Erin Szablewski

May 10
2012
Literacy Plan For a Fourth Grade Classroom

First I would like to thank you for considering me as a possible candidate for this position. Attached you will find my Literacy Plan for this fourth grade classroom which includes my beliefs of what a successful literacy framework in a classroom would look like. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Philosophy In order for students to become the best readers and writers that they can be, I must provide the following: Emphasis on the importance of reading, writing, and the use of language. Encourage students to take risks when it comes to learning. Provide authentic learning opportunities, learning activities that provide knowledge of social justice issues. Motivate learning through interaction in social environments. Recognize individual students needs and adapt lessons and activities to meet every student/ Proper use of Vygotsky scaffolding/Zone of Proximal Development. Provide a supportive learning environment that is engaging to students. Create an open line of communication between myself, the student, and the parents/guardians.

Reading, writing, and language is the core of everything that we as humans do. It is the base of all forms of communication. This is why it needs to be emphasized starting at a young age. Sociolinguist Lev Vygotsky believed that these are the foundation for ALL learning. The sociolinguist theory is based on the benefits of collaboration between students as well as student and teacher. The Sociolinguistic Theory focuses on learning through social interaction. When people interact during the learning process, they are

able to gain more insight and understanding of the material. Students who interact with others rather than independently learn more effectively and feel more comfortable and confident when faced with more difficult tasks. Students perform best in a supportive, collaborative environment. (Tompkins, pg 8) Another aspect of the sociolinguistic theory is the Zone of Proximal development. A teacher who is able to recognize his or her individual students zone of proximal development is a teacher who is going to be effective. In a classroom where Vygotskys sociolinguist theory is present, the teacher is able to determine through close communication and contact, where the student needs additional instruction and how they learn best. The Zone of Proximal Development, or ZPD, is where the teacher assesses at what level the student will best learn. (Fountas and Pinnell, 192) Vygotsky theorized that the ZPD is the specific zone where the student has just enough challenge that it keeps them trying and learning. It is also imperative that teachers get to know their students so they are able to effectively assess their learning needs and place the students in groups that will be beneficial to the students. This practice directly relates to the scaffolding aspect of Sociolinguistic Theory. When teachers scaffold, they are assessing the students Zone of Proximal Development and adapting the language used and strategies taught to better meet the students learning needs. (Tompkins, pg. 8, 21) An effective teacher also challenges their students to be risk takers in the classroom. This doesnt mean who can jump off of the highest desk, but rather challenging

students to become fearless when presented with new situations, like unfamiliar words when reading, or more challenging texts. By teaching students that learning and school isnt about always being right, but rather understanding, students figure out that learning is a process of exploration. (Tompkins, pg. 17) Effective teachers are able to distinguish which students are doing this and which students are not. By encouraging the students who are reluctant to do so, to rid themselves of the fear of saying or reading something incorrectly, students become more successful readers and writers. This is supported further through the Sociolinguistic Theory in which students who are attempting a task with the support of another, should feel comfortable in taking a risk because the of support that they feel. Authentic learning opportunities are key in keeping students interested and engaged in reading and writing. As an effective teacher, I will use the Social Justice Theory in order to promote student learning. By using this theory and authentic learning activities and incorporating them into our reading and writing activities, I will be able to teach and strengthen the students use of reading and writing strategies while keeping them engaged and learning about the world around them. Using topics or issues that students are interested in help keep them motivated to read and write outside of the school setting. (Fountas and Pinnell, xxiii) Social Justice Theory is represented when a teacher creates a classroom environment that allows the students to:

Learn about social justice issues in the world, such as racism, discrimination, diversity, different cultures, and equality.

