Reading, writing and oral language

A portfolio for effective literacy teaching strategies

Rebecca Bradley

EDU340

1038191

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Reading 2

Choral Reading 2

Cloze Procedure 3

Guided Reading 4

Word Sorts 5

Word Walls 6

Writing 7

Quickwriting 7

Word Ladders 8

Simultaneous Oral Spelling (S-O-S) 9

Pen Pals 10

Journal Entries 11

Oral 12

Hot Seat 12

Readers Theatre 13

Tea Party 14

Chinese Whispers 15

Show and Tell 16

References 17

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Introduction

Literacy is an integral part of a student’s lifelong learning process, the ability to read write and verbally communicate are essentials for everyday life. The foundations of literacy in the form of reading writing and oral language are important stepping stones for students to build upon and with the incorrect foundation students can be left to play ‘catch-up’ later in life hindering them immensely. As a teacher it is important to identify early intervention strategies for students who may be struggling with literacy concepts and also demonstrate the correct procedures for reading, writing and oral language at all times.

This portfolio includes teaching strategies that focus on reading, writing and oral language acquisition in the early years. Each of the strategies will include a purpose, the targeted year levels, an overview of the multiple intelligences that can be utilised during the learning episode, a rationale a procedure and finally the processing strategies involved and the cueing system of each strategy. Specifically this portfolio will be aimed at year levels between prep and year 3. This scale allows for in depth strategies that can be utilised throughout the younger years to target students who may struggle with reading, writing or oral language concepts.

In some cases the strategies will relate to more than just reading, writing or oral language and overlapping will occur. Specifically this is evident with the Simultaneous Oral Spelling (S-O-S) strategy as it involves not only writing skills but oral language and reading skills as well.

This portfolio can be utilised throughout a teaching career and strategies can be added and modified accordingly. As a teacher practise will demonstrate which of these strategies is going to benefit the most and which will be less beneficial overall.

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Choral Reading

Purpose: To encourage fluency in reading and comprehension of text.

Year Level: P-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/Spatial, verbal/linguistic, interpersonal

Rationale: Choral reading is a group activity that encourages students to share poems, short stories or other brief texts with their peers. This strategy is beneficial for students who are struggling with reading as it is valuable oral practice that encourages expressive reading and fluency in reading. It is important that students feel comfortable to share their own short stories or poetry with their peers in an environment that does not involve judgement or prejudice. Choral reading as a teaching strategy will help develop student’s active reading fluency and encourage students to comprehend texts. There are various arrangements that can be utilised during the strategy.

Arrangements:1. Echo Reading: The leader reads a line and the group repeats the line that was just read.2. Leader and Chorus Reading: The leader reads the main verse of the poem and the group reads the refrain or chorus in unison.3. Small group reading: The class divides into two or more groups and each group reads a part of the poem or story.4. Cumulative reading: One student or group reads the first line or stanza and then another student/group joins in an each line or stanza is read.

Procedure:

1. Select a poem to use that is engaging and relevant to current student learning2. Ensure all students are able to view the poem, either create copies or write out poem on whiteboard.3. Work with students to decide on the arrangement of the choral reading activity (echo read, leader and chorus reading, small group reading or cumulative)4. Read with students until students are comfortable with the text. Ensure that students are aware that they are to emphasize the pronunciation of words and read with expression

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsChoral Reading Attending

ConfirmingSearchingSelf-correctingRereading

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Cloze Procedure

Purpose: To determine what level a student reader is at by determining the percentage of words or letter that a reader can predict correctly.

Year Level: 3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, logical/mathematical, intrapersonal

Rationale: Cloze procedure is an informal diagnostic assessment strategy that can be used to gather information about reader abilities. The process involves determining the level that a reader is at and selecting a text that a student is familiar with and depending on age and year level remove letters and/or words. It is recommended that initially the teacher will remove or delete every fifth work in the passage and the words that have been removed are replaced with blanks. Students must then attempt to read the passage and fill in the blanks using their knowledge of syntax and semantics in order to fill in the blanks. However if students use words that are not technically correct but could work within the context of the passage give the student time to discuss and justify their choices.

