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Why do theories matter? By Kristen Minster

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Why do theories matter? By Kristen Minster

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Throughout this course, I have learned about variance styles of literacy teaching as well as theoretical practice for reading and writing classroom instruction. I have gained a deeper understanding of why these types of theories are essential for broadening the professional mind of a literacy teacher. While learning various theories, I understand that there are many different perspectives in this content area of education. It is essential for me, as a teacher, to open my mind and broaden my perspectives within my own instruction. I have learned that my young kindergarten-age children have diverse learning abilities and skills in reading and writing. In order to properly accommodate to my students and close the achievement gap within their range of abilities, I need to utilize and integrate different teaching methods of instruction. If I can work towards accomplishing this goal, then my students will grow and develop in their particular literacy needs.

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The Importance of Understanding Theory-Ella Rhodes

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The Importance of Understanding Theory-Ella Rhodes

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When considering the importance of educators understanding literacy theory , I have to reflect on my own teaching experience. For my first few years in the classroom, I knew very little about literacy theories. In fact, up until this course, I knew very little about literacy theories. Now that I finally have some theoretical knowledge, I have to look back at my experiences and contemplate what I would have done differently if I'd had an understanding of literacy theory at the time. Ultimately I've determined that I would have been a much more effective teacher if I'd had a basic foundation in theory. For example, I know that I could have helped my students become stronger, more capable independent readers if I'd been well-versed in Metacognitive theory. Moreover, while I always knew what I was doing in the classroom, I didn't know why I was doing it. Theories give you that why, and that why just seems to make everything seem clearer. Essentially understanding theory allows you to make much more informed decisions in the classroom, and as educators, we need to have this understanding so that they can provide the most effective and most meaningful instruction to all of our students.

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Now, more than ever, it is extremely important that teachers understand the theories that stand behind education, especially when it comes to literacy education. Teachers have a tremendous job to do, as they try their best to address the needs of every student in their classroom. They may have students who perform at a wide variety of levels, speak different language, come from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and yet the teacher has to plan for each of those children, ensuring that they grow, every single day. This cannot happen without a vast knowledge of theory. These theories come into play when we have to deliver specialized instruction to students with a huge variety of needs. The knowledge of each theory is like another tool in the toolbox. Each obstacle requires the right tool. Teachers will do a better job at making sure that our students are getting the instruction they need when they have a vast knowledge of literacy theory.

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Literacy Theory in REAL LIFE (Patricia Nolan)

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Literacy Theory in REAL LIFE (Patricia Nolan)

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Too many times I have found myself sitting in professional development sessions that highlight things of little importance to me as a teacher in REAL LIFE. We learn about our SBAC scores, CMT testing and how to improve our school's state scores. I think our time would be much better spent learning about literacy theory and how we can adapt these theories to help teach our students. Having discussions about literacy theory amongst administration and colleagues would spark endless banter and new ideas that would help reach all of our students, no matter what their individual needs are.

When teachers are aware of best practices that stem directly from literacy theory, we can see the thinking and pedagogy behind it, and mold it to fit the needs of individual students in our classroom. For example, before this class I thought modeling was a great idea for behavior management. Now that I know more about Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, I understand the concept behind modeling (behaviorally and academically) for students in order to boost their learning. Similarly, I always knew it was important to actovate prior knowledge when presenting new content to students, but after learning more about Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, I understand why it is so important and ideas on how to use this practice in my classroom to benefit my students. In short, now that I know more about these theories, I am more confident in my teaching abilities!

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It is absolutely necessary for teachers to understand and be familiar with educational theories. It's important for teachers to understand the theories that are most evident in their classrooms because there will come a time when they must reflect to ensure the theories are beneficial for their students. I think teachers have all these strategies and ways they deliver lessons, but never understand there is research that supports their teaching styles. It's essential for teachers to understand this because chances are they can improve their teaching styles and make them even stronger!  The one that comes to mind for me is the Family Literacy Theory.  I've always said "oh there's no emphasis on literacy at home blah blah blah" but I never knew until this course that there are specific effective strategies to help these students.  I feel that because of theories, my relationships with students will become even stronger, and I will consciously think about the delivery of my instruction.

