 would mean that students read
in larger chunks. The reading is smooth and
expressive with pauses at appropriate
times. The reading is guided by punctuation
and at an appropriate rate of speed.

A students word per minute score is related

to their instructional level. There are four
levels a student could be working at for
words per minute. Level 1 would mean the
student needs more support. They may
need to be reading easier texts or might
need help with fluency. A level 2 indicates
that students are close to meeting
standards but they still may benefit form
more fluency instruction. A level 3 meets
standards and a level 4 exceeds the
standards. The level that a student is at
depends on their instructional reading level
and their score for words per minute. For
example a student reading at level N would
be at level 1 if they scored 64 WPM or less,
level 2 if they scored 65-79 WPM, level 3 if

they scored 80-110 WPM, and level 4 if they

scored 111 WPM or more. This means that
at the end of the year many of the students
in this class were meeting standards for
their reading level but there were also
students who still needed support.
Writing Development
Writing
Assessment

Beginning of
Year
(Narrative
Writing)
2 10 Students
2.5 9 Students
3 3 Students
Middle of Year
(Informational
Writing)
1 1 Student
1.5 2 Students
2 7 Students
2.5 4 Students
3 8 Students
3.5 2 Students
End of Year
(Opinion
Writing)
1.5 2 Students
2 4 Students
2.5 6 Students
3 5 Students
3.5 3 Students

At the end of third grade going into the

beginning of fourth grade students should
be at the Transitional, Self-Extending, or
possibly even the Advanced level of writing
development according to Fountas and
Pinnell. At the transitional stage of
development students spell many words
conventionally and make close to accurate
attempts at more complex spellings. They
will be able to work on writings for several
days and produce writing that has
beginnings, endings, and dialogue. Ideas
will be somewhat developed and students
will use a flexible range of strategies to
spell words. Students will write in different
genres and use basic punctuation and
capitalization skills.
Self-Extending writers spell most words
accurately with little conscious attention
and can proofread and correct their own
work. They understand many ways to
organize writing including informational
writing and can also develop and extend
topics over many pages. Self-Extending
writers add voice to their writing and can
use what they know from reading to add to
what they write. They can write for many
purposes and have a growing sense of
audience as well as being able to critique
their own work and the work of others.
Advanced writers have a deeper
understanding of conventional spelling and
produce carefully edited work. They write
words quickly and accurately and can use

Fountas and
Pinnell Writing
(Checks for
Comprehension)

Beginning of
Year
(Narrative/Fictio
n Text)
1 4 Students
2 16 Students
3 2 Students
Middle of Year
(Informational
Text)
1 2 Students
2 11 Students
3 9 Students
End of Year
(No Data)

resources to assist in organization or word

choice. The writers can demonstrate a
broad range of vocabulary in speaking and
writing and notice many aspects of the
writers craft which they can apply to their
own writing. They also write for many
different functions in various persons and
tenses and can recognize and write for
specific audiences. Last these writers can
write about a wide range of topics such as
present time, past time, personal
experience, etc. (Building an Effective
Writing Process over Time handout, ED345,
February 2015).
This writing assessment is related to
comprehension. The scores are obtained by
having students write about a particular
text after they have read it. Scoring a 1
would mean students have a very limited
understanding of the text. A 2 would mean
they have partial understanding and a 3
would mean they show excellent
understanding of the text.
I believe this data is important to be
shared along with other Fountas and Pinnell
assessment data because this assessment
is another measure of comprehension.
Having several different assessments to test
things like this can give teachers a clearer
view of what students need more
instruction on.

Word Study Development

Words Their Way
Levels

Beginning of
Year
LNA 4
Students
WWP 14
Students
SA 4 Students
End of Year

At the end of the third grade year there

were students in this class in 3 of the
different stages of word study development.
From the given data it is unclear what parts
of the stages (early, middle or late)
students were in. This is due to the fact that
the data collected at the end was based on
the Words Their Way sort number that each
student was working on in their stage. The

LNA 2
Students
WWP 7
Students
SA 15
Students

stages are Letter Name-Alphabetic (LNA),

Within Word Pattern (WWP), and Syllables
and Affixes (SA). In the Letter NameAlphabetic stage students can represent
phonemes in words and letters. They learn
to use consonant blends and digraphs, the
alphabetic principle, and consonant and
vowel sounds. Next in the Within-Word
pattern stage students learn long vowel
sounds, r-controlled vowels, more complex
consonant patterns, and vowel diphthongs.
They often confuse letter patterns at this
stage. In the Syllables and Affixes Spelling
students spell longer words and break
words into syllables. They add inflectional
endings and use homophones.

From looking across this data as a whole I have identified some relative areas
of strength and need for this group of learners. One strength would be that
consistently throughout the year, more than half of these students were at a very
high instructional level in reading. For example at the beginning of the year 13
students were at level 4 (N or above) instructional levels. In the middle and end of
the year there were 17 students at this level. There were consistently far more
students at this level than any of the others. According to the Teachers College
Reading and Writing Project Benchmark Reading Levels students should be at a
level 2 or 3 (text levels O, P) at the end of third grade. Reaching level 4 means
students are exceeding the expected grade level benchmarks for that point in the
year (Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Benchmark Reading Levels
handout, ED345, February 2015). Another strength of this group of learners is their
accuracy when reading. In both the beginning and middle of the year there were a
high number of students scoring 99-100% on the Fountas and Pinnell accuracy
assessment. These scores indicate that many of the students had only 0-3 errors in
their oral reading when they were assessed. At the beginning of the year there were
12 students at 99 or 100% and in the middle of the year there were 13. A third area
of strength for these learners was the Fountas and Pinnell writing assessment. This
assessment involved students writing in response to their understanding of reading
that they did. A score of one indicates very limited understanding, 2 indicates

partial understanding, and 3 indicates excellent understanding. In the beginning of

the year most students were in the middle of the range for this assessment scoring
a 2, however by the end of the year there were 22 students who scored a 2 and 9
who scored a 3.
There were also several areas of need that I noticed when analyzing this data.
The first and biggest area of need is comprehension. In both the beginning and
middle of their third grade year the majority of students scored a 5 or 6 for
comprehension. This means that most of them had partial or limited understanding
on all parts of the reading. They may have been able to mention of few facts and
may or may not have been able to discuss important information and ideas. Also
they were likely not able to mention key understandings. In the beginning of the
year there were 18 students at this level and in the middle there were 17. Another
area of need that I noticed was word per minute while reading. While there were a
few students who had very high numbers for words per minute (147, 164, etc.)
there were many students who scored very low or somewhere in the middle such as
29, 37, 39, 55, etc. A third area of need that I noticed from looking over this data
was word study knowledge. While there was good evidence of good improvement in
this area from beginning to the end of the year, many students seemed to be pretty
low in the Syllables and Affixes stage at the end of the year. I can tell this by looking
at the number of sort that they were on. Most in this stage were around sort 12-14
at the end of the year meaning that while they had improved significantly since the
beginning of the year when most of them were still in the Within Word Pattern
stage, they are still very early in this next stage and would benefit from more
explicit instruction.
As a teacher I believe that there is some connection between the scores in
the different assessments. Like previously stated, the comprehension scores were
generally low for this group of students. I believe that this could be caused by the
way the students performed in other categories of the benchmark assessment such
as accuracy and fluency. Accuracy seemed to be a strength of this group of
students. It is possible that this is caused by the fact that this is what students were
focusing primarily on while reading. If students focused more on reading each word
correctly and paid less attention to the meaning of what they were reading this
could have affected their comprehension. Fluency could have also played a role. I