Procedure:

1. Select a passage from a book the student is currently reading (within reader capabilities)2. Depending on year level and knowledge student has the teacher will remove letters or

words (vowels, or every fifth word)3. Students must use syntax and semantics to predict the missing letters or words and

complete the passage4. Mark the passage and allow students to discuss and justify their choices.5. Determine what percentage the student is at. If the student is at 61% or higher they are at a

independent reading level. If a student is between 41%-60% they are at an instructional level and anything below 40% would indicate a student is at a frustration level and they need further help in order to develop their syntax and semantics with regards to predicting and comprehending.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsCloze Procedure Predicting

ConfirmingSelf-correctingSearchingPatterningRecognizing

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Guided Reading

Purpose: To engage students in comprehension of text that is relevant and interesting

Year Level: P-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic, interpersonal

Rationale: Guided Reading is the procedure teachers use to read a book with a small group of students who read at roughly the same level. The most important part of guided reading if the selection of the book. The book must engage students and be relevant to the current area of learning if applicable, teacher must also ensure students can understand and comprehend the text that is being read hence the groups of student who read at the roughly the same level. This strategy is useful in that students are guided through the book and are able to make predictions and assumptions with their peers in a comfortable environment.

Procedure:

1. Select a book or text that is engaging and relatable to students2. Introduce the book and set the purpose for reading and strategies to be used by the

students3. Students read the book/text individually (depending on year level teacher could read to the

whole group and then students can read individually)4. Teacher encourages discussion (what were students favourite pages?, what was the story

about?, how did they feel about a certain character? etc)5. Students revisit text after discussing and can utilise what they have heard about other

understanding and thoughts about the book to revisit different points of view.6. Opportunities for independent reading

Strategy Processing CueingGuided Reading Predicting

SearchingActivating prior knowledgeQuestioningInferring and drawing conclusionsSummarizingSynthesizing

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Word Sorts

Purpose: To encourage students to determine and categorise words by meaning or conceptual/phonological features of words.

Year Level: 2-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, logical/mathematical

Rationale: Word sorts are used to encourage student to examine and categorise words by meaning. They also help students to focus on conceptual and phonological features of words and identify a pattern if there is one. By using this activity/strategy as a game student will be able to identify words that are similar and determine why or why not some words are grouped together. This can be a challenging game for students to play with one another, or an activity done individually with a teacher or teacher-aide. The groupings could be as simple as rhyming words or more elaborate such are nouns, verbs etc. this is very dependent on students developmental level and learning goals for the lesson.

Procedure:

1. Teacher sets out words (these will be pre-determined)2. Ask students to find specific grouping of words eg;

Rhyming words Consonant sounds Sound symbol relationships Number of syllables Nouns, verbs, adjectives etc

3. If any errors occur question students and redirect the learning process. Clear explanations of why words should be grouped together are essential if a student does not comprehend the task.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsWord Sorts Attending

SearchingConfirmingAssociatingAnalysingContextualizing

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Word Walls

Purpose: To assist while teaching students high frequency words and other meaningful words to students.

Year Level: 1-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic

Rationale: Word walls are a collection of words posted in the classroom either physically or virtually and students are able to refer to these words when they are writing. Teachers can use small pieces of paper, or cardboard, or butchers paper. It is important that the word wall is relevant to the subject area or current content area. This process should be a brainstorming process that students are an integral part of. Any academic words that may be overlooked during the brainstorming process will need to be included by the teacher.

Procedure:

1. Teacher and students discuss the new content area that will be covered or that has already been identified.

2. Brainstorm relevant words that students will encounter throughout the unit3. Write words on cardboard/paper or virtually if there is an application or interactive

smartboard available for the word wall4. If possible find a shape that is relevant to the content area and shape the word wall into the

shape to create an aesthetically pleasing word wall. If not possible simply draw on the words to help visual children identify and connect the word to the picture.

