Project

Creating a Balanced Approach to Primary Literacy Instruction

Throughout the years there has been much debate about the best form of instruction when building literacy skills. This debate is centered around the use of skill-based instruction versus meaning-making instruction. Instead of choosing one side of the debate over the other, a new approach to literacy instruction incorporates the best of both worlds. The middle ground of this debate is based in world of approaching literacy instruction through a balanced literacy approach that is inclusive of both skill-based and meaning-making instruction. The purpose of this project is to create a professional development learning experience that will enable K-2 teachers to seamlessly meld the pedagogical practices and characteristics found in both skill-based instruction and meaning-making instruction to create a balanced approach to teach literacy in K-2 settings. The guidebook will provide teachers with a systematic layout to transition from a literacy block that is specifically geared towards skill-based instruction to a literacy block that will include a shared focus on meaning-making instruction through the use of literacy centers that include the Daily 5 practices to foster consistent reading opportunities and practice. Keywords: phonics, skill-based instruction, whole language, meaning-making instruction, comprehension, literacy centers, balanced literacy

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