Brainstorm ways that they can make a difference and implement these ideas throughout the school and community

Learn about how others have overcome social justice issues Feel important based on their opinions and ideas Discover, and helps others learn, from each other

It is important to teach social justice in the classroom, seeing as how we are teaching the next generation. They need to know how to appreciate and treat others while respecting the differences that they may have with another person. An effective way to teach this is through literacy activities. Social justice issues naturally keep students attention, thus motivating them to do the reading and writing activities, and to do them well. Providing a learning environment that is engaging is a necessary element in students learning. According to the Engagement Theory, (Tompkins, pg. 8) students who are more engaged, especially in reading and writing, have a higher motivation level to do these activities. As a result, they are more successful and have higher self confidence. It is important to me that I provide a learning environment that keeps students engaged and motivated to succeed in and out of the classroom. It is necessary and very beneficial to the student and families that there is open communication between what is going on in school and at home. Students who have

the same or similar support systems in both places will hopefully be more successful in both places. In conclusion, it is important to me that I incorporate all of my above beliefs, in order to the students in my classroom to become successful readers and writers. In order for this to happen, there needs to be open communication, support, and engaging, authentic learning activities that include issues that test the boundaries of students thinking.

Range of Reading and Writing Behaviors

Students in a fourth grade classroom have a variety of different reading and writing behaviors. Some may have an earlier developmental reading and writing level, whereas others may be more advanced for their age group. It is an important aspect of teaching to be able to identify and implement engaging lessons that are able to reach each of the levels the students are at. There are five different levels of readers. (Fountas and Pinnell, 8) They include Emergent Readers, Early Readers, Transitional Readers, Self Extending Readers, and Advanced Readers. Each of the different levels for reading show a distinct range of behaviors. As I stated before, there may be exceptions to a students developmental level, depending on the time of introduction, amount of practice, as well as the amount of support and experience the student has in and outside of the formal school setting. In a fourth grade setting, the fourth level for reading-Self-Extending Reader-is broken down into subcategories. Students in the fourth grade are slated to reach the

Self Extending to Advanced Reader; however, some students may surpass or fall short
of this level. The reading behaviors that are characteristic of a fourth grader are divided into the following: Self Extending Readers (Grades 3-4) are able to read silently as well as aloud fluently while using the reading strategies with ease. Self

Extending Readers utilize illustrations to gain further meaning from the text. They analyze unfamiliar, multi-syllable words while becoming immersed in their books. At this level, it is common for students to begin making personal connections with the characters in the stories and to past texts. Advanced Readers (Grades 4-6) also read silently and aloud fluently while using strategies to help their understanding of unfamiliar words. They are able to go beyond the text to form their own perceptions and apply their new understandings to the world around them. (Fountas and Pinnell, 8) It is important to note that even though the above levels are what is expected in the fourth grade, it is typical to have a student or a number of students who are at earlier levels of development, sometimes significantly, their peers. In order to be an effective teacher, I will be sure to provide the needed instruction to these students by providing materials and support, so that they are able to succeed. The levels and characteristics of students who are at an earlier developmental stage are as follows: Emergent Readers (Grades K-1) Beginning readers who know some, not always all, letter-sound relationships. They begin to recognize a few high frequency words, read left to right, and word for word. They are able to read orally, but not silently. The stories that they read are typically 1-2 lines.

 Early Readers (Grades 1-2) They know the letter-sound relationships, begin to recognize more high frequency words, and use strategies, like checking back to make sure it makes sense. They read aloud, and also begin to read silently. The texts that they read are slightly longer than the emergent readers, with more high frequency words and supportive illustrations. Transitional Readers (Grades 2-3) Students at this stage read silently most of the time, and are able to recognize a large amount of words automatically. They do not rely on illustrations as much as before, but do use them to gain additional meaning of what they are reading. (Fountas and Pinnell, 8) The writing expectations for the fourth grade are divided into the following levels: (Fountas and Pinnell, 7) Self Extending Writers (Grades 3-4): Students at this level are able to create pieces that are more organized, contain more advanced vocabulary, and are written for a variety of reasons. Their writing is descriptive to the point that it may take up multiple pages. Students also are able to practice their proofreading skills-checking for spelling errors as well as punctuation. Advanced Writers (Grades 4-6): Advanced Writers are able to use their rapidly expanding, complex vocabulary within their writing. They do this successfully by utilizing resources like a dictionary and thesaurus, in order to produce a well written project. Their proofreading skills have strengthened, as well as their ability to critique their own writing and ideas. Students at this level

