This is Balanced Literacy: Grades K-6
Students learn to read and write best when their teachers balance literacy instruction. But how do you strike the right balance of skills and knowledge, reading and writing, small and whole group instruction, and direct and dialogic instruction, so that all students can learn to their maximum potential?
The answer lies in the intentional design of learning activities, purposeful selection of instructional materials, evidence-based teaching methods, and in strategic groupings of students based on assessment data. Together, these create the perfect balance of high impact learning experiences that engage and excite learners. In this hands-on essential guide, best-selling authors Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Nancy Akhavan help you define that balance for your students, lighting the path to implementing balanced literacy in your classroom. Their plan empowers you to integrate evidence-based approaches that include:
• Instructional materials comprised of both informational and narrative texts.
• The best uses of instructional delivery modes, including direct and dialogic instruction.
• Grouping patterns that work best to accomplish learning aims for different learners at different stages.
• Instruction in foundational skills and meaning making, including oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.
• Technology used as a tool for increasing learning of a specific literary process.
All the tips and tools you need to realize the goal of balanced literacy learning are included, with classroom videos that show strategies in action. Tap your intuition, collaborate with your peers, and put the research-based strategies embedded in this roadmap to work in your classroom to implement or deepen a strong, successful balanced literacy program. Grow as a reading and writing teacher while leading your students to grow as readers and writers.
On-Your-Feet Guide: This is Shared Reading, Grades K-6
In this easy-to-use but comprehensive guide to Shared Reading, teachers will learn what shared reading is, how to prepare before, during and after shared reading, and how to assess it.
In this On-Your-Feet Guide, teachers will find:
- Lesson outline included with “What the teacher says/does and What the student does displayed side-by-side.
- An If-Then chart that helps teachers troubleshoot common problems.
- Student language frames for narrative and nonfiction text are included.
- Assessment advice and helpful hints
Akhavan, Nancy
Dr. Nancy Akhavan has spent more than 30 years as an educator and consultant. Her work focuses on student support through literacy instruction and intervention, English Language Development, leadership development and organizational systems to increase student achievement. Currently, she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Fresno State. She is the founder of Nancy Akhavan Consulting, Inc. Dr. Akhavan has been a bilingual teacher, principal of three schools, and a district administrator of a large urban district for ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science and World Languages. She also served as Assistant Superintendent Secondary Division in a large urban school district. Dr. Akhavan is recognized for her expertise in teaching literacy practices and has published twelve books that focus on instruction that increases student achievement, and has worked with districts and county offices in multiple states and internationally to increase student achievement in reading, writing, and in content areas.
Lapp, Diane K
Diane Lapp, EdD, is a distinguished professor of education at San Diego State University where her work continues to be applied to schools. She is also an instructional coach and teacher at Health Sciences High & Middle College. Throughout her career, Diane has taught in elementary, middle, and high schools. Her major areas of research and instruction regard issues related to the planning and assessment of very intentional literacy instruction and learning. A member of both the California and the International Reading Halls of Fame, Diane has authored, coauthored, and edited numerous articles, columns, texts, handbooks and children’s materials on instruction, assessment, and literacy related issues. Diane is the recipient of the ILA 2023 William S. Gray Citation of Merit, a prestigious award reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to multiple facets of literacy development. Diane can be reached at lapp@sdsu.edu. Follow her on twitter @lappsdsu
Fisher, Douglas
Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed teacher and leader in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as Welcome to Teaching, PLC+, Teaching Students to Drive their Learning, and Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decisions, Better Learning.
Johnson, Kelly
Dr. Kelly Johnson is currently a faculty member in teacher education at San Diego State University and an instructional coach in the San Diego Unified School District. A Nationally Board Certified teacher, Kelly devotes much of her work to literacy teaching and learning in classrooms. Dr. Johnson is passionate about the teaching and learning connection that results from proper teacher modeling, productive group work, formative assessment, and student engagement.
Frey, Nancy
Nancy Frey is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Nancy was a teacher, academic coach, and central office resource coordinator in Florida. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. She has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as The Artificial Intelligences Playbook, How Scaffolding Works, How Teams Work, and The Vocabulary Playbook.
