1. Literate Environment Analysis Sarah Wydler EDUC-6706R-1 The Beginning Reader Pre K-3 Walden University Cindee Easton Fall Semester, October 2014

2. Introduction: Creating A Literate Environment In the video Changes in Literacy Education Dr. Douglas Hartman discusses three important components that teachers must consider when planning for literacy instruction. These components, which can be found in the Framework For Literacy Instruction include the Learners, the Texts, and the Instructional Practices. Teachers must also incorporate the three perspectives found in the framework; Interactive Perspective, Critical Perspective, and Response Perspective. (Laureate Education, n.d. a) In the following presentation I will demonstrate how I use research based practices in order to create a literate environment in my classroom while addressing the learners, texts, and use of instructional practices along with the three perspectives as detailed in the framework.

3. Introduction: Creating A Literate Environment FrameworkforLiteracyInstruction Learners Affectiveandcognitiveaspectsof literacylearning Texts Textstructures,types,genres,and difficultylevelsmatchedtoliteracy learnersandliteracygoalsandobjectives InstructionalPractices Developmentallyappropriateresearch-based practicesusedwithappropriatetextsto facilitateaffectiveandcognitiveaspectsof literacydevelopmentinalllearners Interactive Perspective Readingandwriting accurately,fluently, andwith comprehension Beingstrategicand metacognitive readersandwriters Useavarietyofinformaland formalassessmentsto determineareasofstrengthand needinliteracydevelopment. Determinetextsoftheappropriatetypes andlevelsofdifficultytomeetliteracy goalsandobjectivesforstudents. Useinstructionalmethodsthataddressthe cognitiveandaffectiveneedsofstudentsand thedemandsoftheparticulartext. Promotestudents'independentuseofreading strategiesandskills. Critical Perspective Judging,evaluating, andthinking criticallyabouttext Findoutaboutideas,issues,and problemsthatmattertostudents. Understandthelearnerasaunique individual. Selecttextsthatprovideopportunitiesfor studentstojudge,evaluate,andthink critically. Fosteracriticalstancebyteachingstudents howtojudge,evaluate,andthinkcriticallyabout texts. Response Perspective Reading,reacting, andrespondingto textinavarietyof meaningfulways Findoutaboutstudents'interests andidentities. Understandwhatmattersto studentsandwhotheyareas individuals. Selecttextsthatconnecttostudents' identitiesand/orinterestsandthathave thepotentialtoevokeanemotionalor personalresponse. Provideopportunitiesforstudentstoread, react,andformulateapersonalresponsetotext.

4. I. Getting To Know Literacy Learners, P-3 Analysis One of the ways that I get to know my learners is by completing a variety of cognitive and non-cognitive literacy assessments. Using both cognitive and non-cognitive assessments allows me to get the big picture about a students abilities, skills, attitudes, and motivations. Using all of this information combined affords me the opportunity to create the best possible literacy environment for my students.

5. I. Getting To Know Literacy Learners, P-3 Cognitive One type of cognitive assessment I use with my students at the beginning of the year is the BPST (Basic Phonics Skills Test II, 1997). This assessment provides me with data on my Kindergartners letter recognition, consonant and vowel sounds, as well as blending and segmenting of words. Non-Cognitive Aspects One type of non-cognitive assessment I use to get to know my students is the Elementary Reading Survey. (McKenna & Kear, 1990). This assessment allows me to get a better understanding of my learners reading history, home life, and motivations to read.

6. I. Getting To Know Literacy Learners, P-3 Research Getting to know my learners through both cognitive and non-cognitive assessments helps me to develop a strong literacy environment in my classroom, Cognitive- In the text Understanding and Using Reading Assessment K-12 it states Reading Inventories, whether commercially published, teacher developed, or accompanying reading intervention programs, can offer rich information from which we infer stutents reading strengths and challenges. (Afflerbach, 2012, pg. 40). Non-Cognitive- In the text Understanding and Using Reading Assessment K-12 It states Our use of assessment materials and procedures that focus on the other in reading helps fill in the gap in our understanding of how students are challenged and how they may develop. The information compliments what we know about students cognitive achievement. (Afflerbach, 2012, pgs. 186-187).