noticed that many students had lower fluency scores, especially in the beginning of
the year. Because a lower fluency score would mean a students reading is slower
and choppier, this could also affect comprehension. When reading very slowly, one
or two words at a time, it is very hard to understand what the reading is actually
about. This could also go the other way in regard to the students words per minute
score. I noticed that many students have pretty high scores in this and reading too
fast could also change how much meaning students can get from a text. The levels
of language development that these students were at could also play a role. There
were a few students still in the Letter Name-Alphabetic stage and some students
also in the Within Word Pattern stage which could mean they are still developing
their word solving strategies. A student who struggles to solve words may miss
important information in the text and this would make a difference in regards to
their comprehension. The last thing that I noticed that may be related to the
comprehension score is the fact that students were reading different types of texts
at different assessment points. It seems that students were stronger (and got higher
scores) when reading informational texts than when they read narrative text. This
could also make a difference in what they comprehend.
Studying and analyzing this data has given me a clear view of what the
strengths and needs of this group of learners are. It has shown me that there are
some areas where the students are all very strong, as well as some areas where
they all need more instruction. To effectively teach these students in the areas
where they need further instruction there will be some information that I will still
need to know about them. One thing I would like to know is their learning style. I
would like to find out from their previous teachers what instructional styles worked
for these students and what didnt. I would also like to know on an individual basis
which students learned best in which ways. For example if there are a lot of visual
learners in the class I will want to make sure I have many visual aids in the
classroom to help these students. I will do this because as a teacher I know that all
students are different and learn in different ways. If I choose to teach in only one
way or with one style and it doesnt work for some students they could miss out on
important learning. I need to know how the students learn best in order to give
them the most effective instruction that I can. Another thing I still need to know
about these students is what their background is in regards to learning. What do

they already know? What specific learning that they have already done that will
help them with the new literacy learning that we will be doing in fourth grade? Since
I know that students learn very well when they can connect old knowledge with new
learning I would like to know what they already know so that I can help them make
these connections. Along with this I would like to know what each students Zone of
Proximal Development is. This is the zone between what students have already
learned, and what their potential for learning is. In order to provide effective
instruction it is important to know this because I do not want to be teaching things
that students have already mastered or things that are not within reach of the
students yet. I need to find the area right in the middle if I want my students to do
their best possible learning. A third thing I would like to know about these students
is exactly where they are in their literacy learning at the beginning of fourth grade. I
have seen their assessment data from third grade however in many of the
assessments there was no data for the end of the year. I need to see what students
learned between the middle of the year assessment and now in order to effectively
teach them what they need. Also, students may or may not have been working on
reading and writing over the summer. There is a possibility that students improved
on or possibly lost some of the learning from third grade over the summer and as a
teacher I need to know this. Along with this I would like to know what each students
Zone of Proximal Development is. This is the zone between what students have
already learned, and what their potential for learning is. In order to provide effective
instruction it is important to know this because as a teacher I want to make sure I
am teaching students exactly what they need. Not something that is too easy or too
hard. The last things I would like to know about these students are their attitudes
and interests about reading and writing. I know that students learn much better
when they are interested and engaged in what they are learning. Therefore if I knew
what students liked to read or write about, I as a teacher could find materials and
lessons that cater to these interests. Doing this will help me engage my students
and promote deeper learning.

My Beliefs about Literacy Learning

I believe that students learn literacy best when

A combination of demonstration and practice and practice is used

They are given many opportunities to use language
They learn through meaningful and authentic experiences
They can use what they learn outside of the classroom
They are required to think deeply about their strategies as well as their
own thinking in order to create meaning

I believe that students need to see what they are expected to do before they do
it in order to learn it. To do this the teacher needs to model and demonstrate skills
and strategies daily for everything that is done in the classroom. They must model
these strategies more than once and in different ways to cater to the diverse
learning needs of all students. After modeling and demonstration students need to
be given many opportunities to practice what is being taught. This could come in
the form of discussing concepts with partners or small groups, working individually,
or working with a teacher. While the students are working and practicing I believe
that the teacher needs be their support. She should be talking to them, scaffolding
their learning, and assessing them. While engaging in this practice, students also
need to be given many chances to use language. This will help them organize their
thinking and gain deeper understanding of the concepts, skills and strategies that
they are engaging with. Again this can come in the form of working with partner,
small groups, or teachers. Students also need to have meaningful and authentic
experiences to learn. This means for example that when learning to make a
connection, students will be required to read a text and connect to it in several ways
rather than just completing a worksheet on what a connection is. In other words,
students need to do in order to learn. This ties into the fact that students also learn
better when they can use what they learn outside of the classroom. When students
learn how to use new language for example, they will be able to use it in their lives
all the time to do things such as advocate for social change. Last, for students to
learn, they need to have strategies to find meaning in what they read. This means
that they need to be able to think about the strategies and how they use them to be
able to find meaning in what they read and what they do in the classroom.
There are a few theories that support my beliefs about literacy learning. The
first is Vygotskys theory of Sociolinguistics. Within this theory are the concepts of

the Zone of Proximal Development, Scaffolding and the Gradual Release of

Responsibility. This theory says that students need a high level of support or
scaffolding from a more expert other, either a teacher or a higher level student, to
learn. This allows students the opportunity to learn more complex ideas and
strategies. The students need to be given this support through hearing and using
language. Vygotsky theorized that the use of language helps students organize
their thoughts and learning so students should constantly be involved in listening to
and using language. Teachers should give students opportunities to talk about their
learning in situations such as partner or small group work. Vygotsky also believed
that all students need to be supported and scaffolded differently. The teacher knows
how to scaffold each student according to their Zone of Proximal Development.
According to Vygotsky this is the area between a students actual development and
their potential development. In order to learn best students need to work in this
range, which is different for every student. Teachers need to determine each
student Zone of Proximal Development through constant observation and
assessment. Students in turn need to speak about learning often as well. According
to Vygotsky students learn best when they can talk about their learning. This can be
done through talking to peers, teachers or family members and is important
because it helps students organize their thoughts while they learn (Tompkins, 8).
When a teacher talks to students to scaffold this is an example of demonstration.
The teacher tells the students what they should be looking to do by doing her
thinking out loud in front of students. As the student gets better at the strategy
being learned they are scaffolded less and less until they are thinking and working
independently. Students must begin with little individual responsibility and gradually
move more and more toward doing things completely by themselves. This is the
gradual release of responsibility. According to Vygotsky the steps in this process are
I doYou watch, I doYou Help, I helpYou do, I watchYou do. As the student gets
stronger at the skill the teacher does less and the student does more. Therefore the
amount of support that is being given to the student decreases as they take on
more responsibility. By the end of this process the student is doing the thinking on
their own (Key Aspects of Sociolinguistic Theory handout, ED325).
Another part of the Sociolinguistic theory of literacy learning is the Situated
Learning Theory. This theory emphasizes idea of actually doing things to learn

