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Teaching comprehension is never a one-size-fits-all. In light of this, I will include a variety of strategies and skills that allow for a variety of reading levels and comprehension foundation skill levels. I will emphasize instruction on how to interact with text independently as well as teach kids how to love reading. More specifically in the classroom, I will activate as well as create students’ background knowledge and visualization to connect and apply comprehension(Vander Kolk, 2025).

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I will assess comprehension through weekly summative quizzes. These quizzes will have inferential, evaluative test questions and written responses. I will be looking for answers that go beyond summaries and content surface level responses. I will be looking for inferring, understanding, and engagement with the text in answers to create meaning.

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To develop this skill I will involve a lot of contact with a variety of texts. More specifically, I will incorporate frequent read-alouds with expressive reading. I will ask higher level thinking questions about the text as well. This will allow the students to see examples of good reading comprehension. I will also ask students to model it and target working on their own reading comprehension independently and with confidence.

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The term reading comprehension is defined as a reader’s ability to interact with, and react or respond to a literary text. This includes judging and evaluating text as well. Additionally, reading comprehension requires the use of deliberate, purposeful thinking in order to create meaning. It goes beyond the actual text as well because a reader that is good at comprehension will also be able to work at and understand context. Context broken down is the when, where, and why a text is read. Student’s understanding of this concept is a huge piece that goes into comprehension(Graves, 2011).

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Depth of meaning must be emphasized when instructing in vocabulary. Therefore I will be emphasizing instruction in word recognition as well as focusing on using these words and understanding them well. I will utilize sequential teaching of this and implement Beck’s three tiers. Therefore, I will start with basic words that don’t have multiple meanings, and then move to high frequency words, or words that show up a lot in text. Finally, the last tier I will include is the one that focuses on specific, content related words(Simms & Marzano, 2019).

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It will be assessed through a weekly formative checklist. That makes sure that kids are meeting the goals they need to meet. Not only this, but it lets me know where each individual is at. I will also assess through short, weekly summative quizzes. These will make sure kids are meeting state standards.

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I will develop this important foundation through targeted instruction in learning words independently. I will also teach kids how to teach themselves words when they encounter ones they don’t know. They will be learning how to use their resources and to know what they are looking for. Another important way I will develop this skill is through explicit instruction on individual words, and frequent, varied language experience. I will be working with these multiple development methods in order to build an interest in learning new words.

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Vocabulary involves the knowledge of words and their meanings. This includes both spoken and written. It is a “lexicon” or a set of words that are known and can be used with ease. This knowledge goes beyond a surface knowledge because kids must be able to use these words and know them well in order to truly have them added to their lexicon. Beyond just defining the words, students must be able to apply them, understand multiple meanings, recognize when the words are used mistakenly, and have the words at their command when speaking, thinking or writing(Vander Kolk, 2025).

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I will teach this skill through direct instruction in reading fluency with lots of modeling and examples set. I will be reading aloud expressively and with good prosody and then having students partner-read to each other afterwards. More specifically I will include direct instruction on prosody and its respective components which include phrasing, pitch, volume, stress, and pacing. Additionally, I will teach students how to teach themselves, or practice this skill on their own consistently(Vander Kolk, 2025).

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To assess fluency I will listen to students read aloud for a set amount of time and collect individual data. This will be a weekly summative assessment. I will pay special attention when assessing the student’s reading accuracy, speed, and prosody. Specifically I will be looking for what makes up prosody, which is patterns of stress and intonation in reading.

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Developing this skill requires several components to be mastered. To forward good fluency, I will focus on developing word recognition with consistent and frequent practice and activities. For example, I will utilize sight word bingo and word walls. Two more things that I will be including in this development are consistent practice in both punctuation cues and overall comprehension skills. Once these are mastered we will move on as a class to choral reading which will give students the opportunity to work on their prosody. And to connect all this together, I will make sure to have students get in lots of contact with a variety of texts.

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Fluent reading combines several elements.  A fluent reader is one that demonstrates the use of good word recognition and phonics. The second part of it is that advanced concepts of print and phonemic awareness must be shown. A fluent reader puts these elements together to achieve even, consistent, and demonstrative reading(Graves, 2011).

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In my classroom, sight words will be taught in both small-group settings and large-group settings. I will include lots of contact with books and read-alouds. Specifically, I will implement active movement games and memory games(like matching games) to teach these words and get them to stick in the brain. I believe that teaching with active movement connects both sides of the brain. Therefore, I will teach sight words with interactive pieces and components. For example, I will have a velcro wall in my classroom that kids can stick and move around learned words on(Vander Kolk, 2025).

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I will assess sight words with summative grading. For example, I will use short, weekly summative quizzes to help the brain cement these words in. I will make sure to include old words that have been mastered in the past along with the new words. This will be helpful in scaffolding kids’ learning. By this I mean it will greatly assist in adding new words on top of old to bridge the gap between memory and learning.

