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.