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The Four Block Literacy Model with
Connie Prevatte
A Balanced Literacy Program for the Middle
Grades
I believe it is our goal to "grow"
all students academically with the implementation of effective
teaching strategies. We now know how to teach all children
to read - and we must be about the business of putting this
knowledge into practice in the classroom... Connie Prevatte
The Four Block Literacy Model with Connie
Prevatte is a series of 21, one hour lessons designed for
teachers in grades 3-8. Each program provides a directed
teaching lesson on a component of the four block model as well
as video footage of classroom teachers and roundtable discussion
with teachers currently implementing the literacy model.
This course provides effective research-based strategies that
actively involve students in learning and support language arts
standards. Management tools are provided for
implementation, including how to schedule the model within your
school's schedule.
This series was produced through a
collaborative effort between the South Carolina Department of
Education through a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New
York, and South Carolina ETV.
Program Descriptions...
Session 1: What is the Four Block
Model? Session 1 takes a look at reading... what we
have done in the past the the necessity of implementing a
research-based literacy model in our classrooms today.
Session 2: Reading Aloud to Students.
Why would we read aloud to middle-grade students? How
do we do it effectively? Resources and strategies are
shared in Session 2.
Session 3: Self-Selected Reading:
Why? How? Session 3 reviews classroom libraries and
analyzes the kinds and number of books needed.
Organization strategies are shared to ensure students' success.
Session 4: Self-Selected Reading:
Conferencing and Assessment. Self-selected reading is
not just offering an opportunity for students to read but has a
strong teaching component as well. Session 4 shares
techniques for conferencing (teaching) effectively with students
regarding the books they are reading.
Session 5: Guided Reading: What
Is It? The purpose of a guided reading lesson is not
just to read a story in the basal, or read a chapter in a novel.
The purpose is to teach reading comprehension strategies.
Educators will gain insight into this component.
Session 6: Guided Reading: The
Lesson, Part 1. Session 6 reviews the parts of a daily
lesson during the guided reading component, beginning with
pre-reading and teaching comprehension strategies to ensure its
success.
Session 7: Guided Reading: The
Lesson, Part 2. A continuation of Session 6, this
session presents instructional strategies to ensure successful
reading of the text, and presents techniques for teaching
comprehension strategies during post-reading.
Session 8: Guided Reading:
Expository Text, Part 1. It is essential that our
students be taught how to read expository or content text,
particularly in the middle grades. During this session,
educators will gain an understanding of why and how to teach
reading using expository text.
Session 9: Guided Reading:
Expository Text, Part 2. Session 9 presents effective
strategies for teaching students how to read expository text in
a middle-grade classroom.
Session 10: Writing: Why? Students
do not become better writers just by writing, nor through the
isolated study of grammar. Session 10 allows educators to
see the necessity of teaching students how to write.
Session 11: The Lesson Format and Time
Frame. Elements in an effective writing lesson and a
directed writing lesson are reviewed.
Session 12: Writing: Pre-writing,
Part 1. Pre-writing graphic organizers for
research and expository text are presented along with techniques
for teaching students how to develop and use the text organizers
independently.
Session 13: Writing: Pre-writing,
Part 2. Session 13 introduces graphic organizers for
narrative and descriptive writing.
Session 14: Writing: The
Translation and Conferencing. Translating the graphic
organizers into a draft, modeling, and conferencing are the
focus of Session 14.
Session 15: Writing:
Revision, Editing, Assessing, and Publishing. Once the
writing is finished, the fun begins. Session 15 focuses on
taking a draft through the revision and editing process.
Ideas for publishing student work are shared.
Session 16: Word Block: How to
Teach Spelling. Is spelling important? Yes it is
- and we are judged by how well we spell. It is crucial
that we teach our students to spell high-frequency words through
the use of an individualized spelling program. Session 16
shares a few techniques to aid teachers in this process.
Session 17: Word Block: How to
Teach Word Building Strategies. This session reviews
word building strategies such as structural analysis, synonyms,
multi-syllabic word building, and analogies, with a focus on
strategies that provide effective instruction in the classroom.
Session 18: The Home Connection:
Homework. Parents play an important role in providing
a balanced literacy model in the schools. Strategies for
bringing parents into the triangle of learning, along with
effective home assignments, are covered in Session 18.
Session 19: F.R.O.G. and Other Support
Programs. Whole-class balanced literacy instruction is
not always enough for all students. Some students will
need additional instructional support if they are to become
proficient readers and writers. Various support techniques
are covered in this session.
Session 20: Use of Instructional Time
and Planning. Knowing all the components of a balanced
literacy model is of little value unless a teacher can implement
all of the components in the classroom. Session 20
addresses daily schedules and pre-formatted lesson plans.
Session 21: Putting It All Together:
The Four Block Literacy Model in the Classroom. The
final session demonstrates all of the components of The Four
Block Literacy Model in one teacher's classroom.
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