5. Ensure that there is enough room for additional words that may be used through the unit.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsWord Walls Attending

SearchingCross-checkingSpellingPreviewing

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Quickwriting

Purpose: To encourage students to explore a topic or respond to a question within a small timeframe

Year Level: 3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, logical/mathematical, verbal/linguistic, intrapersonal

Rationale: This strategy is about getting student to write freely about something that interests them in a small amount of time. Instead of focusing on spelling and grammar student are encouraged to develop ideas and write about these generated thoughts fluently. Verbally this would be students rambling about a certain topic and their understanding but having students put pen to paper allows them to see the connections that they have made mentally. There would also be time for students to share their quickwrites with their peers and also elaborate or change their quickwrites upon reflection.

Procedure:

1. Students are given a topic sentence or read an excerpt from a book that they are current reading as a class.

2. A timer will be set and students are able to start at any point 3. Students will be encouraged with questions that stimulate ideas and promote thinking

during literature focus units.4. Once timer has gone off students must stop writing immediately (give students adequate

warning when time is coming up so they can finish up a sentence)5. Encourage students to share with the whole class or in small groups depending on year level

and class size6. Allow time for student to elaborate on their thought process and introduce further thoughts

to their initial quickwrites.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsQuickwriting Attending

ConfirmingMaking connectionsVisualisingCreatingAnalysingEvaluating

M S V

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Word Ladders

Purpose: To engage learners in a fun way that allows students to develop phonics skills and spelling while also thinking about the meaning of words.

Year Level: 3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, logical/mathematical, verbal linguistic, intrapersonal, interpersonal

Rationale: Word ladders are games where students change one word into another through a series of steps, altering just a single letter at each step. The goal of the game is to use as few steps a possible to change the first word into the last word. The teacher may guide students to build a series of words that are either simple or intermediate level by giving clues to students. The word ladder must be done vertically and each step dictates a new line so that it is easily identifiable what the students have done for each ladder.

Procedure:

1. Teacher will demonstrate a simple word ladder on the board so the whole class will be able to have a reference to look back to. Students will be a part of the word ladder experience as they will be expected to answer any questions the teacher has to quide them through the process without simply giving students the answers.

2. Students will be able to use words that they are currently looking at in the unit they are working in

3. Students will also be supplied with a list of words that they can use to create word ladders4. If necessary students who struggle with the concept can work in groups to create a word

ladder.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsWord Ladders Attending

PredictingSynthesisingConfirmingAnalysing

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Simultaneous oral spelling (S-O-S)

Purpose: To encourage students to understand all theories (verbal, visual) in regards to spelling and being able to self-correct where necessary

Year Level: 2-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, language/linguistic, intrapersonal

Rationale: This method engages students both visually and verbally so students are able to connect to the spelling of words in various ways. This strategy is beneficial in that students are able to think through the sounds within the word they are required to spell and how they make the sounds (phonemic awareness). Because this process is both verbal and visual it could be used as an oral language teaching strategy as well.

Procedure:

1. Teacher says the word (ensuring that the words are within students developmental stage)2. Child repeats the word3. The child spells the word orally4. The student writes the word naming each letter aloud5. The student/child reads back what he/she has written6. The teacher looks at what the child has written and what he/she has verbally spelt and is

able to correct the child either in the verbal or visual spelling of the word

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsSimultaneous Oral Spelling (S-O-S)

AttendingMaking connectionsPredictingVisualisingEvaluating

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Pen Pals

Purpose: To introduce students to a different style of writing and encouraging student to connect with other students outside of their immediate community

Year Level: 1-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal

Rationale: this strategy will help students to develop and construct ideas about different writing genres. By incorporating another school from outside of the immediate community students are aware of the world around them. This also encouraged students to think about who they are writing for, what they should be writing about, how they could make the letter better while also focusing on spelling, punctuation and handwriting skills.

