Developed more than a decade ago by literacy experts Dr. Patricia Cunningham and Dr. Dorothy hall in conjunction with first grade classroom, conducted by Margaret Defee, Four Blocks is a balanced literacy program for teaching language arts in grade 1-3. The Four Blocks program, based on the understanding that not all children learn in the same way, integrates four key components to the development of beginner readers. The four language arts area that are integrated during reading instruction are: guided reading, self-selected reading, writing, and working with words. During the guided reading block, comprehension instruction is given, during self-selected reading block is teacher read-aloud and independent reading, and during working with
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Before insertion of students in guided reading groups it is vital to assess your students reading levels in order for accurate and proper placement. ¬In order to do guided reading effectively your students need to be placed in guided reading groups with similar needs. Assessment does not end at placement, but rather, assessment needs to be ongoing and the groups need to be flexible. The “Running Record” developed by Dr. Marie Clay provides the best information to determine placement in a guided reading group. Running records also provide the information necessary to offer support and instruction to each child in the group. You will use these assessments to change your groups on a somewhat regular basis. As an educator, it is up to you to notice when a student begins to “stand out” in a particular group. At that point it might be time to re-assess that child and then move them to a different level group that meets his/her needs; remember, growth is always …show more content…
During this block, children engage in various writing activities, children are learning writing skills, building fluency in writing, apply the writing process effectively, refine and apply knowledge of phonics and build students’ confidence as writers. The writing block should always begin with a mini-lesson taught by the teacher, this will allow the teacher to model to the students writing skills, so that they begin developing their individual writing. Over time, clever Four Block teachers learn to integrate their mini-lessons around everything students must know about writing, and adjust accordingly. The importance in the writers workshop is to get through the process and come to the result, publishing. The published book will then result in the students feeling confident enough to get in front of their peers to present their work. Following the mini-lesson, the children will then begin writing, and soon follow as the author. This particular writing block improves students’ independent writing skills for real purposes, written language skills at an individual pace, and expressive language skills by sharing what they have written. People question why a writing block is included in the four approaches, however, research say that 60% of children can learn to read first from their own writing. During individual writing,
Before insertion of students in guided reading groups it is vital to assess your students reading levels in order for accurate and proper placement. ¬In order to do guided reading effectively your students need to be placed in guided reading groups with similar needs. Assessment does not end at placement, but rather, assessment needs to be ongoing and the groups need to be flexible. The “Running Record” developed by Dr. Marie Clay provides the best information to determine placement in a guided reading group. Running records also provide the information necessary to offer support and instruction to each child in the group. You will use these assessments to change your groups on a somewhat regular basis. As an educator, it is up to you to notice when a student begins to “stand out” in a particular group. At that point it might be time to re-assess that child and then move them to a different level group that meets his/her needs; remember, growth is always …show more content…
During this block, children engage in various writing activities, children are learning writing skills, building fluency in writing, apply the writing process effectively, refine and apply knowledge of phonics and build students’ confidence as writers. The writing block should always begin with a mini-lesson taught by the teacher, this will allow the teacher to model to the students writing skills, so that they begin developing their individual writing. Over time, clever Four Block teachers learn to integrate their mini-lessons around everything students must know about writing, and adjust accordingly. The importance in the writers workshop is to get through the process and come to the result, publishing. The published book will then result in the students feeling confident enough to get in front of their peers to present their work. Following the mini-lesson, the children will then begin writing, and soon follow as the author. This particular writing block improves students’ independent writing skills for real purposes, written language skills at an individual pace, and expressive language skills by sharing what they have written. People question why a writing block is included in the four approaches, however, research say that 60% of children can learn to read first from their own writing. During individual writing,