are able to develop multiple characters within their stories and write about a large range of topics. Again, it is important to mention that not all fourth graders will be writing at these levels. It is almost certain that there will be students who may still be in the early stages of writing. Being prepared and willing to support students who are at this level is crucial in making sure that they do not get left behind. The earlier stages of writing that a fourth grade teacher might encounter are as follows: (Fountas and Pinnell, 7) Emergent Writers (Grades K-1) Students who are at this level are able to write their name from left to right, along with the alphabet letters with increasing accuracy. They are beginning to establish a relationship between print and pictures. They write words phonetically. Early Writers (Grades 1-2) Students at this stage are able to write words more fluently and with more focus on one idea. They consistently use spacing and illustrations that relate to the writing. They are able to reread their writing, which consists of familiar topics and ideas. Transitional Writers (Grades 2-3) Students at this level are beginning to spell words with more accuracy. They are able to stay focused on a piece of writing for a longer period of time, producing writing that includes dialogue and transitions. They use their new understandings of writing and use them when communicating through writing.

These students are assessed by using a rubric that lists the key points of successful writing. When using the 6-Trait Checklist, it is possible for a student to fall into different levels. Teachers are able to determine this by using examples of students writing in order to make an accurate judgment as to what each student need when it comes to writing. A teacher who is aware of the different levels, as well as each students ZPD, are going to be the teachers that are most successful in teaching students.

Role of the Teacher In a fourth grade classroom, a teacher must incorporate a number of different things in order to create an effective literacy learning environment. Within this learning environment, the students will have very diverse needs. As an effective teacher, I must learn what it is that will benefit my students and incorporate their needs into an effective literacy experience. Assessments There are specific literacy assessments that will fit into my classroom. To properly assess a students learning I must continually collect evidence in the form of student work or observation. (Fountas and Pinnell, 483) Each assessment allows for me to assess their ZPD as well as create on opportunity for students to express their opinions and ideas, while practicing literacy. Before assessing students, it is important to communicate the expectations that they are going to be held to. It is possible to establish or revise student expectations with the students as well for both quantity and quality of their work. It is important that students know that the work that they do overall will be reflected in their grade. This is a great opportunity to help them with goal setting. (Fountas and Pinnell, 502-503) There are different types of assessments that will be present in my classroom. With each type of assessment, there will be constant evaluation. At different points throughout the year, it will be necessary to put together different pieces of an individual

students work in order to track progress and compare to the established criteria. (Fountas and Pinnell, 483) It is important to me that I also create an assessment system that allows the opportunity for authentic assessment. Authentic assessment is where students are involved in activities that mirror what readers and writers do. (Fountas and Pinnell, 484) Assessing the students progress occurs through observations while the students are reading and writing. The students do not lose any time practicing reading or writing. To assess student comprehension, I will again turn to Vygotskys theory of social interaction. I will create an environment that allows me to observe students in conversation with one another, discussing the text that they are reading. I will be able to gain an understanding of whether or not they understand the text through the questions that they ask one another, as well as the body language and the students comfort level during the discussion. During the observation of their group discussion, I will take anecdotal records which will help me in student conferences. (Fountas and Pinnell, 492) Along with the general forms of assessment that will be present in the classroom, I will also be evaluating more specific student evidence. For reading, these will include: Readers Notebook: A readers notebook is a place for students to take time to reflect on their reading and write down their thoughts. These notebooks are great for understanding student comprehension. A great way to further assess

student learning and thinking is to ask questions for students to answer in their notebooks that requires them to think about and express the opinions or ideas that they gained from the text. (Fountas and Pinnell, 494) Benchmark Assessment: This form of assessment is a great way to assess the students reading level, along with determining a students comprehension of the text. (Fountas and Pinnell, 496) Running Records: This assessment is used to judge the accuracy of a students reading. Students read alound, individually, to the teacher as she uses a check mark for every correct word, and analyzes the results to determine the appropriate reading level. This method of assessing what level the student is reading as well as the strategies that they are using is not meant for all students in the classroom. There may be a number of students who are reading at the advanced level where it may not be necessary to do a running record, but there may also be a number who would benefit from this. (Fountas and Pinnell, 490) When assessing student writing, it is necessary to gather evidence from the students to assess six traits of good writing, which are described in detail below in Content and Strategies. It is necessary to have a rubric to determine the level of content that is in the writing as well as the proper use of conventions. Writers Notebook: Similar to the readers notebook, it is also beneficial to have the students record their thoughts in a writers notebook. In a writers notebook, students have more of a creative freedom when writing. This lets the teacher