instead of separating learning from participating and doing. This means that
students are actively participating in the classroom in order to learn. They are not
sitting at desks completing worksheets or reading textbooks. Rather they are having
discussions, engaging with teacher and peers, exploring with appropriate materials
or reading appropriately leveled texts. In other words students are learning through
authentic and meaningful experiences as they participating in a community of
learners where a teacher acts as a more expert other. As they do this students
move through a process of being a beginner all the way to becoming an expert as
they gain new knowledge and skills (Tompkins, 8-9). This fits with my beliefs about
literacy learning because I believe that students learn best when they have
meaningful learning experiences. I think that actually doing things and participating
actively in learning is much more effective than other methods like having students
sit at desks and work. Being able to get up and talk to others or do hands on work is
much more likely to give students something that they will remember.
The Sociolinguistic Theory also discussed the idea of Critical Literacy. According
to Tompkins this theory says that Language is a means of social action and
students can use language to act as agents of social change (9). This means that
teachers need to help students understand what they can do with language.
Students need to know that language will need to be used in the real world as a way
to interact with others and respond to social issues that they will encounter. In order
for students to learn this, teachers must have students read books dealing with
social issues, and respond to them (Tompkins, 9) By doing this students are
participating in learning that will not only benefit them in the classroom, but in their
lives as well. This fits with my beliefs about how students learn literacy best
because I think students learn better when they can use what they learn outside of
the classroom. If students learn how to use language to work for social justice this
will give them just that opportunity. They will have the chance to work on and
practice what they learn in real life situations. This will really help students learn
more deeply.
Another theory that supports my beliefs about literacy learning is the
Information Processing Theory. This theory compares the human mind to a
computer where information moves through a series of processing units (sensory
register, short term memory, long term memory) as a student learns develops a

strategy further. Within this theory a strategy called interactive models is described.
This says that reading and writing should be interactive processes in which students
focus on comprehension and construct meaning using reader based and text based
information. This means that students are learning through doing. They are
interacting with their strategies and with their own thinking in order to find meaning
in what they read. During this a teacher acts as a monitor for students to check for
understanding and aid students when needed. This fits with what I believe about
literacy learning because as students interact with their reading and writing and
focus on comprehension and meaning, they are practicing the strategies that they
have learned. Also as the teacher monitors this practice she can further model and
demonstrate when needed. Within Information Processing, the Transactional Theory
is also important. The Transactional Theory describes how students create meaning
as they read, saying that the goal of all reading is creating meaning and this
meaning is based on a readers response to a text (Fountas and Pinnell). It says that
comprehension is a two way transaction between the student and the text where
students negotiate meaning when reading based on what they already know instead
of just trying to guess what the author is saying. To do this students will need to
display strategic and goal oriented behaviors when directing their thinking when
they are learning. This means that students will need to understand and use the
strategies that they have been taught in order to work toward a goal that they have.
In order to do this they will have to use cognitive and metacognitive strategies.
Cognitive meaning that the strategies require students to think about the strategies
and how to use them, and metacognitive meaning that students will have to think
about their own thinking and the way that they think about things. In order for
students to do this everything goes back to the teacher since she needs to make
sure students have the tools so that this is possible for them (Tompkins 9-12).

Instructional Plan
In the following section I will be discussing how I plan to use instruction to
respond to what I have found out about these students. I will include the concepts
and strategies that I plan to teach and the reasons that these strategies are
necessary for students to learn. I will also discuss the materials I plan on using to do

this teaching and how I will set up and manage my classroom. Student motivation is
also important so I will talk about how in plan to motivate my students to learn. Last
I will discuss how I plan to differentiate my instruction based on the needs of my
students.

Concepts and Strategies

Concept
Comprehension Comprehension is a
complex process involving many
strategies that involves students
reading for meaning. Readers must draw
on many strategies and sources of
information to understand, interpret, and
find meaning in the text (Fountas and
Pinnell). Since I noticed that students in
this class struggle with comprehension
for a variety of reasons I will teach many
different strategies that will aid in their
ability to comprehend.

Strategies
Using Background Knowledge Students
think about what they already know and
use this knowledge to help them better
understand and comprehend what they
are reading.
Knowledge of Structure Students take
what they know about different types of
text and their structures to better
understand what is happening in the text
they read.
Making Connections Students take
what they already know or have already
experienced and use it to relate to what
they are reading. There are three types
of connections. Text to Self (Students
connect to their own lives), Text to Text
(Students connect the text they are
reading to another text), and Text to
World (Students connect what they are
reading to their knowledge of the world
both in and out of school.
Making Inferences Students make
inferences by joining their background
knowledge with clues or events in the
story to find meaning in what they are
reading.
Monitoring Students monitor their own
reading to ensure that they understand
what they are reading. Students can do
this by asking themselves questions as
they read and knowing what to do when
they do not understand the reading.
Predicting Students make guesses

about what is going to happen next

based on what they already know and
clues given in the story.
Questioning Students engage with the
text they are reading by asking and
answering questions as they read. Most
questions include who, what, where,
when, why, and how. Questions often
lead students to make a prediction or
and inference about the story. If students
can think of their own questions their
comprehension will be much stronger.
Repairing Students knowledge of what
to do when they do not comprehend
what they read. Students must figure
out what the problem is and know what
to do to fix it and gain understanding
that may have been missed.
Setting a Purpose for Reading Students
decide before reading what the reason is
that they are reading. These could
include entertainment, for information,
etc. Students then take the appropriate
stance while reading and formulate goals
for themselves while they read based on
this purpose. After reading students can
decide whether their goals were
reached.
Summarizing Students can pick up on
and restate the main ideas and events in
the story after they read. This can also
be referred to as retelling which is done
when students restate what happened in
the beginning, middle and end of a story.
Evaluating After reading students
evaluate what was learned from reading
and can then apply it to future reading
and learning. This is done by considering
what they author was trying to say, the
language used and the opinions formed
while reading.
Analyzing students closely examine the
text and gain greater understanding.
This is done by students separating and

breaking up texts into parts to look more

closely at specifics parts and details.
Identifying Meaning of Unknown Words
Students have ways of determining
meanings of words. These could include
using context clues, looking at the parts
of the words, or consulting a dictionary.
Context Clues Students can look
at other words and sentences that
surround an unknown word to try
to gain meaning from it. Students
make inferences based on the
clues they gain from other words.
Analyzing Word Parts students
use understanding of root words
as well as prefixes and affixes to
infer the meanings of words.
(Tompkins)(Fountas and Pinnell)

Fluency The ability to read quickly,

with accuracy and expression both out
loud and quietly. The recognition of
words automatically and the ability to
decode new words quickly (Tompkins). In
order
to
continue
working
on
comprehension as well as to be able to
move to higher level texts, students
need to be able to read fluently. As
students move to higher level texts this
may be a challenge so fluency strategies
will be a major focus of my instruction.

