Introducing a New Product
Literacy Environment Analysis
Kris Bowman
If books could have more, give more, be more, show more, they
would still need readers who bring to them sound and smell and
light and all the rest that cant be in books. The book needs
you.
-Gary Paulsen
Get to Know Your Learners
Tap into your students' backgrounds and interests to discover
ways to evaluate their needs and help connect them to texts
(Laureate Education, 2010).
Use a variety of informal and formal assessments to determine
areas of strength and need in literacy development.
Get to Know Your Learners
Get to Know MY Learners
My Analysis
Getting to know my students is helping me create a literate
environment as I am more in tune to each student's background and
interests, which allows me to draw them into group discussions, and
steer them toward texts they are likely to enjoy. Getting to know
my students is also helping me offer meaningful guidance toward
writing. When students claim they don't know what to write about I
am able to offer suggestions based on things I know about them and
experiences they have shared with me.
While it is easy to get wrapped up in the academic pressures in
education, it is important not to lose sight of the main focus of
teaching, which is the students, as opposed to merely subjects or
grades. Showing students that I care about them as individuals
makes them feel significant and the payoff leads to mutually
respectful relationships. In most cases, students work harder for
people they respect; they want to please. Also, the non-academic
aspect of teaching often makes a lasting impression on
students.
Selecting Texts
.
Ensure balanced literacy experiences by exposing students to a
variety of texts and genres.
Teach students the necessary strategies and skills to read
expository texts, which differ from narrative texts. Proficiency in
comprehending informational text will help students build the
enduring skills necessary to be successful in school, work,
community, and everyday life (Maranak & Gambrell, 2008).
Selecting Texts
My Analysis
I am incorporating a lot more expository text into my
instruction so that students are familiar with how to read
non-fiction text, and to appreciate its purpose. I frequently
expose students to piles of non-fiction books so they can explore
and discuss the features, while they enjoy learning a variety of
new information. When students understand how authors organize and
present their ideas in texts, they can apply what they learned
about genres, text structures and features in their own writing
(Tompkins, 2010). Second grade students are expected to write
non-fiction, which is another reason it is important that they
understand the genre's features. Proficiency in comprehending
informational text will help students build the enduring skills
necessary to be successful in school, work, community, and everyday
life (Maranak & Gambrell, 2008).
Interactive Perspective
What is it?
Reading and writing accurately, fluently, and with
comprehension
Being strategic and metacognitive readers and writers
Instructional methods address the cognitive and affective needs
of students, and the demands of a particular text.
Promotes students independent use of reading strategies and
skills
(Laureate Education, 2010).
Interactive Perspective
My Analysis
Keeping in mind that although many of my young students are
still learning decoding skills and aren't yet independently reading
deep chapter books or informational texts, they are still very
capable of thinking critically and I need to foster those
skills.
During read aloud, I model critical thinking and encourage
students to share their thoughts, predictions and ideas. I push
students to higher level thinking through prompts and questions
(Stahl, 2004).
I am finding that when students are working without me their
discussions are more thoughtful and purposeful.
Critical Perspective
What is it?
Judging, evaluating, and thinking critically about text
(Laureate Education, 2010).
Critical Perspective
My Analysis
I have been helping students recognize different perspectives in
texts and to provide them time to reflect and discuss, which
promotes critical thinking. As a result, the students are becoming
more comfortable sharing their emotions and connections to a text;
they are less inhibited. We discuss themes, story elements,
predictions, and authors' purposes. My seven-year old students are
capable of pretty powerful thinking when given the time and the
space to do so.
Response Perspective
What is it?
Reading, reacting, and responding to text in a variety of
meaningful ways.
Provides opportunities for students to read, react, and generate
personal responses to text.(Laureate Education, 2010)
Response Perspective
My Analysis
My students are keeping reading response journals where they
reflect on texts we read. This practice is allowing them to see
that even though we all read the same book, we each approach the
text in our own way and that's okay. They are learning that their
ideas/thoughts are just as important as anyone else's and that's a
valuable lesson in itself.
Our class discussions are becoming increasingly meaningful and
interesting. My students surprise me, enlighten me and make me
proud each day!
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more
that you learn, the more places you'll go. -Dr. Seuss
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Changes
in Literacy [Webcast]. The Beginning Reader, PreK-3. Baltimore,
MD.Marinak, B., & Gambrell, L. B. (2008). Elementary
Informational Text Instruction: A Research Review. International
Journal of Learning, 15(9), 75-83. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Molden,
K. (2007). Critical literacy, the right answer for the reading
classroom: Strategies to move beyond comprehension for reading
improvement. Reading IImprovement, 44(1), 5056. Stahl, K. (2004).
Proof, practice, and promise: Comprehension strategy instruction
inthe primary grades. Reading Teacher, 57(7), 598-609. Retrieved
from EBSCOhost.Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st
century: A balanced approach (5th ed.).
