BALANCED
LITERACY

A Parent’s Guide

Produced by the
Toronto Catholic District School Board

Word Study Block

To develop phonemic awareness and spelling proficiency

• Includes the following activities:

• Introduction of the 43+ phonemic sounds used in the English language

• The Word Wall—high frequency vocabulary is introduced using a variety of activities and then prominently displayed in the classroom

• Spelling activities and word games related to the words on the wall

• “Making Words” activities designed to develop an understanding of word patterns

• Use of charts, rhymes, songs and sound play.

Shared/Guided Reading Block

Shared Reading—to provide an opportunity for children to participate with the teacher in reading big books, charts, etc.

Shared Reading includes the following types of activities:

• Choral reading and chiming in

• Large group instruction about reading strategies and print conventions

Guided Reading—to work with the teacher in a small group setting in order to develop a full range of reading strategies that will allow the student to become an independent reader.

Guided Reading includes the following types of activities:

• Direct reading instruction in a small group

• Reading material that has been especially selected for the children in the group

• Within this block the students will also be engaged in a variety of additional reading activities designed to strengthen their literacy skills.

Self-Selected Reading Block

To produce independent readers who are excited by reading and see it as a valued, worthwhile activity

Includes the following types of activities:

• Teacher reads to the students daily

• A wide variety of materials at various levels for the children to read

• Opportunities to re-read favourite stories

• Book talks given by children to the class, a group or a friend

• Teacher conferencing with individual students about the books they have read

• Running record assessment.

Writing Block

To enable students to view writing as a real and purposeful means of communication

Includes the following types of activities:

• Teacher modeling of writing

• Time for daily writing

• A writing centre

• Shared writing experiences

• Language experience charts

• Teacher and/or peer conferencing.

Balanced Literacy
The Home-School Connection

Some Helpful Suggestions

• Read to your child as often as you can.

• Encourage your child to join in and “read”. Point to the words as you read.

• Draw attention to print that is in the environment. (labels, signs, etc.)

• Read and write birthday cards, messages, grocery lists and letters together.

• Encourage your child to find words that begin with the same letters as his/her name.

• Ask questions before, during and after reading. (eg. “What do you think will happen next?”) Occasionally ask some “why” questions about the story.

• When reading aloud, if your child makes a mistake, allow time for self-correction. If the mistake makes sense, ignore it.

• Ask your child what word would make sense when she/he becomes “stuck” on a word. Encourage your child to “have-a-go”, to use the pictures, to re-read, or to sound it out. More fluent readers can “read-on”, to get the overall meaning.

Above all, be positive and have fun!