have a more clear picture as to the where the students are at. (Fountas and Pinnell, 498) Writing Projects: When students are working on a writing project, they keep their different drafts and the final draft together so that it is possible for the teacher to compare the stages in writing. A teacher will be able to assess the students revision strategies and editing to gain a better understanding of what they need. (Fountas and Pinnell, 498) Literacy Portfolios: Literacy Portfolios are a collection of student writing over the school year that shows progress. It is also done over a longer time period. Some portfolios are constructed over the students school career. I think that having the students create a portfolio over the each as well is a great way to establish goals in reading and writing, as well as keeping the expectations high. (Fountas and Pinnell, 499) By using these forms of student assessment, it is important for students to self assess their work. This will allow students to reflect on the quality of their work and identify areas that they feel they need help in. Just as important is self reflection as a teacher. I need to continually assess my instruction to be sure that I am reaching every student and their individual needs.

Concepts and Strategies There are a number of important literary concepts and strategies that to teach our students at this developmental level. These concepts and strategies will allow the students to further their comprehension and success while reading and writing. In order to be sure to teach students at their correct developmental level, we must assess and use Vygotstys practice of scaffolding their instruction. By scaffolding their reading and writing instruction and practice, we are helping them become successful, independent readers and writers. The reading strategies that are to be taught at this developmental level are as follows: (Reading Strategies of Good Readers, Clay, 1985) Self Correction and Monitoring: Does it make sense? Students are taught through the different methods listed under instruction to use their background knowledge and clues from the text to determine if what they read makes sense and whether or not they read the text correctly. Search for Cues: Detective Students use this strategy to search for and connect signs from their background knowledge, pictures in the text, as well as other sources to help them work through difficult areas in a text. A great way for students to learn how to do this is through their teacher modeling her thinking and using the type of language that they can relate this strategy back to.

 Word Learning: When students are reading and come across an unfamiliar or difficult word, they are able to refer to this strategy. They break apart the word into smaller pieces that are more familiar, or refer to how the word is used to determine the meaning behind this word. Students are also in need of strategies to strengthen their comprehension of what it is that they are reading. Comprehension strategies include: (Tompkins, 262) Predicting: Thinking about what they see and what they already know to form predications about what is going to happen. Knowledge of Genre types: The different types of reading and writing, such as nonfiction, fiction, biographies, poetry, science fiction, historical fiction, and how they should think about and approach reading and writing each. Connections: Thinking about what they have read or written and relating it back to something that they have previously learned or experienced. Questioning: Raising questions about why characters did what they did, or other details of stories such as time period, ect. Inferring: Students use their background knowledge and draw conclusions based on clues. Setting a Purpose: Students read a text while focusing on a specific concept or strategy. Visualizing: Students create visual representations of the text using clues from the word choice of the author.

 Repairing: Students evaluate confusions that they may have by discussing and looking for additional clues within the text to correct their thinking and continue reading. Teaching students these comprehension strategies through modeling our thoughts and language shows the students our thinking process and what they can do while reading to better understand the text as well as strengthen their knowledge. In addition to the above strategies, students also need to be instructed on the reading process. The reading process includes five stages: Prereading, Reading, Responding, Exploring, and Applying. (Tompkins, 66) When students are reading, they are incorporating the above strategies in order to fully comprehend the text. During the Prereading stage, students are tapping into their background knowledge and make connections from what they see and read from the covers and the description given. They are able to predict what is going to happen, what genre the text belongs to, and also details about the book such as the topic and setting. The reading process allows students to use strategies such as comprehension strategies and self monitoring. Students are also able to practice their word learning strategies and cueing systems to identify correct meanings for unfamiliar words. During the reading or afterwards, students are given a chance to respond to what it is that they read. By allowing students the opportunity to discuss with each other, they are able to gain a deeper understanding and a variety of perspectives.