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The importance of literacy theory as a classroom teacher-Amanda White

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The importance of literacy theory as a classroom teacher-Amanda White

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As I was scrolling through Instagram after school, I came across the attached quote and it resonated with me in my experiences with this class and as a classroom teacher. I often struggle with the ability to meet the needs of my students with the district assigned curriculum. I think that my discomfort in following prescribed lesson is in part due to my growing understanding of literacy and learning theories. I am a firm believer that if I followed my programs explicitly, I would have to overlook the needs of my students. I find myself working from a social constructivist lens and I strive to extend my own literacy experiences to that of my students based on their schema and reading behaviors. The modeling and feedback that I provide is not the same for each student unlike the program that offers the same lesson for all. Another discrepancy I have found between the curriculum and my classroom is the importance of engagement. If I strictly taught to the standards, I would be teaching skills. Teaching engagement strategies helps students to be able to create the relevance in engagement needed for the skills that they are being graded on. The importance of theory as a classroom teacher is the ability to take the right approach to help students build on their individual skills and needs.

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Theories regarding literacy development are explanations pertaining to the reading and writing process that are supported by extensive research. Teachers need to be familiar with literacy theories so that they are equipped with research based practices that can help all students learn to grow in their reading and writing process. No student is created the same; Educators have to look through many theoretical lenses to meet each students' needs. Being familiar with the different theories that have been back by research gives a teacher numerous tools that can support all students' learning. Knowing that each theory is research based allows teachers to be confident as they take theory to practice in helping each student grow as a reader and writer. I also think that as an educator, we are always hearing the "latest and greatest" buzz words/new instructional practices that are used in classrooms but the theory that supports those practices is rarely shared. I, personally, like to know the "why"? Why is this a good idea? How will it help students? How did researchers come up with this particular instructional practice and why is it so incredible that we have to ditch everything that has been working to do this instead? Looking through different theoretical lenses when teaching in the classroom allows teachers to make informed decisions regarding how to teach literacy in the most beneficial way to move each student forward in his/her reading and writing process. This is very powerful instruction in the classroom.

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Why Literacy Theories Matter - Jolie Poirier

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Why Literacy Theories Matter - Jolie Poirier

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As a relatively new educator, I find that I had rarely considered my pedagogy in terms of specific theories. Instead, I had found practices and methods that worked.  Reflecting back on these practices and theories I had unthinkingly had, I have noticed some theories of literacy I support.  One of these theories is the family literacy theory.  Before, I had just noticed the role of literacy in families that made reading a priority at home.  Now that I know more about this theory, I believe this theory is important for not only teachers in K-8 classrooms, but families as well.  According to the family literacy theory, a literacy-rich home environment is more important than even literacy-rich kindergarten and pre-school classrooms. Since this factor can greatly affect a child’s literacy environment, I feel it is extremely important for families and educators to be educated in it.

Throughout education, I have worked on my educator’s “tool-kit.” This is a collection of materials, techniques, and practices that I can draw upon to teach literacy and other content areas.  Now that I have learned about all the different literacy theories that are out there, I feel that my tool-kit is stronger than ever.  When faced with a challenging situation, I feel that I have enough resources and techniques to address it to the best of my ability.  This is why it is important for K-* teachers to understand literacy theories.  Not everything in the classroom can be addressed in the same way, or with the same lens.  Teachers need to have a collection of lenses, and should be able to look at a situation from different view points.  Since all students are different, and learn in different ways, this is extremely important for all educators and parents to be aware of.

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Why Teachers Should Understand Literacy Theory (Kelsey Frost)

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Why Teachers Should Understand Literacy Theory (Kelsey Frost)

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There are many reasons why teachers should understand literacy theory, however I do not feel that it is a top priority for teachers when they think about best practice. Although, in our reading it states, "highly effective, exemplary educators are able to articulate the relationships between what they do in the classroom and their theoretical reasons for doing so." (Tracey and Morrow, pg. 5, 2017).
When I read this phrase I realize that you cannot have best practice without intention and understanding of the theories that guide you and your educational beliefs. It is often easy to have professional conversations and say this is why I think this would work well with this child, but, WHY? Educators need to have more grasp of the why in our practice, before we can truly make academic decisions for our students. Understanding of literacy theory is vital to good instruction.
I have learned so much from this course about my practice as an educator and the theories that guide me. Although, I know about theorists and the ones in which we use to guide our instruction, I never aligned it to my own educational beliefs. So that was the turning point for me and how I look forward to using this information in my continuing practice as an educator.