Ability to Identify Words Students can

quickly identify words while reading in
order to keep their reading smooth and
fluent.
Decoding Students use
phonograms to figure out how a
word is pronounced.
Syllabic Analysis Students break
up larger words into their syllables
and use their knowledge of
phonics to figure out the word.
Morphemic Analysis Students
use what they know about root
words and affixes to understand a
word.
Ability to Read at an Adequate Speed
Students ability to read smoothly and
quickly without choppiness or long
pauses between words. Students use
background knowledge and knowledge
of text structure to do this.
Ability to Read with Expression
Students use their voices to add
meaning to words as they read.

Writing Process - To write effectively

students must engage in active
exploration. This is very important in
developing purpose, focusing topics, and
connecting to previous experience. The
writing process does not always go in
order, and the steps can often happen at
the same time, or in many different
orders.

Expression Students show

enthusiasm with their voice as
they read. They vary their
expression depending on
interpretation of text.
Phrasing Students put words into
short phrases as they read.
Students understand how and
when to apply more intonation to
words.
Volume Students know when it is
appropriate to read louder or
softer.
Smoothness Students read with
a rhythm and are able to make
corrections to any mistakes
without disrupting this rhythm.
(Tompkins)

Exploration/Planning - Students notice

events, people, places, etc. in the world
around them to get inspiration for their
writing. They can look back at
experiences to gain insights and record
what they find through sketching or note
taking. Students can also engage in
research, reflect to shape thinking, and
discover interests, focus, and purpose
through this exploration.
Drafting - Students create a plan for
their writing and begin working on
drafts. As they work on each draft the
revise, change, and expand their work.
During this time students can focus on
developing voice, ideas, and
organization. They can also look at word
choice and beginnings, details, language
flow, and endings.
Editing - Students proofread and edit for
conventions, they are then ready to
complete a final draft.
Publishing Conduct final editing, and
produce a final piece with a final layout.

Purpose for Writing

Writers Craft- A set of specific

techniques that writers use to capture
audience attention and to make writing
clear and meaningful (Tompkins). In
order for students to continue
developing their writing and to help their
scores on writing assessments I will need
to help them develop some specific
writing strategies.

Word Solving In order to become

Knowledge of Writing Types Students

need to know, recognize, and be able to
use many different kinds of writing such
as narrative, persuasive, research based,
literature response, opinion, compare
and contrast, analysis and more.
Knowledge of Audience Students have
an understanding of who they are writing
for and are able to write in different
styles depending on their audience
Ideas Deciding on the message and its
meaning. Takes place in the prewriting
stage of the writing process.
Organization The structure of the
writing. There must be a clear beginning,
logically presented ideas and an ending.
In more advanced writing there will also
be transitions between the ideas.
Voice Voice is the style which the writer
uses. It shows the writers passion and
knowledge for their piece has a tone
about it. This makes the topic and
writing more meaningful.
Word Choice Students must choose
words that are expressive, precise and
varied. Word choice helps students
paint a picture with words to make
their writing more interesting to their
audience.
Sentence Fluency The rhythm and flow
of the writing. Students should vary the
length and structure of their sentences.
Conventions Conventions include
spelling, capitalization, punctuation and
grammar. Many of these are added in
the editing stage of the writing process.
Presentation This is where students
create the final version of their writing.
They can use titles, headings, and
spacing to make this copy look precise
and clean. Students also add illustrations
to connect the words and ideas.
(Tompkins)
Phonetic Strategies (sound) - Reading or

stronger readers and writers students

need to also become strong word
solvers. This means that students will
need to have strategies for analyzing a
word that they dont know. This helps
students read fluently and analyze all
the words that they come across

Genres of Literature It is important for

students to have the ability to read and
comprehend texts from a variety of
different genres. These texts can be
used in a variety of ways to teach many
different things based on their features
and the information they provide.

Vocabulary - Students knowledge and

understanding of a variety of words, and
ability to use these words in writing, and
to assist in comprehension of texts

Instructional Strategies

writing words by thinking about the

sounds in them
Visual Strategies - Reading or writing
words by thinking about how they look
Morphemic Strategies (meaning) Reading or writing words by thinking
about what they mean and what is
known about those meanings
Linking Strategies (connections) - Using
what you already know to figure out a
new word
Research Strategies (inquiry) - Using
other materials such as dictionaries or
computers to figure out the meanings of
words.
(Fountas and Pinnell)
Informational Text Texts that explain
information, ideas, and facts about the
physical, biological, and social world
Historical Fiction Texts that are
comprised of narratives taking place in
the past, characterized by imaginative
reconstruction of events
Realistic Fiction Imaginative stories
focusing on real life problems that
readers might encounter
Biographies texts including factual
information about a person who has
accomplished something or has
importance in the time they lived
Fantasy/Science Fiction - Imaginative
stories based in reality, but contain
unrealistic or unworldly elements, texts
include innovative worlds for characters

To teach the concepts and strategies mentioned in the previous section I will use
the three block literacy framework. This means that every day in my classroom I will
have a block of time for reading, a block for writing, and a block for word study.
Within each block I will use a variety of different types of lessons to teach and
instruct my students. These lesson types can include
Reading Block

Interactive Read Aloud

Guided Reading
Literature Study
Flexible, Needs Based Groups
Independent Reading

Writing Block Interactive Writing

Shared Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Writing
Word Study Block

Word Sorts
Interactive Vocabulary
Interactive Edit

The first kind of lesson that I will be using for literacy instruction is the
Interactive Read Aloud. This type of lesson offers the most teacher support for
students. In these interactive lessons the teacher does a lot of modeling by
thinking aloud. After explaining the strategy being taught she will use modeling to
show students what she expects of them and how to do what she is asking them to
do. For a read aloud the teacher will then introduce the book and give a brief
description of it. At this point she will also introduce the strategy being worked on.
She will then read a few pages at a time with stops and breaks at specified points
for her to model, question, focus on vocabulary, or ask the students questions. The
students are often given time to discuss questions with partners as well. In some
interactive read alouds it is also good sometimes for the teacher to stop while

reading to comment of her own thinking or connections, inferences, ideas,

questions, or analysis, which is also a way of modeling. Teachers can also retell the
story when done, or give the students an opportunity to retell. After the lesson the
teacher should make the book available for students to look at on their own. The
students also play an important role in this lesson. During the lesson students do
many things. They make comments and connections during reading and answer
questions from the teacher with partners and to the group. They can also make
connections to their own lives through reflecting on the books and ask questions,
make predictions, draw inferences, make judgments, and offer personal responses
(Fountas and Pinnell)
The choice of materials is very important in this and any other type of lesson. For
an interactive read aloud the best genres of books are usually fiction or non-fiction
books. It should be a book with strong character traits and development, text that
is slightly beyond students reading level and has good places for making
connection, predictions, and inferences. It should also have good, detailed pictures.
When selecting books teachers should pay attention to selecting books that extend
knowledge of literature and language, choose books that encourage students to
make inferences about characters and plot, and choose books that match students
interest when possible. Other materials that may be necessary during an interactive
read aloud may include an anchor chart, colored markers, an assessment tool, and
sticky notes to mark places in the book and for students to answer questions on
(Tompkins).
The environment for these interactive lessons should be comfortable enough to
let children focus on lesson and not be too crowded. There should be very few
distractions and sessions should not be too long. There should also be scaffolds in
the room to immerse students in what they are learning. This could come in the
form of posters, anchor charts, or examples.
The purpose of interactive read alouds is to give the teacher a very effective
chance to model the strategies she wants the students to know. These lessons offer
many opportunities for teachers to demonstrate and model. They also give students
the chance to begin participating in using a strategy under the guidance of the
teacher. Since the students are working mostly as large groups in this lesson but

