
Five Basic Components of a Balanced Literacy Program
- 1. Christine Valente Wilmington University MRD 6202
- 2. 1. Phonemic Awareness 2. Phonics 3. Fluency 4. Vocabulary 5. Comprehension
- 3. The ability to identify and manipulate the sounds letters represent, including blending sounds to make words, creating rhyming patterns, and counting phonemes (individual sounds). (McEwan, 2009)
What are the Five Pillars of literacy?
The following elements should all form part of an effective reading instruction program.
- An emphasis on oral language, to include vocabulary development
- Phonemic awareness and the teaching of phonics, decoding and word studies
- Learning of a sight vocabulary
- The explicit teaching of comprehension strategies
- Meaningful writing experiences
- The development of fluent reading with opportunities for both guided and independent
What are the 5 essential components of reading?
What are the 5 essential components of reading?
- Overview.
- Phonemic Awareness.
- Phonics.
- Fluency.
- Vocabulary.
- Comprehension.
- Spelling.
What are the Five Pillars of reading instruction?
emphasize the five essential components of effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These programs and materials provide instruction in the five components that is explicit (focused, clear, and involves much modeling
What is the meaning of balanced literacy?
Balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and language exploration. It aims to strike a balance between both whole language and phonics when learning to read. The strongest elements of each are incorporated into a literacy program that aims to guide students toward proficient and lifelong reading.

What are the five main reading skills that are taught in the balanced literacy framework?
Five Elements of Balanced Reading Instruction The balanced literacy approach to reading instruction includes teaching phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. Let's learn more about each of these elements.
What are the big 5 literacy strategies?
In accordance with our commitment to deliver reading programs based on research-based instructional strategies, Read Naturally's programs develop and support the five (5) components of reading identified by the National Reading Panel—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
What are the 3 components of balanced literacy?
Many balanced literacy models are composed of three major components: Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, and Word Work.
What are the 5 components of reading?
The Five Components of ReadingPhonics. Phonics is the process of mapping the sounds in words to written letters. ... Phonemic awareness. Children develop phonemic awareness by learning about sounds (phonemes), syllables and words. ... Vocabulary. ... Fluency. ... Reading comprehension.
Why are the 5 components of reading important?
There are five aspects to the process of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency. These five aspects work together to create the reading experience. As children learn to read they must develop skills in all five of these areas in order to become successful readers.
What are the 5 language skills?
You should not be surprised to learn that these five categories are Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing, and Grammar.
What is balanced literacy examples?
Balanced Literacy instruction is focused on shared reading (e.g., the teacher reads aloud to students and asks questions about the text), guided reading (e.g., students read texts at their current ability level and discuss them with the teacher in homogeneous groups), and independent reading (e.g., students self-select ...
What does balanced literacy include?
A typical balanced literacy framework consists of five components including read aloud, guided reading, shared reading, independent reading, and word study. Skillful teachers use their knowledge of literacy development and processes to decide where to go next.
What are the 7 areas the text says should be in a balanced literacy classroom?
4). The activities are based on literacy areas that include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. The components of balanced literacy include read a louds, shared reading, reading workshop, shared writing, interactive writing and writing workshops.
What are the 5 critical reading skills?
Top 5 critical reading techniquesSurvey – Know what you're looking for! Before you crack open your book, take a few minutes to read the preface and introduction, and browse through the table of contents and the index. ... Ask questions. ... Read actively. ... Respond to your own questions. ... Record key concepts.
What are the big 6 in literacy?
Research has shown that there are six key components that contribute to successful beginning reading. Because of the importance of these components, they have become known as the 'Big Six': oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
What are the 5 components of oral language?
Oral language is made up of at least five key components (Moats 2010): phonological skills, pragmatics, syntax, morphological skills, and vocabulary (also referred to as semantics).
What are literacy strategies for teaching?
17 literacy strategies to use in the classroomAnnotate the text. ... Work in teams. ... Read aloud. ... Host a book recommendation event. ... Encourage students to choose their own books. ... Make a geographical map. ... Conduct individual meetings with students. ... Offer reading rewards.More items...•
What is the Big 5 in teaching?
The Big 5 are: Alphabet Knowledge and Early Writing; Background Knowledge; Book Knowledge and Print Concepts; Oral Language and Vocabulary; and Phonological Awareness. You will find all the resources organized by the five key skills that lead to later school success for all children.
How is the brain involved in the Big 5 of reading instruction?
