Portraits of Literacy Development Instruction and Assessment in a Well-Balanced Literacy Program, K-3

by Antonacci, Patricia A.; O'Callaghan, Catherine M.

• ISBN13: 9780130943149
• ISBN10: 0130943142
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-08
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

With an emphasis on the many uses of assessment data, this book offers prospective teachers a unique new approach to using various assessments to inform their literacy instruction at every level. Through examples and discussion, readers are shown how to scaffold literacy instruction for emergent, early, and fluent readers, based on information they have gathered about pupils' learning.A solid research base and strong treatment of underlying theory support dozens of practical, accessible strategies that are clearly aligned with performance-based assessments. The alignment of performance-based assessments and corresponding instructional strategies with national standards facilitates prospective teachers' understanding of the "Leave No Child Behind" initiative and its implicationsprepares them for the expectations of colleagues, parents, and school boards. Includes coverage of technology as it relates to literacy teaching and learning.The authors' clear, pragmatic style makes the material easily understandable to undergraduates, graduates and classroom teachers of literacy in Early Childhood and Elementary Schools.

Table of Contents

The Foundations of Literacy Development in Young Children

Building a Framework for Assessing Language and Literacy: The Development of Young Readers and Writers

The Beginnings of Young Children's Literacy Development: The Framework for a Well-Balanced Literacy Program

Oral Language Development in Young Children

Linking Oral Language, Literacy Instruction, and Assessment at the Emergent Literacy Stage

Linking Oral Language, Literacy Instruction, and Assessment at the Early Literacy Stage

Linking Oral Language, Literacy Instruction, and Assessment at the Fluency Literacy Stage

Instruction and Assessment for Literacy Development in Emergent, Early, and Fluent Readers and Writers

Literacy Instruction and Assessment for Emergent Readers and Writers

Literacy Instruction and Assessment for Early Readers and Writers

Instructional and Assessment Strategies for Fluent Readers and Writers

The Role of Phonics in Literacy Development within a Balanced Literacy Program

Managing Literacy Instruction and Assessment in Diverse Classrooms

Teaching All Children: Accommodating Differences in the Literacy Classroom

Portfolio Assessment

Appendix

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

How Do Early Childhood Teachers Ensure That "No Child Is Let Behind"?Across the country, teachers and administrators are struggling to respond to the federal legislation mandate that every child receive a quality literacy education. One of the key components of the No Child Left Behind Act is research-based literacy instruction. The key to successful literacy instruction, however, is a reflective teacher with a rich knowledge base of child development and pedagogy.Our purpose in writing this textbook is to help early childhood teachers acquire an understanding ofassessment for learning.This process studies the child's literacy performance and bases instruction on the needs of the individual child. The teacher "follows the child," which is critical to early childhood instruction. We model how to implement scaffolded literacy instruction using developmental benchmarks in a clear, pragmatic style. It is now mandated in the No Child Left Behind Act that teachers gather evidence of student learning. This text provides performance-based literacy assessment to help teachers gather data on student progress. Throughout the text we illustrate how to scaffold literacy instruction for the child reading at the emergent, early, and fluent levels. What MakesPortraits of Literacy DevelopmentDifferent From Other Literacy Textbooks? Portraits of Literacy Developmentillustrates the importance of oral language to literacy instruction and demonstrates how to improve academic discourse. Teachers are shown how to scaffold literacy instruction for emergent, early, and fluent readers throughout the entire literacy cycle. Assessment instruments are provided which are linked to instruction. The appendix contains master copies of key assessment instruments that teachers can reproduce and use with their students. The diverse classroom of today is addressed and teachers are shown how to differentiate instruction and assessment for the 21st-century classroom. What Is the Purpose of This Textbook?As we interact with preservice and professional teachers, we are constantly asked how to integrate literacy instruction and assessment. Early childhood teachers are aware that using assessment data to improve literacy performance is critical, yet very few have been shown how to actually do it.We have used our decades of experience teaching literacy in early childhood to create a practitioner-friendly text. The real classroom with its many challenges is the springboard to present developmental benchmarks for literacy at the emergent, early, and fluent levels. The literacy benchmarks are based on national standards issued by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English and are therefore applicable across all 50 states. Supporting our instructional and assessment strategies is a framework for developmentally appropriate learning as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.Our goal is to illustrate how developmental benchmarks for literacy may be used to anchor instruction and assessment. As the teacher becomes immersed in the benchmarks, the instructional focus shifts to following the child while the teacher develops a well-trained "literacy lens." As the 21st-century classroom becomes more diverse and challenging, the early childhood teacher will need to draw on this knowledge to ensure that no child is left behind. How Is This Textbook Organized?This book is organized into four parts. Part I presents the foundations of literacy instruction and the research findings that support the instructional strategies presented in the text. It also explains the constructivist theory supporting the scaffolded literacy instruction that is presented throughout the text.Part II explores the importance of oral language development to literacy development. The chapters