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In order for all my students to feel that my classroom is a comfortable and safe environment I have to be able to meet all their needs. That includes differentiating instruction, respecting their differences, and embracing their diverse backgrounds.
English Language Learners: The first method that will be beneficial for students who are ELL is for me to make sure my instruction is explicit. I always want to make sure my students have an understanding of what they are to be doing. I never want any of my students to feel lost or confused. I may have to meet with ELL students independently to ensure they understand. I also believe that reading aloud will be more beneficial for ELL students. They're able to listen and learn, which will in turn help with their comprehension and even comfortability. Lastly I want students to be able to work with other students to develop a better since of literacy. The literacy circles is a perfect time for this. The ELL students will even be able to add there diverse insight to the discussion.
Learners with Special Needs: An excellent strategy that would be effective is to use tiered activities. Tiered activities break down the content or activity to the level of the student. Learners with special needs would receive an activity at tier one, it would be less difficult and easy for them to understand. Tiered assignments also meet the needs of highly gifted students because the third tier activity could be differentiated to meet their needs. It would be an assignment that is more difficult compared to tier one. The tiering of assignments allow for students to receive the same lesson in a manor that meets their needs. I believe this method would be most effective because it ensures that all the students are receiving the activity that best meets their needs. They are able to feel confident and that creates a comfortable and safe environment.

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Read aloud (15 minutes): My literature block will begin with myself reading to the students. I believe it's important for students to be able to hear an adult read. This allows for them to really engage in the story without focusing their attention on their independent reading. It also allows for the students to pick up on reading strategies that I might use. I will be demonstrating how I read, from sounding out difficult words, projecting my voice, and looking at pictures for textual clues. Reading aloud to the students is a great time to read more difficult text that the students might not be able to read yet. I can also use this time to ask questions and for students to ask questions.
Mini Lesson (15 minutes): After the read aloud is complete I will conduct a mini lesson with the students.The mini lesson will be centered around the book we read during read aloud or a concept that deals with our literature circle. This is a great time to model reading strategies that the students might use. Anything new that the children would be doing would be modeled during this time period. I find it extremely important to model methods, strategies, or anything expected of students during the literature time during the mini lesson. Modeling allows for students to have clear expectations. They know exactly what I expect them to be doing. The hopes of the mini lessons are to create a comfortable atmosphere for my students. They should feel free to ask questions during this time frame.
Literature Circles (30 Minutes): Once we have conducted the mini lesson we will break into our literature circles. The students will have picked their literature circle group by the book they have chosen. The book will have been read the day before whether at home or in class. There will be five roles: Discussion director, Word wizard, Connector, Illustrator, and the Summarizer. The students will have roles for each day, but each student will have to complete each of these task in a week. The students spend the first half of the time frame completing the task they have chosen. Once everyone in the group has completed their jobs the discussion will begin. The students will share what they have written on their task forms. Each task form includes the jobs of the student so that they're reminded of what they're doing.The teacher will walk around at this time frame to make sure the students are on task. Literature circles allow for student choice, which motivates the students. I believe the students will enjoy the literature circles more because they are able to make decisions about what they read.
Independent reading (20 minutes): After we have completed the literature circles we will begin independent reading.This is a time for student to read books silently. I will be around to students and have them read to me at this time. Independent reading is crucial in a literature block. I believe this time allows for students to develop reading comprehension, strategies, and think about the text. I'm able to walk around and help students or just listen. I will be able to understand each students reading levels and where they struggle. This will allow me to create mini lessons that help the students.
Wrap up (10 minutes): The last part of the literature block will be a quick wrap up of everything we did that day. At this time students can discuss what they read, what they liked or didn't like, cool ideas, and anything else they feel important. I would also like to use this time to get insight about the students interest. Allowing them time to discuss what they have done that day allows me to gain insight into their interests. This wrap up is students centered I want them to feel free to express their, appropriate, opinions. I will take notes of their suggestions.
(Ideal for a second grade classroom.)

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1. Students will have a choice in what they read.
2. Students will have time to collaborate with each other about text.
3.We will listen and be respectful when students are sharing their ideas.
4. Students will come to the teacher with any questions or concerns.
5. We will read in class everyday.

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1. I believe that children learn literacy best in an environment that makes them feel comfortable. In order for a child to be successful they need to be immersed in an environment that makes them feel safe. Children need to be challenged and learn to take risk a comfortable and supportive environment ensures this. Students should feel free to express their opinions, ideas, and concerns regrading literacy.
2. I believe that teachers of literacy should provide great learning experiences for all students so that their individual needs can be meet. As teachers it's important to understand your students at an individual level. Teachers should know their students strengths and weaknesses and create learning experiences that foster those individual strengths and weaknesses.
3. My literacy classroom will be an environment where literacy has a positive impact on students life. It's important that, as teachers, we provide students with learning experiences that foster their interests. Emerging students in literacy that they find interesting will better enable them to learn the concepts that are being taught. Once students feel as if their interest are important, there look on literacy will be positive. It only takes one teacher to help students foster a love for reading.

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Sisters

My sisters have probably played the biggest role in my literacy background. I am one of four girls, one older sister and two younger sisters. I can remember from a young age my older sister coming home from school and reading to me. She would bring home books from school and we would sit on the couch while she read. I was so excited to start school so I too could learn to read. Once I started school and began to read, I would come home and read to my little sisters. It was a pattern that continued for years. The best part about reading the books and having them read to you was the discussion that followed. My sisters helped to show me the importance of collaborating through text. This experience has made me want to include groups discussions, collaborating, and even small talk into my literacy classroom.

School
My literacy experience throughout school is nothing exciting. In my classes we didn't participate in classroom discussions, literacy circles, or daily five. I remember that most of my literacy blocks were full of silent reading. I can honestly say that  as I progressed through school my love of reading declined. I was no longer aloud to chose books that interested me. I had to chose  books within my "lexile" range. I read at a higher range so often times the books I wanted to read I wasn't able to read. My school experience has influenced me to be considerate of student choice and interest in the classroom. In my future classroom I plan to incorporate student interests and choice as best as I can.

Nephew
My nephew is the newest addition on what has influenced literacy in my life. Two years ago I got the pleasure of becoming an aunt, and I never knew the impact that it would have on my life. Shortly after my nephew was born I began reading baby books to him. I didn't do this with the hopes that it would make him smarter or he would learn to read faster then other children. I read to him because it calmed him down, at first. Now that my nephew is two he still loves to listen to you read to him. I love to read to him. I never thought I would be the aunt that buys their nephews books for holidays/birthdays, but I am. Kanaan has influenced me to have a love for literacy again. I can see the effects that reading to him has. He has developed a love for books at the age of two. This just goes to show that children can be influenced at any age and time. It's important as teachers that we have a positive influence on a child's literacy.