have a few chances to participate, the teacher has lots of opportunity to watch
students and correct them as soon as she needs to. She is teaching the students by
doing the work, but having them help.
Interactive read alouds fit into what I believe about how students learn literacy
best because they involve a large amount of modeling and participation, as well as
some practice. The teacher often spends a great deal of time modeling in these
lessons to show the students what she expects them to be able to do, and how to
do it. During the lessons the students are given many opportunities to participate
through answering questions and saying what they think. Also in these interactive
lessons students are given many chances to use language as they discuss with
partners and the group. I believe these types of interactive lessons would be
beneficial to this group of students because there are some areas where students
need a good amount of support. For example comprehension and the strategies
related to it. In an interactive read aloud I would be able to give students very
explicit support as I model and discuss with them in order to teach them stronger
comprehension strategies.
These interactive lessons also connect to theory. Interactive read alouds
connect with Vygotsky and the theory of Sociolinguistics. The teacher is acting as a
more expert other when she models and demonstrates. She is also scaffolding the
students learning at different levels. For an interactive read aloud the scaffolding
level would be I do, you watch and sometimes a little bit of I do, you help. The
students will also be using language as they discuss with the teacher and each
other throughout the lessons. This will help students organize their thinking about
what they are learning and learn the strategies much more deeply. Also, students
are working as a community of learners and are all getting meaningful experience
as they observe the teacher models and as they work together during the lessons
(Tompkins).
The next type of lesson I will use to teach literacy in my classroom is Guided
Reading and Guided Writing. In these lessons the students usually work in small
groups with the teacher while the other students in the class are working
independently. These groups should be very flexible and based on the needs of
students. These lessons are very effective for addressing the needs of all learners

because the teacher can create groups based on the needs of students and can
work on what each small group needs specifically. In a guided reading lesson
students of similar levels of development, or who share a common learning need,
work together with a teacher in a short, guided lesson. These groups of students
must be temporary and change often and groups should be kept to about 5-6
students whenever possible. When grouped by learning needs, students need
teaching that is effective, efficient, and socially supporting in order to accelerate
their learning. Effectiveness of the teaching means that it is focused on exactly
what students need to learn. In an effective guided reading lesson materials must
be selected that provide the just right amount of challenge for students. The texts
used should be leveled and chosen by the teacher for students specific needs and
need to be well written and engaging. To begin guided reading in the classroom the
teacher must first decide how to split students into groups based on reading levels,
needs for working on strategies, or needs such as comprehension or fluency. These
groups must be small enough to address the needs of all students during the lesson
and may change as students progress or need more guidance on certain strategies
and skills.
There are several ways guided reading that could take place in the classroom.
They could be these small group lessons with 5-6 students or they could be in the
form of group lessons based on student needs. Flexible, needs based groups will
help me meet the specific needs, such as comprehension or fluency, better for of
each student. These groupings will each have 2-6 students, will change frequently
and will include students who need further development of whichever strategy or
skill is being worked on. These groups cater to specific student needs so one
student may be in a group lesson on comprehension strategies one day and then in
a group with completely different students on fluency the next day. I will use these
lessons because there are certain skills, such as comprehension, that many of these
students need further development in. The lessons will start with setting the
purpose for the lesson and introducing the text. This is very important to do
because students need to know what they will be learning and why. The teacher
should help students extend thinking by discussing and asking questions about the
text as well as pointing out text features or language that may be challenging. The
lesson should consist of each student reading the text on their own while the

teacher listens. While listening she will assess student progress and development
and decide where students need more practice. She may also work individually with
certain students while they are reading to focus on each students individual needs.
At the end of the lesson teachers often add time for some brief word work. During
the lesson the students get the chance to apply reading strategies such as fluency
and self-monitoring with more independence. They should these practice expected
behaviors while they do the reading. When the teacher asks questions students can
use their knowledge of the strategies and text to discuss with the group and the
teacher (Fountas and Pinnell).
The materials needed these lessons are pretty simple. Teachers need to have
sets of leveled texts that are appropriate for all levels of student development to
read on their own. These texts can be fiction or nonfiction and there must be
enough copies of it for each student in the group. This text will be the appropriate
level for the students in that particular group. There also needs to be a table or
meeting spot big enough for the group to meet comfortably. Some other materials
that could be used are a board or anchor chart for the teacher to use for modeling
and something for the teacher to take notes on for assessment.
Guided Writing lessons work very similarly to guided reading. In a guided writing
lesson the students are the ones who are doing the writing. Guided writing is also
done in small groups so that teachers can work closely with students and give them
help with exactly what they need when they need it. These groups are again formed
by the levels of development that the students are at. During a guided writing
lesson teachers will first introduce the purpose for the lesson and the lesson target.
She will then have the students write independently. The teacher will observe and
assess students very closely while they write and help them as soon as they need it.
Throughout the lesson the teacher will model and discuss the strategy being
learned with the students. In a guided writing lesson the students will work closely
with the teacher. They will write using the strategies and skills that they are working
on in that lesson and ones that they already know. During the lesson students will
also watch and pay attentions to teachers models and answer questions and
participate in discussions within the small group. Along with guided writing lessons,
I will also have small group writing lessons in my classroom in the form of flexible

needs based groups. Just like in reading, these groups will have between 2-6
students and will focus on whatever that group needs. (Tompkins).
The materials needed for a guided writing would be paper for all students to
write on. Pencils for all students will also be needed. Other necessary materials
may include some sample writing that the teacher can show, some place for a
teacher to write for modeling that the students will be able to see, and somewhere
for the teacher to write notes for assessment.
The classroom environment during these lessons should be quiet other than the
group that is working in the guided lesson so students can focus. Lesson sessions
should be no more than 20 minutes so students can stay focused. Lessons should
be in a place with few distractions and the environment should be encouraging and
open to students sharing their ideas. Students would probably do better in the
lessons is they work with groups that they are already familiar with as well.
The purpose for doing guided reading and writing is for the students to start
doing much more on their own, but still have the teachers guidance in areas that
they display need. It is also so that the teacher can work with small groups of
students on specific things that the whole class may not need to work on. The
teacher will be better able to assess students strengths and weaknesses during
these lessons as well. In guided reading and writing lessons the teacher is mostly
just observing and guiding while the students do the actual work. This is very
appropriate for this group of students because in most of the areas that were
assessed, there are students at many different levels. There are a few students who
are consistently scoring low across all assessments and a few there are scoring
consistently high. There are also of course students who are somewhere in the
middle. As a teacher it is very hard to cater to all these needs in a large group
environment so having students split into small groups based on their needs can be
very beneficial. I believe that guided lessons such as these would be appropriate for
all diverse learners in some way. This is because each student, no matter their level
of development, has something that they need to work toward or develop more.
These lessons allow me to give all students at every level the guidance that they
need to meet their individual needs.