Allowing the students to explore the text afterwards lets them make further connections to themselves and the text and to other texts that they have previously read. They are able to explore the type of language used within the different genres. Lastly, students are able to apply their new knowledge. Students are given the opportunity to reflect upon their thinking throughout the reading process and share their ideas and opinions with their classmates. When students are taught to approach reading and the thinking processes to use while reading, they are more likely to feel successful and motivated to continue reading. When it comes to writing, students should be given the same types of tools to learn how to write more effectively. First, students need to be aware of what the qualities are in high-quality writing. These qualities, also known as the six traits, include: (Tompkins, 62) Ideas: Students need to be taught to choose a topic that is interesting to them and then brainstorm the ideas that they have about this topic to create more developed, focused main plan. Organization: The organization of the students ideas is key. A piece of writing that is properly organized will be interesting and show the thoughtfulness of the author. Students need to be shown what a properly how to organize their ideas during prewriting and to look for it as they work through the writing process.

 Voice: Students should incorporate their emotions behind the ideas that they have through the language that they choose to use in their writing. When an author uses their voice in a piece of work, it makes the story much more interesting and allows for certain details to come through. A great way to teach this to our students is model reading with a book that contains a strong voice, as also model how to include more of a voice into a piece of writing that does not have very much. Word Choice: To better incorporate voice into a piece of writing, students should be aware of the words that they are choosing to include in their writing. By selecting exciting and colorful words, they are making their writing much more interesting and are able to use words to better describe details and points. Teaching students how to use the thesaurus as well as practicing how to make metaphors/similes will benefit the students when they are deciding on which words to include in their work. Sentence Fluency: Throughout the draft, edit, and revising stages of their writing process, students should pay attention to the flow and ease of reading in terms of sentence structure and fluency. Students need to be able to identify and change sentences that are not quite right in order to create a piece of writing that is easy and interesting to read. By rereading texts that interest and show proper sentence fluency, students are given an example and something to strive for.

 Mechanics: During the editing stage, students should be able to correct errors such as spelling, capitalization and punctuation, as well as grammar. Examples of how to do this should be modeled and earlier concepts reviewed. The writing process: Prewriting: When students are taught to prewrite, they are taught to brainstorm and organize their ideas. Teaching students how to do this will give them a opportunity to choose a topic as well as a direction for their writing, including the style/genre. Drafting: Students need to be aware that the first draft of writing is not the best. They should use this stage to get their ideas on paper without worrying about correct spelling or conventions. Revising: Once the first draft is complete, students need to be shown how to revise their writing. Students reread their writing while adding and removing parts of the writing. A great way to incorporate social interaction into this step is by having the students share their writing and asking for feedback from the other students. Editing: During this stage, students should be proofreading their writing for errors, such as spelling mistakes and mechanics. By giving the students checklists to follow, they have clear developmental appropriate targets, such as the six traits. The skills that are needed by the students, in order to be able to correct these types of errors, need to be addressed in either small

group or whole group lessons, and can be readdressed as needed through individual or small group instruction. Publishing: Once students have completed the stages listed above, they are able to publish their work by creating final drafts that are ready to be shared. It is great to include this stage in the classroom, not only for social interaction, but to also encourage the students to think of themselves as authors and help them stay motivated to keep writing. The writing process can seem a little daunting to students who are at this developmental level. However, if we teach our students these concepts and strategies though modeling what good readers and writers do and how they think, it will create excitement and desire to be good readers and writers.

Instruction The different components of a balanced literacy instruction will help facilitate the concepts and strategies begin addressed in a fourth grade classroom. Through assessing the students needs, I will be able to correctly select which form of instruction is best. The different types of a balanced literacy instruction are as follows: Interactive Read Aloud: An Interactive Read Aloud is led by the teacher reading aloud. She models her thinking and thinking process about the text using appropriate language for the strategy or concept, and asks for student observations and participation in discussions. The environment of the classroom needs to lend itself to whole group discussion in terms of space as well as comfort in terms of interacting with one another. (Fountas and Pinnell, 16) Shared Reading/Writing (Mini Lesson): The teacher and the students have a copy of the same piece of text during a shared reading. Students use this to follow along with the teacher, occasionally taking over. For a shared writing, the teacher is the recorder of the thoughts while working together to discuss and compose a common work. Both of these mini lessons are a great way for the entire class to study the same text along with the support of an experienced reader and writer. Shared reading and writing allows the teacher to demonstrate a gradual release of

