Balanced Literacy Curriculum Essay

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Rational for Literacy Unit
The most important element of a quality education is literacy (Greaney, 1996). A strong foundation in literacy for young children is critical for future success in school (Strickland, 2010). Creating proficient readers requires high quality instruction in literacy skills (Tompkins, 2010). According to Tompkins 2010, a balanced approach to literacy creates life-long readers. One of the most crucial aspects of elementary literacy is a concise and balanced literacy program that is a combination of language and skill development (Tompkins, 2011). A balanced literacy classroom combines several approaches to increase each student’s level of literacy comprehension. Additionally, a balanced literacy classroom will help meet …show more content…

This literacy unit created is cross-curricular and paired with a Social Studies unit on the Constitution. The theme for this literacy unit is decision and responsibilities. Specifically, all decisions have consequences and we are responsible for our actions. Imbedded within these themes are aspects of diversity including: respect, point of view, human rights and patriotism. Theme based units are a vehicle for teaching a range of skills and content by integrating curriculum areas around a topic. This method of teaching links curriculum strands and capitalizes on children’s interests, creating a sense of purpose and community in the classroom. By building on their interests and life experiences, young people’s attitudes, skills and knowledge are developed in meaningful ways. Inquiry and communication are activated by a desire to know more, resulting in enthusiastic participation in the learning process (Moss, 1994). According to Moss a thematic study provides students with high quality genres to strengthen their literacy development. Thematic units also allow the teacher the ability to use a variety of materials. For instance, word walls can be used so that students can learn the vocabulary found in the book (Tompkins, 2013). Additionally, teachers can use a K-W-L chart as a pre-assessment or formative assessment. Lastly, thematic units give students the opportunity to learn

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