What Makes a Strong Balanced Literacy Program?

Unfamiliar with balanced literacy yourself? A strong balanced literacy program includes

elements of whole language and phonics instruction. Here’s a quick overview of the
different parts of a balanced literacy program:
1. Shared Reading
Shared reading is an interactive reading process in which a teacher and student share in
reading a text and the teacher models the skills of a proficient reader. When doing a
shared reading, the text is available for both the student and teacher to see, whether
it be looking at the same book or a projected reading on a screen.
As a teacher begins the shared reading process, he or she selects a skill or behavior they
wish to model (for example, a teacher may model fluency). The teacher will read the text
aloud fluently, with correct speed, accuracy, and intonation, and students will replicate
the behavior. Shared readings support in-the-moment, replicable reading behaviors.
2. Read Aloud

Read aloud is a process by which teachers select a text

to model specific reading strategies often used by readers as they silently read. The
process of reading aloud helps to support students’ listening comprehension skills as
well as reinforce behaviors that readers would use if they are reading
independently.
For example, a teacher may choose to read a text to model expression. They may choose
to read a text to model self-to-text connections. They may even use a text instructionally
for understanding main ideas, drawing conclusions, or identifying cause and effect. Read
alouds are foundational for building many skills necessary to comprehend a text.
3. Guided Reading
Guided reading allows teachers to create differentiated small groups to deliver
reading instruction at a student’s particular reading level. While shared readings and
read alouds are typically done for the entire class to model a particular reading behavior
or reading comprehension skill, guided readings allow for targeted practice of a behavior
or skill on level.
4. Cloze Reading Procedure
Cloze reading is a strategy in which words are removed from a text to support a student’s
reading comprehension. Teachers may choose to remove unknown vocabulary words in a
passage in order to support a student’s ability to use context clues to determine the
missing word. Cloze reading procedures engage students in a process of problem
solving or analytical behaviors necessary when reading on level or difficult texts.
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5. Word Study / Vocabulary Instruction

Word Study in a balanced literacy program can involve decoding study of a word. For
example, if studying the word “chain,” students would be working on both digraphs
(“ch”) and vowel-vowel-consonant rimes (“ain”). Learning words phonetically in this
way supports decoding and spelling abilities.
Word Study can also include studying meaning of a word—vocabulary. Using the above
example, one could introduce the definition of the word “chain” as “a series of links.”
The definition can also be paired with a picture to increase understanding.
We’ve compiled key research findings on how early differences in vocabulary size can have big
implications for academic success down the read. Read the post now.
6. Interactive Writing
Interactive Writing is a process by which teachers and students share the pen,
essentially modeling parts of the writing process. Teachers may model writing a topic
sentence for an introductory paragraph and students contribute what is included within
the writing.
7. Reader's Workshop
Reader’s Workshop includes:
 a mini-lesson,
 independent reading time in which students are expected to practice a particular
reading strategy taught during the lesson,
 teacher-student conferencing,
 small group instruction, and
 a close/share, in which students have an opportunity to model or express how they
used the strategy during the workshop time.
8. Writer's Workshop
 Similar to Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s
Workshop includes a mini-lesson and independent writing time in which students are
expected to practice a particular strategy during a phase of the writing process (generating
ideas, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing).
Writer’s Workshop also includes teacher-student conferencing, small group instruction,
and a close/share in which students have an opportunity to model or express how they
used the strategy during the workshop time.