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I will develop this through sequential, frequent memory drills and games of these words. Another key way I will improve on this is I will have read-alouds and text in class that contain sight words that are used frequently. This will be valuable for kids to get in contact with text and improve their vocabulary and range of sight words. Additionally, I will make sure to emphasize context and illustrations, and background knowledge to support the development of recognizing these words. I will encourage students to use their resources to develop and expand their sight word knowledge. This use of context and resources will enable them to work on their sight words independently as well.

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Sight words are words that kids can recognize without stopping to puzzle out the pieces and syllables of it. Sight words should be high-frequency words that are common in text and in speaking. These words are very important because they set up a child for success later on as they learn to read longer texts and work to get meaning out. They are most commonly found in the context of word families. Word families are strategically grouped sight words that share similarities. The similarity has to do with similar sounds and is most often the first letter of the word(Graves, 2011).

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To teach this, I will be modeling how words are put together and taken apart. I will be including lots of contact and practice with this. To go deeper into this, I will implement a sequential set of phonics elements and instruct with a large set of letter-sound correspondences. Additionally, I will incorporate a lot of shared reading and point out the parts of the print in order to teach phonics in action(Mesmer, 2019).

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I will assess this important foundation through weekly formative check-lists during small-group reading, with specific goals that need to be met on the list. I will also assess through weekly summative quizzes. In these, I will be looking for an understanding of the alphabetic principle, print patterns, syllable patterns, and meaning word parts. These will allow me to gain data on the class and where improvement is needed.

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It will be developed through intentional and clear instruction and practice in letter-sound relationships. Not only is this key but I will also be emphasizing blending understandings of phonics and the alphabetic principle. The alphabetic principle forwards the development of phonics as it is the essential concept that a grapheme or symbol represents a phoneme or sound. In light of this, I will include lots of contact with writing and modeling writing in order to develop phonics as a skill.

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The big picture definition of phonics is how the system of writing works. More specifically, phonics is the system that tells which grapheme(symbol) connects to which phoneme(sound). This means basic letter-sound correspondences are going into this as well as basic spelling patterns.  It also includes the instruction or use of print patterns, syllable patterns, and meaning word parts(Vander Kolk, 2025).

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Teaching this skill can take the shape of many different things. I will be placing emphasis on activities that work with sound deletion, substitution, and reversal. I will also include interactive physical movement(like clapping the hands together, for example). Physical movement paired with activities like this raises the bar for children’s memory in this area. I believe that teaching with bodily motion activities not only helps engagement and motivation, but it also helps concepts and subjects stick with kids better as well. Therefore, I will be teaching this daily in small-group settings and include fun, competitive drills (Vander Kolk, 2025).

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It will be assessed through weekly checklists. I will use these checklists to gain data on where kids are at. These checklists will not necessarily have to be summative(for a grade). Another way I will assess is through one-on-one check-ins where kids show their phonological skills. This will allow me to gain an understanding of where kids are individually and make sure no child is left behind.

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This awareness is a main priority to be developed for beginning readers as they start building up the foundations for reading and spelling. I will be building this foundation through methodical, clear, and intentional instruction which is necessary to develop this skill. Kids learn this best through hearing explanations of this concept and then practicing it a lot, so I will emphasize practice and implementation. I will also use activities that focus on word recognition and manipulation to forward development.

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Phonological awareness is the awareness that kids need to be able to connect hearing words with reading and writing them. It is a comfortable and familiarity of all the different aspects and pieces of how speech sounds are developed and processed. That would be the broadest definition. More technically, it involves hearing and differentiating sounds. This means that when kids are learning this they are learning to “see” the breaks in between the words and sentences. Learning to “see” these breaks is very critical to learning to read and write because it is the necessary baseline or premise of literacy(Mesmer, 2019).

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I will teach this knowledge through daily expressive read-alouds. During these read-alouds, I will teach engagement with the print by encouraging interactive listening and reading. For example, I will have kids point to the text and follow along with their finger. More specifically, I will ask higher level thinking questions about the print and its structure and function (Vander Kolk, 2025).

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I will be assessing this through bi-weekly summative quizzes. I will be looking specifically for understanding of the functions of print, its conventions, and book conventions. Also, I will be going through a checklist and formatively observing students as they read and respond to print. This will allow me to gain an awareness on where the class is at both as a whole and individually.

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I will develop this through lots of daily contact with a variety of text and readings. In these readings, I will be modeling print referencing by specifically making comments about the print, sliding my finger along with the print, and asking higher level thinking questions about the print. Additionally, I will push direct instruction on the different ways print can be used in different text forms. I will be emphasizing student’s understanding of and engagement with the way print can be structured, as well as its standards.

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To define print concepts one has to be paying close attention to how books and literature look to a child. Print concepts are the attitudes and ideas a child has towards the forms and functions of print. It includes the child’s grasp of ideas about books, print, and attitudes towards reading and writing. Formally, this knowledge is divided into three sections: functions of print, conventions of print, and book conventions. Students with a good handle on these things and good concepts of print are comfortable and familiar with knowing how to read a book, knowing where to read on the page based on the structure, as well as the differences between letters and words(Simms & Marzano, 2019).

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When I instruct on this I will be including several specific ingredients that are essential to the dialogue. I will teach this by giving a mini-lesson on the value and necessity of fostering good dialogue. Not only this, but I will model what a good, respectful dialogue looks like for the students. I will be focusing on instilling the concepts of respect, listening well, and responding well (Vander Kolk, 2025).

