The Components of Balanced Literacy - Blog #2

Miriam Lescaille

Second Blog Post-Article

The Components of Balanced Literacy

Blog #2

My article titled 

“The Components Of Balanced Literacy”

from Mermelstein, L. (2006) Reading/Writing Connections in the K-2 Classroom focuses on the components of a balanced literacy.

According to Mermelstein, L. (2006) 

the components of a well balanced literacy program are:

• ·      Shared Writing
• ·      Read-Aloud
• ·      Interactive Writing
• ·      Shared Reading
• ·      Writing Workshop (partnership and small group work)
• ·      Reading Workshop (partnership and small group work)
• ·      Word Study (which could include spelling, phonics, phonemic awareness)

All the above components should be linked across the reading and writing curriculum.

This article gives a couple of different definitions for what “balanced literacy actually means.  However, the one that the author of this article found to be the most accurate was by Spiegel.  Most recently, Spiegel has defined balance as a “decision making approach through which the teacher makes thoughtful choices each day about the best way to help each child become a better reader and writer.” (Spiegel, 1998).

Balanced Literacy.mov

As early literacy educators we need to assess our students by observing them during reading and writing and look for their strengths and weaknesses.  Then we need to make notes, collect work samples, and keep records in order for us to plan the best way to teach our students.  Separate each component and find its clarity, then, blur the lines and bring the components together so that you can make thoughtful decisions about what to teach in each component and, most important, how to connect them across reading and writing (Mermelstein, 2006).

Here is a brief description of each of the components of balanced literacy as per my understanding after reading this article:

• ·      Shared Writing: is when the teacher models writing as she is thinking, and the students are listening and watching her write.
• ·      Read-Aloud: is when the teacher reads to her students different types of books aloud.
• ·      Interactive Writing: is when the teacher creates a writing text with the help and cooperation of her students.
• ·      Shared Reading: is when the teacher reads aloud to her students and the students take part and participate in the reading as well.
• ·      Writing Workshops: is when the students work in small groups or independently and the teacher works with the students in their small groups or individually to improve their writing skills.
• ·      Reading Workshop: is when the students work in small groups or independently and the teacher works with the students in their small groups or individually to improve their reading skills.
• ·      Word Study: is when the teacher works with her students either in small groups/independently/or as a class on their spelling, phonics, etc.   

After reading this article, I have learned how important it is to incorporate the “components of balanced literacy” (Shared Writing, Read-A-loud, Interactive Writing, Shared Reading, Writing Workshop, Reading Workshop, Word Study) into my curriculum and how by doing this I will plan better lessons, be a better teacher, and help my students learn to become better and more skillful readers and writers.     

Balanced Literacy Audio Video.wmv

References

 Excerpt from Reading/Writing Connections in the K-2 Classroom: Find the Clarity and Then    Blur the Lines, by L. Mermelstein, 2006 edition, p. 56-68.

 Mermelstein, L. (2006). The Components of Balanced Literacy. 

Week 1 Introduction/Assignment

Week 1 Introduction/Assignment

Blog #1

Literacy Autobiography

            Ever since I can remember I have loved to read.  I grew up seeing my father and my mother always with a book, magazine or newspaper in their hands.  Especially my father, whether he was going to the doctor sitting in the waiting room, waiting for my mother at the mall or just relaxing around the house, he always had something to read.  He would get so involved in his reading especially history books which are his favorite that at times he didn’t even hear me when I was speaking to him. My mother would always say, “you know your dad, he’s reading, and when he’s reading he’s in another world and does not hear.”

            Reading always came easy to me, and it is part of my life. I feel that I have my parents to thank for this because reading was such an important part of their life that they made sure that they instilled that love for reading in me as well.  My mother read to me every day and every night before I went to sleep when I was a little girl.  She was the person that taught me to read, and opened my mind to the fun, world of reading and imagination.  I remember how excited my mom would get every night when I would pick a book for her to read, and she would climb into bed with me to read me the bedtime story of my choice.  I remember what a great reader she was and still is and how her voice, body language, and expressions would change as she read the books to me and made each character come to life.

             By the time I was three years old, I was reading by myself.  My mother and father were thrilled.  When my mother realized that I could read she was so excited she kept telling my father, “see, see, I taught her to read, and she learned because I read to her everyday.”  She was overjoyed, the first night after we realized I could read and she came to read me my bedtime story and, I read to her the story instead.  She had tears in her eyes, and that night she asked me to read the story to her over and over at least three times.  I will never forget that night nor the story, “The Ugly Duckling,” or “El Patito Feo” which is the name of the story in Spanish my first language and the language I first learned to read in.  After, I learned to read that story there was no stopping me, and my mother and I would take turns reading to each other at night before bed many times with my father also proudly listening.  Almost every weekend my father would buy me a book or two and my mother or father would first read it to me and then shortly after I would read it to them.

            When I was 9 years old, I came to the United States and I began to learn to read in English.  It was an adjustment, but at the same time it was not too difficult for me.  I had some issues with the pronunciation of some words but I learned to read quickly thanks to the effort of my teacher, Mrs. Higgins who saw that I had potential and worked very hard with me each day after school to teach me to read in English.  My parents were so overwhelmed with pride when they would here me read in English.  They would love to sit on the couch and ask me to read to them from my reading book, history book or library book.  Now the tables had turned instead of them reading to me I was reading to them in English and they loved it!  I think the fact that I was a good reader in Spanish and that I enjoyed reading made the learning to read in English a little easier, and more enjoyable for me.

            Now, I am 51 years old and I still love to read.  I’m a teacher to my Prek-4 class and I read to them everyday.  I do my best to engage my students in literacy and instill in them the same joy and enthusiasm my parents instilled in me.  I introduce my students to all types of books, vocabulary, and different reading materials. When I read to my students, I try my best to bring the books and stories to life and use all the tools I can to draw and engage my students.  I also encourage my student’s parents to read to their child or children everyday, and explain to them how important literacy is to their child’s school success. 

              On a personal level, I still like to read every night before I go to bed and I still remember vividly and fondly my mother reading to me my favorite bed time story as a little girl, “El Patito Feo,” and I am blessed to have my parents with me and till this day be able to walk into my father’s office and still see him with a book in his hand engulfed in his reading, and my mother saying to me, “ he doesn’t hear you, he’s reading” which brings a smile to my face and warms my heart. 

El Patito Feo Story Book/The Ugly Ducking Story Book  -  (Virtual Video Book)