Early+Years+Teaching+Practice

The classrooms that I observed for my literacy lesson and school experience used the scaffolded approach to literacy. This is ‘a place for the teacher to model, share, guide and encourage independence in both reading and writing’ (Hill 2006, p. 72). From this I have learnt that this is a successful approach to teaching literacy.

﻿ __Reading __

The reading part of a literacy lesson normally begins with a big book using modelled or shared reading. Modelled reading is where the teacher models how to read to the students by reading aloud. The teacher uses a range of different text types when doing modelled reading. The purpose of modelled reading is ‘to engage with texts pitched at a more complex level than they can read’ (Hill 2006, p. 73). The students are introduced to language and complex structures that they may not hear in everyday conversations which they can use in their talk and writing (Hill 2006, p. 73).

Shared reading involves the ‘teacher and students reading’ a big book together (ECL lecture notes week 4 2011, p. 29) ‘to explore the conventions of print and the reading process’ (Hill 2006, p. 73). It is a whole group activity led by the teacher with the students joining in. The texts selected for shared reading are at or just above the student’s individual reading level. This is because there is group support for individual readers. The focus of shared reading is to ‘learn how to read various text types, how to solve problems in identifying various words, ways in which punctuation and grammar are used to communicate meaning’ (Hill 2006, p. 73).

The lesson then will move onto reading groups or learning centres. Learning centres are ‘for small group work and individual learning, and they free up the teacher to work with the rest of the class’ (Hill 2006,. p. 379). Activities are often displayed on a task board and are set up in different parts of the classroom for students to engage in literacy activities (Hill 2006, p. 379).

During learning centres one group will often do guided reading with the teacher. Guided reading is where the group have individual copies of the same text and read it together with the teachers help (Hill 2006, p. 80). The text is ‘selected by the teacher to be at the children’s learning level’ (Hill 2006, p. 80). The text is often read a number of times with the teacher developing a focus for each reading.

Also during the learning centres there is one group who will have independent reading time. ‘The purpose of independent reading is to build fluency and motivation for reading’ (Hill 2006, p. 83). The text is often selected by the student at their own reading level. Independent reading allows the student to practise fluency and be challenged to read for a sustained period of time (Hill 2006, p. 83).

__Writing __

Writing lessons similariy to reading lessons begin with modelled or shared writing. Modelled writing is where the teacher shows the students ‘how a writer uses words, sentences and text types to record ideas’ (Hill 2006, p. 87). The teacher will use a variety of text types when doing modelled writing to ‘demonstrate various purposes for writing’ (Hill 2006, p. 87). Shared writing is a whole-group activity which is led by the teacher. It is used to ‘explore ways to write various text types, construct more complex sentences and check spelling and grammar’. ‘The students will interact with the teacher and each other and contribute to the writing by sharing the pen’ (Hill 2006, p. 88).

Guided writing is where individuals or small groups writing on a range of different text types. The teacher will demonstrate and guide the students on a particular aspect on writing whether it is text type, grammar, punctuation or spelling (Hill 2006, p. 88).

Independent writing is where the students write on their own. This time allows for fluency to develop in their writing and ‘is a time to express ideas and experiment’ (Hill 2006, p. 88). Independent writing also allows the students to be creative and use a range of different text types.