Guided reading and guided writing fit well into what I believe about how
students learn literacy best. While these lessons do not include as much modeling
as the previous lessons discussed, they involve a lot more participation and
practice. These lessons also give students the opportunity to communicate verbally
with teachers and peers. This helps students learn more effectively because the
more they talk and hear others talk, the more they will understand. Students are
supported by interactions both with teachers and peers and hearing others point of
view and understandings can help students build and refine their own learning. For
students who are at earlier stages of development this social interaction is very
valuable. These students, who may be left behind in other circumstances, get the
chance to read at just the right level for them and be further supported by
interactions with peers. Last, students are spending most of the lesson practicing
by reading or writing by themselves while the teacher guides them. This gives
students a good opportunity to have a meaningful learning experience. The
students are learning about a strategy and then directly applying it to what they are
doing. They are reading to learn about and practice reading strategies and writing
to learn about and practice writing strategies. Also, since students are now working
more independently and learning to use strategies with less support from the
teacher, these will be things they can use outside of the classroom (Fountas and
Pinnell).
Guided reading and writing connect to the theory that my beliefs are based on
as well. First, since students are working in small groups based on needs, Vygotskys
discussion of Zone of Proximal Development can be referenced. The students are all
better able to work within their zone of proximal development in a guided reading or
writing lesson because the lesson will be specifically designed for their needs. They
also still have a teacher acting as a more expert other and guiding the lesson. Again
this type of lesson also connects with the sociolinguistic theory because students
are getting an authentic and meaningful experience throughout the lesson. The
guided reading and writing lessons can also connect to the Information Processing
theory. Because students are working a bit more independently the process of
reading and writing that they are going through is much more interactive. They are
reading and writing while they interact with the strategies that are being learned
while the teacher acts as a monitor. Also the Transactional theory can apply here.

This theory says that students negotiate meaning when reading based on what they
already know instead of just trying to guess what the author is saying. In guided
reading students are reading using the learned strategies and are much better able
to find meaning because of this (Tompkins).
Another instructional technique I will be using for literacy instruction is
independent reading and writing. In independent reading and writing the students
work by themselves to read or write using a strategy that has been discussed in a
mini lesson that day. The teacher must create a classroom library with books at
varying levels and many different genres. She should make sure books include a
range of cultures and structures and change books in the library regularly. While
students are working independently they still need support from the teacher to
choose appropriate books from the library and to see appropriate reading behaviors.
During the independent reading time the teacher can also conference with students
and work with them on what they specifically need based on their level of
development. She can use this time to scaffold learning and assess student
progress. During this time students should sit quietly and read in their heads or in
quiet voices. They should focus on using good reading strategies while they read
and be able to confer with the teacher when it is their turn to do so. In addition,
students may also be engaging in guided lessons, literature study, or investigations
during this time (Fountas and Pinnell).
Independent writing is very similar and the process is the same. Teachers will
model good writing behaviors and the writing process during a mini lesson and then
have students write based on a prompt or just about anything they want. The
teachers will again conference with students and work with them on what they
specifically need based on their level of development and what their strengths and
weaknesses are (Tompkins).
For independent reading it is important to have a well-stocked classroom library.
The books in the classroom library should be in a place where students can easily
see and look through them and should be organized in some way. Students should
be given the chance to select their own books from the library for independent
reading so that they can have experience with many types of books, compare
books, know what books they prefer, get to know many authors, etc. The library

also needs to have books that are rich enough in content to support inquiry as
students read. These can be almost any type of books like picture books, reference
books, chapter books, or even magazines. Books in the library should be leveled
but students should not be expected to only read books at their level. Students
need to make their own judgments about what they can read and the report back to
the teacher with information on how easy/difficult that book was (Fountas and
Pinnell).
During independent work time there must be enough space that each student
has their own work area. There should be anchor charts and print all over the room
for students to look at. This will scaffold their learning further and make it possible
for them to self-monitor. The room should be mostly quiet but usually not silent.
During writing times it is sometimes helpful to play soft, calming music as students
work.
The purpose of independent reading and writing is so that students get the
chance to practice everything they have learned on their own. Once students have
seen demonstrations and models of strategies many times and have had multiple
chances to practice with more guidance they need to work on things on their own.
This will ensure that students gain more and more sophisticated understanding of
all the strategies they need to learn a new concept or skill and are able to apply
these strategies to more and more complex learning. Independent work time is also
great for teachers to conference with students one on one and give them exactly
what they need as well as assess their progress. I believe that this is very
appropriate for this group of fourth grade students because it gives them the
chance to work on what they are learning. Since students are at such varying levels
in their development it is important that they have the chance to work at their own
level with some support from the teacher.
Independent work connects with what I think about how students learn literacy
best because students are practicing the skills and strategies while they work.
During the time that students are working independently they are using what they
learned through modeling and participation during earlier lessons and applying it to
their practice using any genres of text. This is a very authentic experience and is
one of the best ways for students to have deep meaningful learning. Students also

have the chance to use language as they talk about what they are learning and
doing with teachers during conferences. Last, I believe that students learn best
when they are required to think deeply about their strategies as well as their own
thinking in order to create meaning and this also fits very well with independent
work. When students are working by themselves with some support from the
teacher they must constantly be thinking about the strategies that they are using. If
they dont do this the work will be ineffective and little meaning will be found.
However if students are able to think deeply about what they are doing and what
they are learning they will be able to create very clear meaning for themselves and
this is the goal of literacy learning.
These independent work times also connect to theory. There are a lot of
connections with Vygotskys theory of sociolinguistics. While students work
independently the teacher will conference with them and talk with them. This will
give the students a chance to talk about their thinking and their learning with the
teacher. According to Vygotsky this will help students organize their thinking. The
teacher is also acting as a more expert other during these conferences because she
is listening to and guiding the students. Independent work is at the I do, you watch
level of scaffolding on the Gradual Release of Responsibility scale. Also because
students are working on their own, it is easy for them to work within their zone of
proximal development and therefore do the best learning that they can. Also related
to the sociolinguistic theory, independent work also gives students a very deep and
meaningful learning experience because it allows them to think deeply about what
they are doing at the same time they are practicing it. Independent work times can
also connect to the Information Processing theory. Because students are working by
themselves at the process of reading and writing that they are going through, it is
much more interactive. They are reading and writing while they interact with the
strategies that are being learned while the teacher acts as a monitor every little
while just to check on student learning. Also the Transactional theory applies to
independent work. As students interact with their work they are using their
strategies to negotiate meaning based on the strategies and what they already
know about them (Tompkins).
Another instructional strategy that I will use in the classroom to meet the
diverse needs of my learners is literature study. Literature study is a discussion

