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Balanced Literacy Program:
The Literacy Collaborative
Balanced Literacy is a framework designed to help all students learn to read and write
effectively. The program stands firmly on the premise that all students
can learn to read and write. This balance between reading and writing allows students to
receive the teaching needed in order to reach grade level status, while allowing students
to work at a level that is not frustrating for them.
The Literacy Collaborative is a model for teaching children in a child-centered classroom,
providing many opportunities for real life reading and writing experiences. It is based on
the research of Marie Clay, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pennell. Children read and write
each day independently and in group settings (both large and small). Literacy
Collaborative classrooms focus on four different types of reading experiences:
 reading aloud to children
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shared reading - whole
class |
guided
reading - small group |
independent reading |
Students also participate in shared and individual writing activities each day.
The four types of writing experiences are:
shared writing - whole
class |
interactive writing -
whole class |
writing workshop - small
groups or individual |
independent writing |
Additionally, during many daily reading and writing experiences,
children are taught about letters, sounds, words and how they work. Listening and
speaking are also emphasized in this integrated language approach. All experiences
meet New York State Standards for Language Arts Instruction.
 Teachers implementing
the Literacy Collaborative use an integrated approach to teaching language arts. The
Literacy Collaborative framework for literacy lessons consists of a number of elements
that provide massive amounts of reading and writing on a daily basis. These authentic
opportunities for reading and writing are arranged on a continuum based on more or less
teacher support. Some reading and writing tasks are modeled by the teachers and others are
accomplished with the support of the teacher, leading to a few that are done independently
by the child.
 The goal of The Literacy Collaborative is to help children become
readers and writers who enjoy and value literacy. Children quickly learn that what they
say they can write and what they write they can read. The home-school connection is also
an important part of The Literacy Collaborative. Kindergarten students receive KEEP BOOKS
to read at home with their parents. These KEEP BOOKS help children to build their own home
libraries and allow parents to share in their child's literacy experiences.
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