Balanced literacy is a belief in teaching literacy. Teaching literacy in a balanced way is a perfect combination between language and sounds. In a balanced literacy program, students experience moderation of literacy, participate in reading and writing with teachers, and are trained, practice independence, and actively participate in word study.
Let us quickly discuss the 8 key Components of a Strong Balanced Literacy Program
1. Shared Reading
Shared Reading is a collaborative learning process in which the teacher and student engage in reading the text and the teacher models the skills of the competent student. When reading together, text is available for the student and teacher to see, whether you are looking at the same book or reading what is expected on the screen.
When a teacher starts a joint learning process, he or she selects the skill or behavior that they wish to imitate. The teacher will read the text aloud fluently, at the right speed, and aloud, and the students will repeat the behavior.
2. Read Aloud
Reading aloud is the process by which teachers choose text to model certain reading strategies that students use most as they read silently. The process of reading aloud helps to support learners’ cognitive listening skills and strengthens the behaviors that learners can use when studying independently.
For example, a teacher may choose to read a text to model expression. They may choose to read a text to model self-to-text connections. They may even use a text instructionally for understanding main ideas, drawing conclusions, or identifying cause and effect.
3. Guided Reading
Guided learning allows teachers to form small groups that are divided to bring learning to a certain level of student learning. While shared reading and reading aloud are usually done for the whole class to mimic a particular learning style or reading comprehension skill, targeted reading allows for a specific behavioral practice or skill level.
4. Close Reading Procedure
Close reading strategy where words are removed from the text to support the learner’s understanding of reading. Teachers may choose to exclude unfamiliar vocabulary words in a paragraph to support the learner’s ability to use contextual clues to locate a lost word. Close closure procedures involve students in the problem-solving process or analytical behavior required when reading at a level or in complex texts.
5. Word Study / Vocabulary Instruction
Word Study in a balanced literacy program can involve decoding study of a word.
Word Study can also include studying meaning of a word—vocabulary.
6. Interactive Writing
Interactive writing is a process that teachers and students share with a pen, primarily modeling parts of the writing process. Teachers can model to write the title sentence of the introductory paragraph and students contribute what is included in the writing.
7. Reader’s Workshop
Reader’s Workshop includes:
• A brief lesson,
• An independent reading time in which learners are expected to apply a specific reading strategy taught during the lesson,
• Teacher-Student meeting,
• Small group teaching, and
• Close / Share, where students have the opportunity to model or demonstrate how they applied the strategy during practice.
8. Writer’s Workshop
Similar to Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop incorporates a brief lesson and independent writing period in which students are expected to use a specific strategy during the writing process phase (creating ideas, writing, reviewing, editing and publishing).