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Assessment of this skill will tend to be more formative(not for a grade) in my classroom. I will assess this skill daily through formative check-ins during partner work and small-group share-outs. I will also be keeping track of this during whole-class discussions. Specifically, I will be looking for respectful listening, good responses and paraphrasing, and a productive conversation flow.

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To teach motivation I will start off instructing this through a mini-lesson focusing on having a purposeful, growth-directed mindset and keeping the end-goal in mind. I will also give a mini-lesson on engagement that focuses on mindfulness and monitoring attention shifts. Throughout the course I will also teach motivation by modeling examples of autonomy and independence in learning. I will teach and foster engagement by teaching at a lively pace and encouraging and requiring students to actively and physically participate in all class discussion and activities. I will model these things and show good examples of what engaging and participating looks like (Vander Kolk, 2025).

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I will assess these important pieces through several different types of formative assessment. First, I will collect weekly student reflections with prompts on how they feel they are doing in class. This will allow me to get an honest view of where students feel they are at mentally. I will also keep a daily checklist of student engagement and participation in both small group and whole class settings. Finally, I will utilize daily exit tickets on the class content to gain data on class understanding and interest.

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I will use multiple strategies to develop motivation and engagement in students. I will include physical movement activities and maintain a lively teaching cadence to encourage engagement. To foster the development of the motivation piece of it, I will specifically focus on developing the three areas of interest, dedication, and confidence. To develop interest I will incorporate student’s background knowledge and connect the material to things they can relate to. To develop dedication I will create many opportunities for autonomy and mastery, as well as celebrate the process and progress. To develop confidence I will work with and add on to kids’ background knowledge. I will provide specific and constructive feedback and highlight independence and growth. Not only this, but I will make sure the classroom is a supportive space where students feel able to take risks and make mistakes. To make this space safe I will set routines and rules and provide consequences for disrespectful or disrupting behavior. Additionally, I will make sure to keep the focus on growth and make sure students feel comfortable enough to struggle, wonder, and ask questions(Graves, 2011).

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Motivation and engagement are closely tied together, so one helps define the other. But specifically, motivation is the drive or willingness to engage in literacy tasks. It also refers to a student’s willingness to put forth their best ability to develop literacy knowledge and skills. This willingness must be intrinsic, meaning that it is self-sustained by the student and sourced from an inside desire to learn. This intrinsic piece is a huge part of motivation because it sets the student up for success in the long-term. Extrinsic motivation, or being motivated temporarily by an incentive like candy, is not a good long-term way to source motivation. On the other hand, engagement relates to all this but is somewhat more broad as it refers to the ability to be a dynamic and contributing unit in a literacy community.

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Culturally responsive practices are what foster literacy learning that connects to students individually. This means that it is necessary to have characters and authors from a variety of different ethnic, racial, and cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds. To promote it I will include lots of text that incorporates recognition and diverse representation. I will also incorporate multilingual and bilingual resources to broaden all students’ horizons.

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Creating a Literacy Learning Environment

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Creating a Literacy Learning Environment

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Creating a literacy learning environment is essential for developing life-long learners and readers. A literacy learning environment is one that emphasizes a healthy, personalized and literacy-rich classroom to forward students’ engagement with literature. To promote this I will provide personalized reading spaces and a variety of student-chosen text. I will also work to integrate literacy across subjects.

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I believe that in order to learn successfully, students must believe in themselves and their capabilities. In order to promote this, I will emphasize each students’ successes. I will also provide positive reinforcement and feedback.

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Building relationships will create a positive learning environment and maximize each individuals’ confidence and feelings of value and acceptance. In order to do this, I will work to understand each student’s instructional and personal needs and I will work to get to know each student as an individual. I will do this by being intentional about learning each student’s name and bringing their personal interests into the content. I will also engage in behaviors both verbal and nonverbal to provide feedback, affection, and appreciation(Sims & Marzano 2019).

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To promote a safe environment, I will lay down clear rules and goals. I will also make sure that all students are on the same page by providing clear feedback and instruction. I will provide clear consequences and positive reinforcement as appropriate(Sims & Marzano 2019).

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It is my aim to create a safe and positive learning environment that promotes student learning and confidence. In order to create a supportive literacy learning environment in my classroom, I will promote classroom management, relationships, and student self-esteem.

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I will be developing this through several specific ways. First, to consistently develop this in my classroom I will work to help consider different points of view and make sure each student feels safe enough to share their opinions and thoughts. I will also foster a good environment by celebrating good cooperation and keeping consequences for those who aren’t respectful. Further, I will provide support for the ideas and thoughts brought to the table by referring to materials and textbooks used in class.

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To understand the meaning of the concept of dialogue it is important to think about it in the learning environment setting. Dialogue in this environment is when participants thoughtfully listen and respond and collaborate to construct meaning together. A successful dialogue has components of respect and kindness in responses to others. It is important because no learning environment can live to its full potential without this active and respectful listening and collaboration(Graves, 2011).