As reading skills improve with intensive instruction, brain activity increases in key areas in the left side of the brain. Intensive reading instruction also leads to changes in the right side of the brain. The changes in the right side of the brain may help make up for weaknesses on the left.
What are the strategies for reading comprehension?
To improve students' reading comprehension, teachers should introduce the seven cognitive strategies of effective readers: activating, inferring, monitoring-clarifying, questioning, searching-selecting, summarizing, and visualizing-organizing.
How do you define balanced literacy?
Balanced literacy is a type of curriculum that incorporates two common types of literacy instruction as well as leveled reading groups. The two typ...
What are the five components of balanced literacy?
The five components of balanced literacy include read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, and word study. The information o...
Why is balanced literacy important?
Balanced literacy is important because it combines and maximizes important aspects of two common reading instruction techniques: phonics and whole...
What can teachers use to support the various components of balanced literacy?
Educators can also use the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge in order to support the various components of Balanced Literacy.
What is balanced literacy?
Balanced Literacy is a curricular methodology that integrates various modalities of literacy instruction, which are aimed at guiding students towards proficient and lifelong reading. The balanced literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and by the use of authentic texts.
What is strategy instruction?
Strategy Instruction: Another type of small group differentiated instruction that brings readers together who are not necessarily on the same instructional level, yet these children have demonstrated a common “strategy” need, which is identified by the teacher
What is a unit in literacy?
A unit can be specifically developed around questioning and accountable talk (some of my literacy units focus on just the DOK, or only the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, as well as, a combination of both). Small group work within a unit can focus on questioning and accountable talk.
What is a conference with students based on?
Conferences with students can be based on formal (pre-and post-assessments) and informal (observations & reader's response journal) data
What is interactive reading?
An interactive experience in which readers are engaged in discussing a text throughout the reading
What is the goal of fluency?
Fluency is a key goal of this component ultimately leading to higher levels of comprehension
How many elements of balanced literacy does Kelly use?
He can combine phonics instruction with whole language in order to help his students succeed. He can't wait to get started. There are five elements of balanced literacy that Kelly can use in his classroom to help his students learn to read. They are:
What is balanced literacy?
Balanced literacy is a combination of whole language and phonics. Just like the name implies, balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and language exploration. For example, in a balanced literacy classroom, Kelly might read aloud to the class and offer an explicit phonics lesson, like different words that include the blend 'ch' in them. Then, he'd give the students plenty of time to read on their own or in small groups, allowing them to discover language and reading on their own.
What is phonics instruction?
Phonics involves explicit instruction on the parts of language. It is a way of teaching reading and writing that focuses on teaching the parts of language first. In phonics instruction, children learn their letters, and then letter blends (like 'sh'), and then learn words.
What is the best way to teach reading?
One teacher in Kelly's school says that the best way to teach reading is with good old-fashioned phonics instruction. Another counters that that's outdated; whole language is the way to go. Kelly's a little confused. He knows that whole language and phonics are two different ways of teaching reading and that people have different ideas about which ...
What is independent reading?
Independent reading - During independent reading, students read on their own. They will select a text that interests them and read silently. Kelly might talk with a few students one-on-one or in a small group during independent reading, but most of the class will be working on their own and without Kelly. 5.
What is shared reading?
2. Shared reading - In a read aloud, Kelly has a book and reads it to the class. But in shared reading, the whole class has copies of the book and follows along with him.
What is balanced literacy?
A balanced literacy approach integrates reading, writing, and word study components. It aims to provide a balance of teacher-directed instruction and student-centered opportunities. Balanced literacy approach provide instruction using whole group, small group, and independent learning opportunities. Educators utilize authentic texts to provide meaningful and engaging reading, writing, and word study activities.
How many students are grouped according to their reading levels?
Four to six students are grouped homogeneously according to their reading levels. The educator chooses a text for students to read that is at their instructional level – not too easy and not too difficult. Students read their copy of the text independently, with the educator leaning in to provide support when needed.
What is shared reading?
