4. Effective literacy instruction is multifaceted
Literacy instruction need to be balanced. Balanced literacy instruction should include each of the following necessary components (especially in grades K-3), as outlined by Zygouris-Coe (2001):
Students that do not learn to read fluently and independently in the early grades have few opportunities to catch up, and no chance to surpass their peers who are already on grade level by the end of third grade (Zygouris-Coe, 2001). Most of my students read well below grade level, and I count it as a great success if they move up at least one full reading level within a year. This is great progress, but it still leaves the students well behind their peers.Therefore, it is critical that students receive high-quality balanced literacy instruction that includes necessary emphasis on each of the above components starting from as early on as possible.
Zygouris-Coe, V. (2001). Balanced reading instruction in k-3 classrooms. Retrieved from: http://www.education.ucf.edu/mirc/Research/Balanced%20Reading.pdf
Vicky Zygouris-Coe is a professor of reading education at the University of Central Florida. She is also the developer of Florida’s first large-scale professional development in reading (Florida Online Reading Professional Development [FOR-PD]) for K-12 teachers. For more information, click here.
- phonological awareness
- alphabetic knowledge
- print awareness
- orthographic awareness
- word recognition
- reading practice
- writing practice
- comprehension
- assessment
- attitudinal / affective domain
- carefully planned, language rich classrooms
Students that do not learn to read fluently and independently in the early grades have few opportunities to catch up, and no chance to surpass their peers who are already on grade level by the end of third grade (Zygouris-Coe, 2001). Most of my students read well below grade level, and I count it as a great success if they move up at least one full reading level within a year. This is great progress, but it still leaves the students well behind their peers.Therefore, it is critical that students receive high-quality balanced literacy instruction that includes necessary emphasis on each of the above components starting from as early on as possible.
Zygouris-Coe, V. (2001). Balanced reading instruction in k-3 classrooms. Retrieved from: http://www.education.ucf.edu/mirc/Research/Balanced%20Reading.pdf
Vicky Zygouris-Coe is a professor of reading education at the University of Central Florida. She is also the developer of Florida’s first large-scale professional development in reading (Florida Online Reading Professional Development [FOR-PD]) for K-12 teachers. For more information, click here.