Procedure:

1. Teacher introduces concept of letter writing and structure of a letter2. Students will construct an initial letter to be sent to another class, this letter will involve a

brief summary of who they are, what they enjoy, hobbies etc.3. Teacher will ask students to share their letter with a peer and have them self-correct before

handing them into teacher4. Teacher will mark the draft and hand back to students with any suggestions or corrections

for students to work on5. Students will produce a final draft to be sent to another student at a different school

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsSynthesisingCross checkingMaking connectionsVisualisingcreating

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Journal Entries

Purpose: To encourage students to document their lives in a format that they are able to maintain with ease and without constrictions

Year Level: P-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, intrapersonal

Rationale: Journal entries are a great way of getting to know a student and their interests without having to pry into their lives. Journals can be long or short but students are encouraged to fill in information about their weekend, or an event that they participated in or even something as simple as what they felt they had accomplished at school in a day. By allowing students to write down how they felt during a certain activity or what they enjoyed or didn’t enjoy teachers can also gain feedback from the students about how to modify lessons in the future. Journal writing is a form of writing that students will be able to use throughout their life and the younger students start this process the easier it is for them to create meaningful entries for their journal. It is highly recommended that students look at creating entries that are grammatically correct, with punctuation and spelling and formatting to complete the entry successfully.

Procedure:

1. Have an allocated time on a Monday morning for students to write in their journals about what they did over the weekend, this could be done on any day of the week but with younger grades having the entries done at the start of the week allows them to recall the most recent facts with ease.

2. Allow time for students to illustrate their journal entries along with writing a small passage as some student will find the illustration part of the journal a more enjoyable experience.

3. Collect the journal entries and look at the students handwriting, spelling, grammar and use of vocabulary to ensure they are progressing and utilising the language they are learning.

4. Collect handwriting samples to place in students literacy portfolio

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsJournal Entries Attending

Self-correctingSynthesisingVisualisingCreatingAnalysingEvaluating

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Hot Seat

Purpose: A role playing activity that builds comprehension

Year Level: 2-3

Multiple Intelligences: Visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, logical/mathematical

Rationale: Hot seat is a role playing strategy that encourages comprehension for students who may struggle with understanding text visually. Typically as student will take on a persona of a character from a story, poem or movie etc that is being studied by the entire class. That one student is put in the ‘hot seat’ at the front of the classroom and questions will be asked by their peers and the student in the ‘hot seat’ will be required to respond accurately and quickly. This would be a good strategy to utilise halfway through a unit or at the end of a unit of literature because it gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their new understanding of the content being learnt.

Procedure:

1. Ensure students are comfortable with the literature/characters that are going to be discussed.

2. Ask for volunteers, if nobody volunteers ask specific students to sit in the hot seat3. Allow students to guide the questioning process for the hot seat activity, so long as the

questions are relevant and within reason.4. Choose another volunteer/student

Note: having a designated ‘hot seat’ would be beneficial for students. This seat could be decorated to link to unit of work or simply labelled ‘hot seat’.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsHot Seat Listening

TellingAnsweringIdentifyingExplainingDescribing

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Readers Theatre

Purpose: To encourage verbal and oral language through use of dramatic performance

Year Level: 3

Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal

Rationale: Readers theatre is a process that is based on students having to read a script or segments from a book and using only their voice and small hand gestures to re-enact that scene. This strategy is useful for students to develop their understanding of dramatic scenes from books or poems etc. there is little to no need for props, costumes or tedious hours of rehearsing. Instead small groups or individuals are encouraged to use their voice in order to demonstrate the intent of the passage they are reading. This also helps students to develop fluency in their reading and bring the text to life through verbal dialogue.

Procedure:

1. Allow students to work in small groups of individually, this is up to the students. The groups will be monitored to ensure all groups will be able to present to the class.

2. Students will be able to choose a passage from a book they are currently reading or they can modify the script if necessary

3. Time will be allocated for students to rehearse and depending on year level this will alter slightly. (Recommended 20 minutes for grade 3)

4. Groups or individuals will be asked to share their interpretation of the passage at the end of the lesson

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsReaders Theatre Reciting

SayingExplainingDescribing

M S

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Tea Party

Purpose: To introduce new snippets of text to students and encourage discussion and predictions about what this new text could insinuate.