Shared reading is a more interactive activity, where students are given the opportunity to join in on reading the text, or portions of the text. The role of the educator is to model fluent, expressive reading. Because the educator is involved in the reading, students are able to access texts that may be beyond their independent reading level.#N#During shared reading, it is essential for all students to have access to the text. This may take the form of a poem or chant written on chart paper, that all students can see. Big books are also ideal for shared reading. Or, it may be necessary to provide each student with a copy of the book being read. Shared reading can begin with the educator reading the text aloud, with students following along. This allows for modeling of fluent reading and the use of expression. During subsequent readings, students are invited to join in. For example, they could be reading a poem, reading a line that is repeated throughout a story, or reading the last word in lines of a rhyming text. The text being used for shared reading can be revisited more than once, over subsequent days.#N#Like read alouds, shared reading can be done with a specific purpose in mind. For example, if students are reading a poem written on chart paper, word study can be integrated into the activity by having them find the rhyming words. Similarly, shared reading can be used to discuss punctuation such as periods, exclamation marks, and question marks. The texts used for shared reading can be incorporated into writing, with students using the shared text as a model for their own writing.
Why do teachers use chart paper?
The educator may use chart paper, so all students can see the writing. Modeled writing can be used for a variety of purposes, such as demonstrating grammar and convention skills, composing a summary, or determining when to start a new sentence.
What is independent reading?
During independent reading, each student is reading a text, either of his choosing or within parameters set by the educator, with little to no assistance. For example, each student in a small group may be reading a novel as part of a book study.
How can word study be integrated into the activity?
For example, if students are reading a poem written on chart paper, word study can be integrated into the activity by having them find the rhyming words. Similarly, shared reading can be used to discuss punctuation such as periods, exclamation marks, and question marks.
Why is shared reading important?
During shared reading, it is essential for all students to have access to the text. This may take the form of a poem or chant written on chart paper, that all students can see.
What is independent reading?
Independent Reading is a time when students read text (either self-selected or teacher recommended) at their independent reading level to practice reading strategies and to develop fluency and automaticity. The teacher confers with students one-on-one, prompts the use of the strategies, discusses various aspects of the text, and learns about each student as a reader. Students may respond to the text in meaningful ways through writing, discussing, or sketching.
What is interactive read aloud?
Interactive Read Aloud is a time when the teacher reads a piece of quality writing aloud to the whole class and stops at planned points to ask questions that elicit student response. Students learn to think deeply about text, to listen to others and to grow their own ideas.
What are the components of Read Naturally?
In accordance with our commitment to deliver reading programs based on research-based instructional strategies, Read Naturally’s programs develop and support the five (5) components of reading identified by the National Reading Panel —phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, fluency, and print concepts are widely recognized as foundational reading skills.
What is the relationship between letters in written language and the individual sounds in spoken language?
Phonics. Phonics is the relationship between the letters (or letter combinations) in written language and the individual sounds in spoken language. Phonics instruction teaches students how to use these relationships to read and spell words.
How is vocabulary related to comprehension?
Vocabulary development is closely connected to comprehension. The larger the reader’s vocabulary (either oral or print), the easier it is to make sense of the text. According to the National Reading Panel, vocabulary can be learned incidentally through storybook reading or listening to others, and vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly. Students should be actively engaged in instruction that includes learning words before reading, repetition and multiple exposures, learning in rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology.#N#Learn more about vocabulary
How do young readers develop text comprehension?
The National Reading Panel determined that young readers develop text comprehension through a variety of techniques, including answering questions (quizzes) and summarization (retelling the story). Learn more about comprehension.
What is fluency in reading?
Fluency is the ability to read as well as we speak and to make sense of the text without having to stop and decode each word.
What is the impact of guided reading?
The National Reading Panel’s research findings concluded that guided oral reading and repeated oral reading had a significant and positive impact on word recognition, reading fluency, and comprehension in students of all ages. Learn more about fluency.
What should students be actively engaged in?
Students should be actively engaged in instruction that includes learning words before reading, repetition and multiple exposures, learning in rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology. Learn more about vocabulary.

Components of Balanced Literacy and Strategies*
Pairing Depth of Knowledge and Bloom’s Taxonomy with Balanced Literacy
- I encourage all of the literacy specialists and ELA teachers I work with to use the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) when planning lessons and activities. This ensures lessons are rigorous and tap higher-order thinking skills. The Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge also support Balanced Literacy objectives. If you are not familia…
Ways to Support Components of Balanced Literacy
- USING WEBB’S DOK WITH SHARED READING (METHOD 2) Shared reading is when students are reading a common text with teacher support. The text is re-read over the course of several days with various teaching points in mind. Fluency is a key focus, as well as, developing higher levels of comprehension. Using the DOK with shared reading helps to support students' deepening of co…
in Summary
- Guide students towards proficient and lifelong reading using the Balanced Literacy methodology. The Balanced Literacy approach is characterized by explicit skill instruction and by the use of authentic texts. Educators can also use the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge in order to support the various components of Balanced Literacy.