responsibility to the students. The teacher allows for student input so that they are able to demonstrate understanding. (Fountas and PInnell, 16) Guided Reading/Writing: Both Guided Reading and Guided Writing is for small group instruction. The small group is made up of students who are at the same reading/writing level. This small group allows for specific instruction of a particular strategy. Guided reading is used when students need more specific, structured instruction. In a fourth grade classroom, the students are given a text to read silently (Guided Reading) and occasionally asked to read aloud or discuss the text, so that the teacher can assess the needs of that particular student. Guided writing is similar to that of guided reading in that it consists of a small group of students who have the same needs. At this developmental level, it may not be necessary to have a guided reading section for all students, just those who need extra instruction with particular aspects of the reading a writing strategies and processes. In a guided writing group the time is spent covering specific writing strategies and skills. In order to successfully do both, there needs to be an area that is separate from the large group so that students are able to focus on the task at hand. (Fountas and Pinnell, 18) Literature Circles: Literature Circles are small groups of students who share the same interests in reading materials. As a group, you decide what it is that you read, and meet as a group to discuss what it is that

you took away from and understood about the book. This is a great way to observe student understanding within an authentic assessment. Literature circles would be most successful for those students who are reading at a more advanced stage. They are students who have a strong foundation of the strategies and who are able to pinpoint ideas in the story, form opinions, and share with the others in the group. Students who are not at this level may feel intimidated and discouraged. When students are participating in Literacy Circles, they need to come prepared and ready to participate. There needs to be a place in the classroom that each group can meet. (Fountas and Pinnell, 18) Independent Reading: During Independent Reading, students read a book that they typically select that goes along with the level that they are at. During this time, it is possible for the teacher to have one on one conferences with the students to assess their comprehension and success with that particular book. The classroom must be stocked full of books that will interest the students and be at their appropriate level. These also need to be organized in a way that students understand where to look for the books that most interests them. (Fountas and Pinnell, 16) Independent Writing: During Independent Writing, students work individually on a piece of writing. Students are able to use their writers notebooks or revising another piece of work. During this time, the teacher meets with individual students to assess where they are at.

During both Guided Reading and Writing, students need to have a classroom that is quiet and conducive for both. The room should be supplied with books for students to read and reference, as well as student work displayed throughout the room. Word Study: Word study is typically done through a mini lesson covering a particular strategy; however it can also be done during interactive read alouds as well as independently. A word study can teach students specific vocabulary words, as well as word-solving strategies, and concepts like Synonyms and Antonyms. Word study can also be incorporated into a guided reading or writing lesson for more specific instruction. (Fountas and Pinnell, 16) Besides ensuring that these components of literacy are in the classroom, it is important that teachers encourage student to express themselves through language and their writing as well as introduce books and authors that meet the students interests and reading levels. This will keep them engrossed in reading and provide the right amount of challenge to keep them from being bored due to it being too easy but not too hard that they become frustrated and give up. In addition, when teachers incorporate these different components of balanced literacy into their classroom, they are able to better scaffold student learning. Not all students in the classroom are going to be able to participate in advanced literature circles, and not all students need small group instruction reviewing a particular strategy.

These components allow the teacher to take what she has learned about her students in terms of their needs through assessments, and incorporate this knowledge through these components to best reach the students. As the students progress, the teacher is able to reassess and lead the students to more independent reading and writing. At the fourth grade level, keeping students excited about reading and writing is crucial. This is the age where their initial excitement of reading and writing begins to dwindle. By providing and using materials that focus on more serious topics, like social justice and the world around them, we as teachers are able to extend their knowledge and awareness of the world. This will hopefully motivate students to continue reading and writing about issues and topics that they are interested, while gaining knowledge, habit of reading and writing, and practice of strategies taught. Sociolinguist Vygotsky theorized that when students are accustomed to working together, they are more accomplished. As an effective teacher, I must recognize which groups will work best together, depending on each students individual reading and writing level, grouping them in a way that will be beneficial to every student. In this age/grade range, it remains just as important to have the students work together in groups as it was in their earlier grades. The will have a firmer grasp of what it means to work together, and how to communicate with others. For example, the teacher will model her thinking when leading an Interactive Read Aloud using the language that students can understand and relate to a particular strategy. By understanding where her students are at with reading, and also with the

