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  Four Blocks Literacy Model

We use the Four Block Model to teach literacy.  This framework is based on the four different and time tested ways to teach reading.  The language arts block is divided into four equal blocks with each block emphasizing one way of learning how to read.  By using the four ways each day, we are assured that all children will learn to read as every learning style is addressed each day.

Writing Block

 Each day in our writing Workshop we start with a 10 minute mini-lesson based on needs indicated in the children’s writing.  I model the writing process by showing students such skills as how to use the word wall as they write, what to do when they are not sure of how to spell a word, or go through the editing process for example.

 Following the mini-lesson, the children write while I conference with individual students or a small group.  This portion lasts about 20-25 minutes.  We conclude the Writing Workshop with several students sharing their writing with the class.  This piece is very important as it gives the students an audience for their work.

 They are expected to complete at least one piece of writing each week.  Frequently we write to a prompt or specific topic as that is a requirement on next year’s Connecticut Mastery Test.

Working with Words

The Words Block begins every day with the word wall.  The children clap, snap, cheer, and write the word wall words for the first 10 minutes.  In addition, other activities which help children use these words to write others such as rhyming words or words with endings are added.

 The remaining 20 minutes of this block are devoted to developing word attack skills.  Activities such as Guess the Covered Word, Be a Mind Reader and Rounding Up the Rhymes help children notice patterns in our language.  Once a week, a Making Words lesson is done.  This interactive, hands on activity develops phonemic awareness as children build words with letter tiles.

 Goals of the Words Block

1)  Learning high frequency words and commonly misspelled words “by heart”

2)  Learning one and two syllable words that follow a pattern

3)  Spelling words with two or more possible patterns

4)  Spelling and decoding polysyllabic words including prefixes and suffixes

5)  Applying spelling strategies while reading and writing

Self Selected Reading

 The Self Selected Reading Block provides students with the opportunity to practice reading appropriate material matched to their reading level.  Practice reading of books at the appropriate level develops fluency and a love of reading.

 In SSR, children get to:

           choose what they want to read

          build background knowledge

          read on their own level

          develop listening and speaking

          share and respond to reading and book vocabularies

          talk with their teacher about their books

          develop a sense of story

  Guided Reading

 The Guided Reading Block begins daily with a whole class mini-lesson focusing on the area of comprehension.  Following the mini-lesson, the children are placed into flexible groups and given a purpose for reading.  They work in these small groups, reading and discussing the selection.  The guided reading block concludes with the whole class discussing their reading.

 Comprehension Strategies

           inferencing

          monitoring

          summarizing

          sequencing

          question generating

          content words ( genre, body, conclusion, etc.)

          fact/opinion

          using context

          point of view

          making predictions

          setting a purpose for reading

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