Balanced Literacy Teaching Strategies

 Modeled Reading/Writing    Shared Reading/Writing

  Interactive Reading/Writing  Guided Reading/Writing 

  Independent Reading/Writing 

At my school and through the teachers that I've come in contact with there seems to be confusion as to what happens while using each teaching strategy.  I'm hoping to help clear up that confusion with these pages.      

Each teacher is unique and individual in their own teaching styles.  These strategies will look very different from classroom to classroom.  What is important is that teachers are using the gradual release of responsibility within the balanced literacy philosophy.  

In the gradual release model, the teacher begins by assuming all of the responsibility for the learning and then gradually shifts to guiding the students in how to assume responsibility and then releases the responsibility to the student.

When trying to fit your daily teaching styles into one of these frameworks, my best advice is that these are teaching strategies so, you should think in terms of what the teacher is doing.  If the teacher is doing all or most of the work, you're probably modeling either through read aloud or shared reading.  If the work is equally divided between the student and teacher, then you're probably guiding their practice.  If the teacher is observing while the students do the work, then you're most likely in practice and application.

 

Traditional teaching styles typically stay in the model and instruction portion. Traditional teaching rarely gives students the opportunity for practice and application, or do so only during testing.