subject of the book, she is able to judge where in the book she needs to explain things, or model strategies/questions that she knows others may have. If her students are familiar with the topic, she may use the story for another subject, or if it is with a group who needs more support with the material, she may model more to help the students understand the topic or plot. Also, being that this age it the where students begin to lose interest in reading and writing, using engaging lessons and activities make a huge difference in students reading outside of school. Reading materials that meet the levels and interests of the students in the classroom, in a variety of genres and subjects are necessary tools to have. An effective teacher emphasizes the importance of reading, writing, and the use of language. She does this by using topics that the students show interest in as well as introducing new topics, such as topics of social justice, to motivate continuation of reading and writing outside of school. Effective teachers also encourage students to take risks so that they are not afraid to try and tackle subjects that they are not familiar or comfortable with, as well as helping them express their own viewpoints during discussions or writing projects. This can be done by using motivation to learn through social interactions. Being able to recognize and implement as well as adapt lessons so that it meet the needs of every student in her class is another characteristic, as is being able to engage students through a learning environment that is conducive to that. An effective teacher is able to meet all of these aspects by understanding the theories provided.

Classroom Design

This basic classroom design is representative of the type of classroom that I hope to have. It contains classic characteristics of a classroom that is focused on learning through social interaction. By designing a classroom in which students are in constant contact with one another, will create an atmosphere that lends itself to collaboration. There are different sections of the classroom that are useful for literacy, as well as other content areas. Interactive Read Alouds have an area that allows for

comfortable, whole group instruction. The Kidney bean table located in a separate corner of the classroom is great for guided reading and writing. The position that it is located allows for privacy for the group and lets the teacher be able to keep an eye on the other students. I also added a round table. This will be used for individual conferences. The student desks located in the middle of the room allow for more room for students to interact with one another but still has enough space for students to do individual work. This configuration is representative of the sociolinguistic theory which emphasizes on student interaction. I have noticed in previous classrooms that they individual desks are placed in groups anyway; having a table would not be much of a difference to students as long as I could have a way for students to organize their belongings. Shared reading and writing lessons can take place with the use of the projector or smartboard in front of the students tables. This will allow the whole group to see and can also be used for smaller groups. Independent reading can take place in an area that is comfortable for students, either at their table, or in the carpeted area that is equipped with other seating. Independent writing can be done at the student tables or at the round or kidney bean table as well. There is a large amount of space for bookshelves for the classroom library, as well as storage. I purposely did not place in a desk. I would rather work off of either the round table or the kidney bean table. The awesome Cooperating Teachers that I

have had have taught me that I am always interacting with students and that having a desk is not necessary because I will not be using it. What isnt in my plan, (I couldnt figure out how to represent it) is the display of student work and examples of things that we have covered. This is an important part of the classroom. Students are able to reflect on what they have done and reference it when needed. This practice goes along with the support in the classroom and the students ZPD. While doing group or independent projects, students have the support that they need displayed across the room. The type of artifacts displayed will change with the changing levels of students, which will be determined through constant assessment.

Self Reflection and Goal Setting Based on this literacy plan and classroom design, I feel that I need to improve on: 1. Incorporate appropriate social justice issues into instruction. I feel like I should do more reading on incorporating social justice issues and what issues are appropriate for fourth grade. A lot of issues I am unsure as to whether they are appropriate for this level. 2. Gain firmer understanding of how to divide time from instruction to assessment. I feel like there is so much to do and cover and need to gain more knowledge of time management. 3. Learn more about how to keep students motivated in reading and writing. Some students may love to read and write when they come to me, but others may already dislike it. How does a teacher re-motivate a fourth grader and keep them engaged if topics related to their interests and social justice are not working?

Works Cited
Gleason, Robin. Class Lecture and Powerpoint. The Reading Process. Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI. 20 September, 2011 Pinnell, I. C. (2001). Guided Readers and Writers. In I. C. Pinnell, Guided Readers and Writers (pp. 405407/591-610). Portsmoth: Heinemann. Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy in the 21st Century . In G. E. Tompkins. Fresno: Allyn and bacon. Wood, C. (2007). YardSticks (Vol. 3). Turners Falls: Northeast Foundation for Children, INC.