between students about a work of fiction or nonfiction. The discussions that

students have during these times will come from their own personal responses to
the text and can focus on almost any aspect of the text. As readers participate in
literature study, they are able to develop new and deeper understandings of what
they read and how they read. They also learn to understand texts in a deeper way
than they could have working independently. Literature study involves reading and
thinking about literature, working with others to reflect, analyze, and criticize texts,
developing aesthetic responses to literature, and extending understanding through
talk and writing. Using literature study in the classroom has the potential to increase
enjoyment of reading, engage students in meaningful discussions, expand literacy
and background knowledge, and show new ways of interpreting and analyzing. To
begin literature study in the classroom students should first be allowed to choose
the book that they want to read. They usually choose from a predetermined set of
books and can be guided by teachers and their own knowledge of themselves as
readers during this process. Next students form small groups with others who have
chosen the same books. Groups can also be formed with students reading books
from the same author, or same topic. After this students and teachers decide on
times that the groups will meet and how much of the book should be read by that
time. To prepare for this meeting students should read, reread, and mark, write, or
draw in the book to prepare for discussion. Next the group meets to discuss the
book. During this time the teacher demonstrates and promotes effective discussion
techniques and gathers information on what students are learning about their texts.
Last students may share their understanding of their books with the class with a
response or group project (Fountas and Pinnell).
The materials needs for literature study are fairly simple. First, and most
importantly, teachers need to select a variety of high quality texts that will spark
energetic discussions. There needs to be several copies of each book so that all
students get a copy of what they are to be reading. Teachers also need to be sure
that the texts they select are developmentally appropriate. These texts can really
be any genre as long as they are engaging and interesting enough for the students
reading them. It may also be necessary/helpful to have a meeting area for groups,
discussion planning sheets, or post its for students to take notes on their reading.

Literature study will fit the needs to my learners for many reasons. First, it
expands comprehension strategies and helps student make connection and
inferences which are things that the student data indicates these students need to
work on. It also teaches students how to think more critically and make better
decisions about what information in the text is relevant. Next it teaches students to
appreciate the aesthetic qualities of books and develop an emotional or
compassionate response to human problems and issues shown in the literature.
Literature study also helps students learn to better communicate and listen to
others as they sustain a conversation and consider all groups members
perspectives. Last, writing skills can be expanded and students can make richer
connections between what they read and what they write. Students also learn
language skills that help them infer meaning, express inferences, provide evidence,
draw conclusions, synthesize information, ask questions, and form opinions.
Literature study fits my beliefs about how students learn best for several
reasons. First I believe that students learn better when they are given many
opportunities to use language. The biggest component of literature study is student
discussion of the texts they read. This gives the students many opportunities to use
language in many different ways. This use of language helps students organize their
thinking and gain deeper meaning from what they read and the discussions that
they have. Also, Literature study offers the opportunity to learn through many
meaningful and authentic experiences. Students are using what they read to have
discussions with peers. When students have these authentic experiences to read
and discuss books they learn to think in more sophisticated ways. When engaged in
literature study student have the opportunity to think much more deeply than they
would when doing independent work which makes the experience much more
meaningful. Last, literature study requires students to think deeply about their
strategies as well as their own thinking in order to create meaning. . Students are
learning to create meaning by using language and writing to communicate. When
they have the chance to create a response and share it publicly they refine and
elevate the meaning that they can create. Meaning is also created through inquiry.
When students are engaged in literature study they are inquiring into the meaning
of the literature. To do this students must make connections with others so as to
learn from them and deepen meaning.

Literature study also has connections to theory. First, it connects to

Sociolinguistics because of the amount of time students spend engaging in
meaningful conversation. Vygotsky says that the use of language helps students
organize their thoughts and learning will be much deeper and more meaningful if
students are given the chance to use language in the classroom. Students can also
accomplish more complex tasks when working with and discussing with more
expert others and in the literature study setting other students can easily act as
these more expert others by supporting group mates through the sharing of
thinking. In regards to the gradual release of responsibility, literature study is closer
to you do, I watch. Students are mostly reading independently and then
discussing in small groups during these times. Teachers should be present to act as
models and guides but most of the work is done by the students. Literature study
also connects with the Situated Learning Theory. This theory emphasizes the idea
of actually doing things to learn instead of separating learning from participating. In
literature study students are definitely learning by doing as they have deep and
meaningful discussions with peers. Also, as said before students learn best through
authentic and meaningful experiences when participating in a community of
learners and literature study also presents them with this opportunity. Last,
literature study connects with the transactional theory. The Transactional theory is
how students create meaning as they read. Students negotiate meaning when
reading based on what they already know instead of just trying to guess what the
author is saying. Because every student has different prior knowledge,
interpretations of a text will be different from student to student. In literature study
students are given the chance to share the meaning that they created with peers.
Since every student has different experiences, they will all create different
meanings. When these meanings are shared publically with the rest of the group, all
students can then add the meanings of others, to the meanings they created, and
therefore create a much deeper meaning, and have better understanding. Last,
literature study connects to the Critical Literacy theory which involves students
gaining an understanding of social justice through the exploration of text. Because
students are engaged in discussion with peers during literature study they are able
to explore social issues in their texts more deeply and gain several points of view.
This allows students to better understand these social issues and make connections
with them and the real world.

The next instructional strategy I will use with students is word sorts. This
strategy has more to do with language and word study. In word sorts the teacher
starts by providing words to students which will be sorted in some way. The teacher
will have students sort different words, in different ways based on their needs and
levels of development. Students will then cut apart the words so that every word is
separate. They then must sort the words into categories based on many different
factors such as letters, patterns, or sounds in the words. This helps students engage
in searching, comparing, contrasting, analyzing and organizing what they already
know so that they can make generalizations about new words that they encounter
and how they work. This gives students the chance to construct their own
knowledge, much more than with traditional strategies. When beginning to do sorts
in the classroom it is important to provide a good level of support for students at
the beginning and then use a gradual release of responsibility as students adjust to
using sorts. The level of support that students should be given depends on a few
factors such as how familiar students are with sorting, what new features are being
introduced, the amount of time available, and how well students work
independently. Once this is determined there are a number of different sorting
strategies that can be used (Bear).
Teacher Directed Closed Sort

Teacher Directed Guess my

Category

One set of words on overhead

or smart board; Students also
have a set of words at their
desks.
Teacher introduces and reads
words, explaining each
category
Students and teacher sort
words together with
explanations of why words go
where they do
Teacher models how to check
the column and reflect on the
sort
Students sort the same words
individually.
One set of words on overhead
or smart board; Students also
have a set of words at their

Student Centered Closed Sort

Student Centered Open Sort

desks
Read all words together,
discuss unfamiliar words
Teacher sorts several words
into categories without giving
reason
Students have to describe
features in each category
Students sort the same words
individually
Students get their own words
including headings
Read words and discuss
unfamiliar words. Students can
also work individually on this
and put words they dont know
aside
Students set up categories and
sort words independently
Group is called together or
students are checked on
individually to discuss features
and/or difficulties
Students get their own words
but do not get headings or key
words
Students read words and put
aside unknown words
individually
Students determine own
categories and sort words,
then explain why they sorted
how they did
Discuss what the key words
and headings could be so that
all students sort the same way.
(Bear)

