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Teaching Reading: K-2 Workshop
Watch the Video | Creating a Literate Community
Lecture
In this section, you will watch Dr. Paratore’s lecture on creating a literate community in early literacy.
Print Dr. Paratore’s Literate Community Lecture Posters (PDF). Use the posters to take notes on the lecture.
In this video segment, Dr. Paratore discusses how effective classroom organization and routines promote beginning reading and writing. The lecture focuses on: varied and accessible print materials and classroom resources, purposeful displays of print in the classroom, and classroom routines that promote targeted opportunities for writing and oral language development.
An accompanying lecture transcript (PDF) is also available.
Video Segment – Dr. Paratore’s Lecture
Find this segment approximately 3 minutes and 40 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 9 minutes.
After watching the lecture, think about the following statement by Dr. Paratore:
The decisions teachers make about their classroom contexts have a consequence in children’s motivation to read and a consequence in children’s time to read.
Then review your notes and consider these questions:
- What are the important factors for planning and designing a literacy-rich environment?
- What classroom literacy routines promote reading and writing to “get things done”?
- Do the decisions teachers make to create a literate classroom environment in kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 differ? How? Why?
Classroom Excerpts
In this section, you will relate Dr. Paratore’s lecture and your readings to teaching practices in classroom excerpts.
Now you will observe different literacy environments in four classrooms — one kindergarten and three first-grade. You will see classroom arrangements and materials that encourage independent practice of literacy skills. As you watch, think about the planning that went into designing these environments.
Video Segment – Classroom Environment Excerpts
Find this segment approximately 12 minutes and 45 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 7 minutes.
After watching the classroom excerpts, consider these questions:
- How did the classroom environments promote children’s independent reading and writing?
- What areas of literacy and specific skills were emphasized in each classroom environment?
- How did each classroom promote opportunities to use reading, writing, and oral language?
- Becky Pursley says, “My classroom arrangement has always been a struggle to me.” What are your challenges in creating a literate classroom environment? How have you addressed these challenges?
Discussion
In this section, you will watch the workshop participants discuss the classroom excerpts.
Following the classroom excerpts, the workshop participants discuss the classroom environments. Compare your ideas with theirs.
Video Segment – Discussion
Find this segment approximately 19 minutes and 45 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 13 minutes.
After watching the workshop participants’ discussion, consider these questions:
- Workshop participants noted several factors common to all classrooms in the excerpts: centers or work stations to practice reading and writing; student engagement and independence when practicing reading and writing; and time on task. Did you agree with the workshop participants’ responses to the classroom excerpts? What else would you add to the discussion?
- Dr. Paratore said during this discussion, “Literacy is a social act.” How was this evident in the classroom excerpts? How did the opportunities for children working together enhance their learning?
More Classroom Excerpts
In this section, you will relate Dr. Paratore’s lecture and your readings to teaching practices in classroom excerpts.
Now you will observe the literacy routines in three classrooms — two kindergarten and one second-grade. As you watch, think about the similarities and differences among the three classrooms and how each teacher provides opportunities for meaningful reading and writing.
Video Segment – Classroom Routines Excerpts
Find this segment approximately 32 minutes and 33 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 9 minutes.
After watching the classroom excerpts, consider these questions:
- Which routines and tasks in these clasroom excerpts allowed children to engage in purposeful reading and writing?
- How did the routines maximize students’ time to read and write?
- How did the classroom environment support effective use of the routines?
- What might you take back to your classroom after watching these excerpts?
- What can you learn about students’ literacy development by observing their participation in classroom routines?
Optional Viewing
You may want to watch the small-group discussion. Find this segment approximately 41 minutes and 45 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 5 1/2 minutes.
Further Discussion
In this section, you will watch the workshop participants discuss the classroom excerpts.
Following the classroom excerpts, the workshop participants discuss the literacy routines. Compare your ideas with theirs.
Video Segment – Further Discussion
Find this segment approximately 47 minutes and 5 seconds after the beginning of the video. Watch for about 8 1/2 minutes.
After watching the workshop participant’s discussion, consider these questions:
- In both small- and whole-group discussions, the workshop participants talked about the role of the teacher and students when planning and using classroom routines. How do these roles differ in each classroom excerpt?
- First- and second-grade teacher Marcy Prager questioned how students who struggle with reading and writing could effectively and independently engage in literacy routines. What do you think? How do you enable every child in your class to participate in independent literacy routines?
- What else would you add to the workshop participants’ discussion?