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Applying Literacy Theories to Practice: Why It Matters (Emma Murray)

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Applying Literacy Theories to Practice: Why It Matters (Emma Murray)

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I have now been teaching full-time for three years, and as a young teacher, I never really reflected on the theories that I studies in my undergrad. I just "did" the teaching based on what felt right and based on what I was expected to teach. However, I now see that understanding, reflecting on, and applying literacy theories to my daily practice of teaching is necessary to best meet the needs of all of my learners.

We are always told to add things to our "teacher toolbox," the proverbial box of tips, tricks, activities, and strategies that we use and that work. Adding literacy theories such as the Family Literacy Theory allows us to better understand our students' literacy background, and make meaningful and mindful decisions based on these understandings.

As the theories are put into practice more and more, we can accomplish more and more with our students in turn. We can create lessons and activities based on specific needs and schema, and we can further enhance curriculum that is handed down to us from the powers that be. Combining theory with practice is a necessary step when thinking of the instruction that needs to be provided in a successful, child-centered classroom.

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The Relationship Between Theory and Practice - Emily Achilles

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The Relationship Between Theory and Practice - Emily Achilles

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Literacy theory is vital to our understanding and practice as educators.  Throughout this course, we have discussed and  evaluated theories in order to apply them to our teaching.  This process has helped solidify aspects of my teaching that I already had in place, as well as push my thinking to broaden my practice in other areas that I had not considered.  Through this understanding of theory, I have a deeper understanding of my practice and I feel more prepared to tackle the challenges facing our literacy classrooms today.

Why does this matter? Because for me, theory has had such an impact on my teaching and life as an educator, that I cannot imagine my role without it. As educators, it is our responsibility to be constantly learning and growing so that our practice evolves with research and strategies. Our role is to understand theories and apply them as our students need to enable our students to learn and reach their fullest potential. Theory and practice are so tightly interwoven that you cannot have one without the other, and as educators it is our responsibility to understand both aspects of our practice.

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The Importance of Educators Understanding Literacy Theory 

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The Importance of Educators Understanding Literacy Theory 

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By: Hannah Johnson
In thinking back to the very first question and premise of this course, a theory or theories can be a set of crafted statements that explain facts or frequent occurrences and are repeatedly tested to be true. Thus, it is imperative that K-8 educators understand literacy theory in order to provide students with successful learning experiences that will ensure that their reading and writing skills thrive. It is the responsibility of educators to select learning experiences that are representative of a variety theories because we know and research shows that students learn best in a variety of ways. Learning experiences that stem from theories will ensure success because they are lessons that have been taught repeatedly and also have the research to validate their success. Educators may be utilizing literacy theories and not even know it. However, it is essential to understand what one is teaching but is it even more beneficial to understand the strategies one is employing and why they are utilizing them. I believe reflecting, understanding, and noticing the literacy theories that drive one’s instruction is the formula for a more competent and effective educator.

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When teachers understand the theories behind literacy practices, it increases the toolbox they already hold with strategies for success.  There is no "one size fits all" model for instruction, because students are people and people are complex in the ways they think and learn.  Ideally theories might be used in a proactive manner - helping teachers to plan the most effective lessons, targeting as many learners as possible.  Theories can also be used in a reactive manner - allowing teachers to discern how a student's behavior, background, family life, and approximate developmental milestones might affect instruction from being effective and how to adjust for their learning.  Knowing theoretical perspectives will give a teacher a jumping off point for instruction, allow him/her to confirm gut reactions about why a particular lesson may work (or not), and strategies for rerouting classwork/classtime to best fit student needs.