Year Level: 3

Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/linguistic, interpersonal

Rationale: This strategy involves students verbally discussing new passages of text in a tea like scene. Students are encouraged to walk around the classroom and discuss with each other the new information. This strategy can be used as a pre-reading activity to introduce a new chapter in a content are textbook, or the tea party concept could be used at the end of a book the class has finished reading as a reviewing technique. It is important that what students will be reading is easily understood and each learner will be able to understand and comprehend the text without confusion.

Procedure:

1. Teacher selects excerpts from a book that students have read or will be reading2. Printing the passages onto coloured cardboard3. Laminate the copies and cut down to size so student can easily carry the excerpts4. Have stations set up throughout the classroom that students can easily move around and

have discussions at5. Have an allocated time for the activity to ensure students understand that they should be

having clear concise conversations.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsTea Party Listening

TellingSayingAnsweringIdentifyingPredictingDescribing

M S

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Chinese Whispers

Purpose: A fun and educational game about oral language and how easily it can be manipulated via phonemic changes in words

Year Level: 2-3

Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, interpersonal

Rationale: This game is a fun way of getting students to understand the ways in which sounds and sentences can be misinterpreted through verbal pronunciations. This concept is a great way of introducing the idea that verbal language skills are important and the way things sound are not always necessarily correct. By incorporating a think-aloud discussion at the end of the game the learning episode can be related to current content throughout the key learning areas. The sentences that begin the game can be pre

Procedure:

1. Have students lined up in 2 lines2. Choose team leaders3. First student must think of a sentence (it may be serious or silly) 4. This sentence will be shared with the teacher in order to check the sentence stays correct

throughout the Chinese whispers.5. The sentence will be repeated to the second person in the line and so on and so forth till the

last student6. The student at the end of the line will share the sentence that has been relayed7. The teacher will ask if the sentence is the same as the initial sentence8. After this process there would be a time for sharing and a think-aloud where questions may

be asked such as, were and words missed out? Were any words added to the sentence? What sounds were mixed up to create different words? Etc.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsChinese Whispers Repeating

RecitingTellingDescribing

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Show and Tell

Purpose: to get students comfortable with story-telling and sharing verbally within a group environment

Year Level: P-3

Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/linguistic, bodily/kinaesthetic, visual/spatial, interpersonal

Rationale: Show and a tell is a strategy that has been used over and over again because it is a simple way of encouraging students to share information about themselves in a comfortable classroom environment. Students are encouraged to talk about their friends, family, weekend hobbies etc while maintaining correct use of the English language. The sharing process will be done one student at a time and the whole class will be a part of the activity. Ideally students will bring in photos or memorabilia from holidays or simple weekend activities and talk through the events as they occurred. Highlighting anything interesting that may have happened with vocal theatrics.

Procedure:

1. Students will sit in a circle on the carpet2. Teacher will have a stuffed animal/toy that will be passed around (only the student holding

that toy/animal will be allowed to share)3. Once a student has finished sharing they will pass the toy along either clockwise or counter

clockwise4. Encourage every student to share at least one thing5. At the end of the show and tell process students are able to ask each other questions about

what they had to share.

Strategy Processing Strategies Cueing SystemsShow and Tell Listening

TellingSayingIdentifyingExplainingDescribing

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References

Adams, M., Foorman, B., & Lundberg, I. (1998). Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A

Classroom Curriculum (16th ed.). Maryland, USA: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Clay, M. M. (2005). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement (2nd ed.). New

Zealand: Heinemann.

Ellery, V. (2009). Creating Strategic Readers (2nd ed.). Newark, USA: International Reading

Association.

Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2010). Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education (1st ed.).

South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Literacy - the Key to Learning. (2006, October). Education Queensland. Retrieved September

6, 2012, from http://education.qld.gov.au/literacy/

Morrow, L. M. (2009). Liuteracy Development in the Early Years (6th ed.). United States of

America: Pearson .

Ott, P. (2007). How to Manage Spelling Successfully (1st ed.). New York, USA: Routeledge.

Tompkins, G., Campbell, R., & Green, D. (2012). Literacy for the 21st Century A Balanced

Approach (5th ed.). NSW: Pearson .

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