Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.
In the classroom I would utilize the comprehensive literacy approach. This allows for skill integration, while surrounding students in a print-rich environment. Through this approach, I will model appropriate reading strategies in order to boost reading confidence. By reading aloud, I am modeling reading with expression, introducing new concepts, and building and expanding on background knowledge, as well as life connections. By integrating reading and writing workshops, children will have the opportunities to express themselves in many different ways. They will be allowed to have choice, and I will offer them guidance along the way. It is important to surround them with topics that peak their interests. Shared reading and writing are other opportunities that prove to be effective literacy strategies.
Outside the classroom it is also important to integrate reading. Shared reading experiences should take place each day with an adult, or strong reader. This allows for motivation and discussions. Soon students will become motivated to read on their own. They will be able to recognize items of interest, and book handling skills will soon develop. It is important that all students have an at home library. This is a place to organize and keep their books. They can focus on strategies learned within the classroom.
I would send my students home with paper book and weekly library books to help encourage out of school reading. I agree with you in that students should have home libraries but if most of the students are on free or reduced lunch, it could be interpreted that the families may not have money to establish home libraries. Another concern/issue would be the importance of education/learning in the household. There are a number of families who are consumed in work life (financial support), personal life (not the children education) and some feel that it is utterly and solely the teachers responsibility to teach their child. How do you feel about that?
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