The spring semester of my Junior year, I was able to explore what it means to teach early literacy. Through my journey to become an emergent literacy teacher, I have learned that all children are readers, writers, listeners, speakers, and they all investigate multiple texts that they encounter every day. I have also learned that it is my responsibility to understand, motivate, and support their development in each of these areas every day. Literacy learning is an integrated experience and it is important to synthesize all of the areas in which a child engages in and that all of the literacy areas are incorporated across disciplines. As a teacher, I aim to value each individual student and their journey to develop as readers, writers, listeners, and speakers and support them as effectively and efficiently as possible. In order to do this, it is vital to assess and constantly evaluate both the content that is taught and the ways in which I engage with my students. I have also learned the importance of guiding instruction based on the common core standards.
Above are some of the students from my cooperating classroom after their nonfiction mini lesson.
Above are some of the students from my cooperating classroom after their nonfiction mini lesson.
Balanced literacy is an important concept to incorporate into my classroom. It begins with encouraging and supporting students to have a genuine appreciation for good literature. A balanced literacy plan includes the to-with-by model, which allows gradual release of responsibility, so that students can become accountable for their progress and development as readers and writers. In order to implement this in my classroom, I will teach a skill to my students, which is the direct instruction, then I will work with my students, which is the guided practice, then I will have them work individually for independent application. The chart to the left demonstrates the to-with-by model and how each plays a role. Balanced literacy also requires a complete understanding of each individual student. In order to do this, it is important to collect samples of work in order to understand individual needs and progress. Formative assessment should be administered regularly in order to understand all of my students and plan future instruction.
As I embarked on my journey to learn about teaching emergent literacy, I was able to partake in professional collaborations and use new digital tools in order to further understand children's literacy and shape my future classroom. Using Edmodo, I was able to collaborate with my peers about a variety of topics relating to emergent literacy. My main focus was on technology in the classroom. Collaborating with my peers was a unique experience that allowed me to discuss different topics as well as learn from my peers about their ideas. I enjoyed hearing what they had to say, as well as picking up new techniques, ideas, and skills that I would be interested in using in my classroom. Using Twitter was also a unique experience. I was able to create a professional space where I could share teaching tips with my followers and engage in discussions with my colleagues. Participating in this experience allowed me to explore the possibilities that are available for my future classroom.
This is a photo from our twitter chat in which we collaborated and discussed emergent literacy and the roles of teachers in student exploration.
This is a photo from our twitter chat in which we collaborated and discussed emergent literacy and the roles of teachers in student exploration.