After one of these types of sorts takes place in the classroom it is important
to use some type of follow up activity to extend and reinforce the learning that the
students do. There are a variety of different follow up activities that could take

place. First there is the repeated sort. This is simply just repeating the sort that was
already done to reinforce the knowledge and ideas. There are also buddy sorts
where students work in pairs to read, sort, and discuss the words in the sort. Next is
the blind sort where students do not see the words that are being sorted. Instead
the words are read to them aloud by a partner or teacher and the student must
indicate the heading it goes under. There are also writing sorts where students sort
words by writing them under the headings. To add to sorts students can participate
in word hunts where they search through books or writing to find additional
examples of whatever is in the sort. Related to this is brainstorming where students
think of other examples that they already know to add to a sort. Speed sorts are
where students lay out the headings and shuffle words and then sort the words as
fast as possible. When finished sorting students record their times. Last is the cut
and paste sort. In this sort students hunt through old magazines and find words or
pictures that begin with a certain sound, then stick them in the correct column
(Bear).
The materials that will be needed for a word sort are pretty simple. First each
student will need a list of words and a pair of scissors to cut the words apart. Each
list of words should contain the words that will be sorted as well as the headings
that words will go under (depending on the type of sort). There should also be
enough space for every student to spread out and sort their words comfortably.
After sorting sometimes students will glue words into a notebook or onto a sheet of
paper so glue sticks and paper are also necessary materials, or they will do a word
hunt in a book so some texts will need to be provided.
The environment during a word sort should be calm and controlled. Students
should each have their own space to work. The room does not have to be silent but
should be somewhat quiet with students speaking in soft voices so all can
concentrate. Depending on the type of follow up activities be used after the sort
students may be working with partners or moving around the room at some point to
look at the sorts that others have done.
The purpose of the word sort is to help students engage in searching,
comparing, contrasting, analyzing and organizing what they already know about
words so that they can make generalizations about new words that they encounter

Sorting helps the students these see generalizations and patterns about how words
work and this gives students the chance to construct their own knowledge. For the
students in this class word sorts will be very beneficial because these students are
at such varying levels in their word study development. There are several students
who are still in the early Letter Name-Alphabetic stage and many who, at the end of
the year were working in the Syllables and Affixes stage. There are big differences in
the levels of development of the students in this class so word sorts will help me
cater to all needs. Students can be working on sorts at all different levels at the
same time in the classroom and since word sorts allow me to have all students
doing the same thing but with words at their own level they will help me as the
teacher give each student what they need in regards to word study.
Word sorts connect to my beliefs about how students learn best because they
are completely hands on and give students a lot of opportunity to participate and
practice what they are learning. Since students are engaged in hands on work
throughout the entire sort they are getting much more practice time with the
concepts and strategies involved in word study than they would with other
instructional techniques. Also, because of the hands on nature of sorts, they are
providing a very meaningful learning experience for the students. Since students
actually get to participate to learn the experience is much more meaningful and will
give students a deeper learning experience. Last, when sorting students are
required to think very deeply about what they are doing and why certain words go
in certain places. The students must see the similarities and differences in the
words in order to do the sort which requires them to think a lot about the words.
Also during and after sorting students will need to make generalizations about
words and how they work which will require them to think deeply about why the
words were sorted the way they were and how this can apply to other words.
Word sorts also connect to the theory that I have studied. First, they can connect
to Vygotskys theory of Gradual Release of Responsibility. This is because,
depending on the type of sort, students will be more or less responsible for the
amount of work that they do. For example in a teacher directed close sort one set of
words is displayed on an overhead or smart board and students have another set of
words at their desks. The teacher explains the words and categories and the class
then sorts the words together with the teacher before students try the sort by

themselves. This offers students a much higher level of support than for example a
student centered open sort where students get the words and have to analyze
words, determine categories, and sort words all individually. Word sorts also connect
with the Zone of Proximal Development because students can work with words that
are at their particular instructional level at their own pace. Next, word sorts connect
with the Situated Learning Theory, which says that students learn best when given
meaningful and authentic experiences. Word sorts are a very authentic experience
for learners because students are able to practice what they are learning using
hands on lessons and deep learning experiences and apply it to real reading and
writing experiences that they may encounter in the future (Tompkins).
The next types of instruction I will use for word study in my classroom are
interactive vocabulary and interactive edit. In these lessons, similar to interactive
read alouds but without the text, a teacher is working with students as a large group
to study aspects of words and how they work. In an interactive vocabulary lesson
the teacher focuses on word meanings. Teachers can write words on the board and
guide students in discussions about their meanings and the parts of the words.
Teachers can also select words from a text that students may be reading or that is
being used in other places in the classroom and find words to discuss from there.
These lessons are a good way for students to quickly examine a couple words and
see word meanings in different ways. This will help them with word choice. An
interactive edit is a way for a teacher to explicitly explain and demonstrate the
editing process. Several sentences containing errors can be displayed where
students can see them. Then teachers can go through the sentences with students
while clearly explaining the errors and showing students how to edit them to make
them correct. Ideally the errors explained in the lesson should be errors that
teachers are commonly noticing in student work samples (Fountas and Pinnell). For
these types of lessons the only materials that will really be needed are a clear place
to display words or sentences, a large meeting area for students to sit, and possibly
markers or correction tape.
The purpose of these lessons is to explicitly explain to students the meanings of
words and how to correct errors in their writing. This helps students clearly see why
and how errors are made and how to fix them, as well as how to use better word
choice in their writing. For this group of students these would be effective lessons
because they would help improve student writing. The scores I noticed at the end of

the year for writing were varied and students were at very different levels of
development. Having more instruction on how to choose and use words and how to
edit pieces of writing could help these students no matter what level they are at. It
will decrease errors in writing and will help students write with more voice and
creativity in word choice.
These lessons fit with what I believe about literacy learning because they involve
a lot of modeling and participation, as well as some practice. The teacher spends a
good amount of time modeling in these lessons to show the students what she
expects them to be able to do, and how to do it. During the lessons the students
are given many opportunities to participate through answering questions and
sharing their thinking. Students may even have a chance to practice though coming
up to the board and helping with editing or other activities in the lesson. Also in
these interactive lessons students are given many chances to use language as they
discuss with partners and the group. I believe these types of interactive lessons
would be beneficial to this group of students because there are some areas where
students need a good amount of support. I would be able to give students very
explicit support as I model and discuss with them in order to teach them stronger
strategies to use in their own work.
These lessons also connect to theory such as Vygotskys theories and the theory
of sociolinguistics. The teacher is acting as a more expert other when she models
and demonstrates. She is also scaffolding the students learning at different levels.
The students will also be using language as they discuss with the teacher and each
other throughout the lessons. This will help students organize their thinking about
what they are learning and learn the strategies much more deeply. Also, students
are working as a community of learners and are all getting meaningful experience
as they observe the teacher models and as they work together during the lessons
(Tompkins).