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Why is it important to understand literacy theory? The Influence of Theoretical Perspectives on Instructional Practice 

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Why is it important to understand literacy theory? The Influence of Theoretical Perspectives on Instructional Practice 

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By Cindy Ansaldo Sadly, we as a nation do not place a high value on teachers.  And yet, it is teachers who spend a substantial amount of time, five days per week, with our youth.  Our influence and impact on the lives of our country’s children is significant. And the task we are given, to “educate” these individuals, may affect every area of their lives. That being said, as we set out to educate, I believe it is imperative for us to provide instruction that is grounded in theory.  In order to plan effectual instruction, we need to understand how learning occurs. Despite the fact that people may have strongly held beliefs regarding theory and resultant instruction, and these theoretical perspectives may be contradictory in many ways, I believe that understanding why you choose to teach as you do is very important. Unless we know why we do what we do, we have no foundation for our practice and no reasonable expectation for successful teaching and learning, aside from wishful thinking.  As thoughtful practitioners, we are able to make instructional decisions based upon the needs of the student and our understandings of teaching and learning.

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It is essential for K-8 classroom teachers to understand literacy theory. Understanding literacy theory is the foundation for effective classroom practice. The literacy theories about family literacy and emergent literacy help us to understand how family and home literacy environment impacts student literacy development. The developmental theories help us to further understand the developmental process and how it affects literacy learning. Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Exercise Hypothesis help us to understand how other factors in a student’s life affect their literacy learning. Throughout this course we have explored many different literacy theories that have both validated and forced me to question aspects of my literacy instruction. The theories help to ground practice and for teachers to make informed decisions about literacy instruction  for the whole class or individual students. Theory and practice go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.

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Teachers enter the profession with pre-existing ideas of how to teach students effectively that usually come from their university's teacher preparation program. Many of the instructional techniques that teachers do so automatically and naturally are derived from old theories that are still relevant today. Teachers may not even know that their techniques come from theories. When making decisions about how to teach students effectively, choices should be driven by theories and perspectives that shed light on the educational experiences felt by kids each day. When teachers can precisely name the theory that goes with the technique they are using they are able to effectively explain to others why their instructional choice is valid. Every teacher should have a child-centered classroom, and learning about the different theories of learning and teaching help prepare teachers to provide their children with differentiated instruction to suit every need.

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The most important part of understanding literacy theory for teachers comes with the actually using it to improve practice. There are so many theories active daily in all of our classrooms- maybe even more than we knew.  There are theories that drive our management systems, our organizational systems, our writing and reading workshops. Acknowledging our theories first will help us to improve our literacy instruction. Literacy theory gives teachers something to latch onto to help us see the why of what we are teaching. If we are able to adjust these perspectives, then we can help our students even more in different ways. I genuinely believe that literacy theory is best utilized when it is informing future instruction. Teachers need to come together and collaborate on their perspectives and theories to help each other reach all students effectively. K-8 teachers need to acknowledge and observe different theories that are present. There are always multiple theories at work in reading from the student and teacher perspectives. Once we gather an understanding of what our students need, we can change our practice. Theory of literacy instruction is the way to teach our students effectively in practice.

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I believe that it is important for K-8 teachers to understand literacy theory so that they are able to increase their awareness of the instructional models taking place in their own classrooms. Classroom teachers incorporate different literacy theories into their classrooms without even realizing it - centers come from Whole Language Theory, activating prior knowledge through webbing and KWL charts come from Schema Theory, Turn-and-talks can be tied into Emergent Literacy Theory and the interrelatedness of speaking and listening, and so on and so forth. Just as educators use theories in their teaching, each individual student responds to particular literacy theories. Some students are driven from behavioralist perspectives whereas others might benefit more from a constructivist approach. When teachers are able to educate themselves about the different literacy theories, they become able to acknowledge the theories and strategies that might work best for the individuals in their classrooms. As teachers continue to learn about literacy theories, it can become easier to identify which theories that students would benefit best from in both full group and whole group instruction, as well as with classroom management. Everything that occurs within a classroom can be connected back to particular literacy theories. When teachers are educated in these theories and can identify which aspects of their practice connect to those theories, they become more well informed teachers who can meet the needs of all students. Finally, if particular teaching styles do not work for individual students, teachers are able to adjust their practice to reflect a theory that might better meet student needs.