7. II. Selecting Texts Analysis In my classroom I strive to select texts that are appropriately leveled, cover a wide range of topics and interests, include both narrative and informational genres, have the correct level of difficulty for the chosen activities, align to the standards, help students meet their individual and grade level goals, and can relate to students cultural backgrounds and life experiences. The Literacy Matrix (shown below) helps me to ensure that there is balance and coherence in my literacy program. It provides me with a model I can use to determine whether a text falls into one of the four quadrants in the matrix. Literacy Matrix

8. II. Selecting Texts Research In the video Analyzing and Selecting Text it states that in order to meet the goals of each of our students in our classrooms, teachers must use a rage of texts from narrative based to informational, as well as texts that range from being more linguistic to more semiotic. (Laureate Education, n.d., b)

9. III. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective Analysis Teaching my students to be strategic, metacognitive learners can be a challenge at the Kindergarten level. However, using strategies such as explicit modeling and scaffolding can increase my students success in using these higher level skills when reading and writing. When students are explicitly taught these strategies and when to use them, they will eventually gain automaticity and ultimately a greater understanding of what they are reading.

10. III. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective Research In the video Interactive Perspective: Strategic Processing, Dr. Janice Almasi describes how teacher must not just teach children how to read but how to become strategic, metacognitive thinkers in terms of how they are going to attack a text. Children must use these strategies across all of the five pillars of reading including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. (Laureate Education, n.d.c)

11. IV. Literacy Lesson: Critical & Response Perspectives Analysis Critical Perspective- Thinking critically about texts allows students to examine them from multiple perspectives including the authors purpose for writing the text and or including specific details. In the text I Can Read About Johnny Appleseed my students were able to determine the authors purpose for writing about Johnny Appleseed. Response Perspective- The Response Perspective allows the student to have a personal connection with the text. The students in my class acquired the necessary knowledge about apples through several activities and books that they were able to make several connections with the content of the new text I can read about Johnny Appleseed. Therefore my students were able to respond with their thoughts and feelings about the new story.

12. IV. Literacy Lesson: Critical & Response Perspectives Research Critical Perspective- In the video Critical Perspective Dr. Janice Almasi explains that by teaching our students to examine texts critically they will be able to see them from multiple perspectives, evaluate their validity, and discover the authors intent or purpose. (Laureate Education, n.d.d) Response Perspective- In the video Response Perspective Dr. Janice Almasi discusses allowing students to have a transaction with a text rather than a reaction. As educators we want or students to be changed or transformed by a text. Our goal is for our students to personally and emotionally respond to text. (Laureate Education, n.d.,e).

13. Closure Teachers must consider all of the components of the Framework for Literacy Instruction including the 3 perspectives; interactive, critical, and response as well as the 3 main components; the learners, the texts, and the instructional practices. I have gained a greater understanding of these components during this course, and I now feel confident in my ability to incorporate all of these literacy components in order to create an effective literacy environment in my classroom.

14. Questions to Consider What insights did you gain about literacy and literacy instruction from viewing this presentation? How might the information presented change your literacy practices and/or your literacy interactions with students? In what ways can I support you in the literacy development of your students or children? How might you support me in my work with students or your children? What questions do you have?

15. References Afflerbach,P.(2012).UnderstandingandUsing ReadingAssessmentK-12(2nded).Newark,DE: InternationalReadingAssociation LaureateEducation(Producer).(n.d.)(a).Changes inLiteracyEducation.[VideoFile].Retrieved fromhttps://class.waldenu.edu LaureateEducation(Producer).(n.d.)(b). AnalyzingandSelectingText.[VideoFile]. Retrievedfromhttps://class.waldenu.edu LaureateEducation(Producer).(n.d.)(c). InteractivePerspective:StrategicProcessing. Retrievedfromhttps://class.waldenu.edu LaureateEducation(Producer).(n.d.)(d).Critical Perspective.Retrievedfrom https://class.waldenu.edu LaureateEducation(Producer).(n.d.)(e). ResponsePerspective.Retrievedfrom https://class.waldenu.edu McKenna,M.C.,&Kear,D.J.(1990),Measuring AttitudeTowardReading:ANewToolFor Teachers.TheReadingTeacher,43(9),626 639.