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Communications
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Jan 9, 2024
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Based on the information you read about structured and balanced literacy classrooms, define
both approaches and give at least two specific examples of each.
Thoroughly explain how you
would implement the literacy approach you feel is most beneficial for ALL students and the one
that you plan to use to teach reading in your classroom.
Classrooms practicing balanced literacy use a variety of methods that include some teacher-led
instruction, reading with peers, and some individual learning. There is no particular method to
learning to read and write. Structured literacy focuses on "explicit, systematic teaching that
focuses on phonological awareness, word recognition, phonics and decoding, spelling, and
syntax at the sentence and paragraph levels" (Lorimor-Easley & Reed, 2019). Structured
literacy has the whole class follow the same methods and master the same skills before moving
onto the next skillset/level. Our textbook states that "People learn to read over a long period of
time, acquiring more advanced reading skills after they master prerequisite skills" (Roe et al.,
2019). Learning skillsets in sequence is the essence of structured literacy.
As a child learning to read, I remember practicing the balanced approach in my classrooms.
There would be story time in which the teacher would read aloud, groups in which a few student
would come together and read passages from the same book, and independent reading in
which we would read stories in our level and take tests on comprehension before moving up.
Although this method worked for me, I was considered a "gifted" student; I learn quickly and
reading was no exception. I recall being assigned as a "reading buddy" to my peers so that I
could help them advance their reading skills. My daughter had a different education; her school
took a structured approach to teaching. My daughter and her peers followed a specific program
that focused on certain reading skills one at a time. This meant that, in many ways, the class
was learning to read at the same pace. Although a balanced approach worked for me, it didn't
work for some of my peers. A structured approach worked for my daughter as well as the rest of
her class. In order to ensure that no student is left behind, a structured literacy program should
be implemented in the classroom as well as throughout the school.
Lorimor-Easley, N. A., & Reed, D. K. (2019, April 9).
An Explanation of Structured Literacy, and
a Comparison to Balanced Literacy
. The University of Iowa.
https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2019/04/explanation-structured-literacy-and-comparison-
balanced-literacy
Roe, B. D., Smith, S. H., & Kolodziej, N. J. (2019).
Teaching reading in today’s elementary
schools
(12th ed.). Cengage Learning.
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