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Flexible grouping is another essential component of effective reading instruction. Collaborative work can benefit students' literacy skills by building off one another. It is important that collaborative groups such as literature circles and guided reading remain fluid and varied. Research suggests that rigid grouping can be harmful to a student's self-esteem and confidence as a reader (Shearer et al., 2019, p. 17). Readers embody the identities we assign them; therefore, we should keep groups as fluid as possible so students can render their true benefit.

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Reading and writing are two skills that work best when taught together. Shearer et al. (2019) write, "Reading and writing were viewed reciprocal processes, to be taught simultaneously, with the ability to enhance proficiency in both" (p. 15).

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The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (GRRM) is another essential element of effective literacy instruction. Teachers will begin a lesson with explicit instruction and then gradually release more responsibility to the student. While I know this is certainly a research-based strategy, I would have to continue investigating outside of this chapter to support it further.

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As reading instruction has evolved, researchers determined that comprehension skills should be taught and practiced just as frequently as phonics skills. When teachers place too great of an emphasis on phonics and decoding, comprehension skills suffer (Shearer et a., 2019, p. 14). Discrete comprehension skills such as finding the main idea, identifying cause-effect relationships, questioning the text, making inferences, and sequencing should be explicitly taught and practiced often.

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Though its delivery has been highly debated, it is no secret that phonics has played an important role in reading instruction. Evidence of phonics instruction dates back as early as the 1800s. Phonics is an effective element of reading instruction as it provides readers with concrete information about letter-sound relationships. This skill is imperative while learning to read. There are multiple ways to incorporate phonics instruction in the classroom.

Two widely debated approaches include the following:

- Synthetic (parts-to-whole) focuses on teaching "discrete sounds which can later be blended to make words" (Shearer et al., 2019, p. 13).
- Analytic (whole-to-parts) concretes on teaching "whole world units followed by systematic instruction linking the specific letters or letter combinations in the word with their respective sounds" (Shearer et al., 2019, p. 13).

As stated in chapter one, studies have determined there is no superior method that will work for all students (Shearer et al., 2019, p. 14). Instead, teachers should be knowledgeable of all phonics strategies so they can make better instructional decisions based on the needs in their classroom.

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LIT 669: Individual Reflection Prompt #1

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LIT 669: Individual Reflection Prompt #1

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By: Ashley Gifford
LIT 669
Professor Cara Monaco
February 19, 2023

Chapter one of Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches in the Real World explores the history of literacy instruction over four crucial time periods: before the Industrial Revolution, the first half of the 20th century, the second half of the 20th century, and the 21st century. Literacy instruction in each era is highly intertwined with its social and historical context, meaning literacy is impacted by its time period. This is especially evident when looking at the materials and books used to teach reading and writing. For instance, children learned to read using books about religion, morality, and patriotism. These are all themes that were aligned with the era's intentions for literacy. Furthermore, literacy has been only accessible to those who were deemed worthy at that given time. Though the United States has made progress in making education accessible, there is still work to do. I look forward to continuing to learn about culturally-responsive teaching in the 21st century.

As we attempt to understand the history of literacy, we should consider its most successful instructional literacy methods. It is imperative that the instructional methods used in the classroom are evidenced based. Teachers must have the appropriate pedagogical knowledge as they design their literacy lessons to meet the diverse needs of their students. Selecting strategies rooted in research can help students achieve greater success in the classroom. This graphic organizer illustrates the top five elements of an effective literacy curriculum.

References

Shearer, B. A., Carr, D. A., & Vogt M. (2019). Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches in the Real World. Waveland Press, Inc.