SESSION 1: Literacy Instruction

The topic will touch on how to improve Literacy Instruction as a way to promote positive learning conditions in school. As stated in the topic Literacy Leadership, the Literacy Leader must be able to create positive learning conditions and improve literacy instruction in school. There are several approaches that can contribute to literacy improvement. Continue with the rest of the topics in this lesson to know more about them.

Domains of Literacy

To properly put us into context about the approaches, we are going to use the ABC+ baseline findings on how to improve our awareness and understanding of Literacy Instruction.

Look at the tables below. The first table shows the 14 Domain in the English curriculum. Notice that the domains are spread out in 5 sub-strands (listening, speaking, reading, writing and viewing). Focus, however, on the second table. All 14 Domains are present for K-3.

What is the implication of the presence of the 14 Domains when it comes to K-3 Literacy Instruction?

The 2nd table above shows how the domains are funneled across the K-12 Basic Education. If you will notice all 14 domains are developed during the foundational years - grades K to 3. However, based on the results of ABC’s assessment of literacy skills of K to 3, the domains marked in red are lagging behind and causing further delay of literacy skills development.

One highly possible reason for this could be that our teachers may be focusing on one or two domains more than the others. Another reason could be that we are not using a variety of instructional strategies that would target different types of learning styles for every domain.

Given this scenario, it is then imperative that we implement instructional strategies that specifically target these domains in a variety of ways. Let us review what we know about the literacy domains we will be working on in grades K to 3. However, we will be only touch on the domains that reflects the findings from the ABC+ assessment.

Accordingly, these domains are covered in the ABC+ Teacher Trainings. We also add vocabulary and fluency in the list because these are key components of literacy instruction in our context - given that we have Mother Tongue that will be transferred into the MoTL.

To aid us in understanding the literacy teaching strategies that can improve instruction, here is a simple description of each of the domains covered in the trainings. Some of them may already be familiar to you, but these are general descriptions and your teachers will be going through a more detailed and systematic implementation of each of them.

There are 2 noticeable things we can see in the table:

1. The Language Experience Approach (LEA) is highlighted as it is a very versatile approach.

2. Every literacy domain is described as either bottom up or top down or both

Notice also that approaches such as Marungko, Abakada and Fuller is a Bottom Up approach that only target phonics skills.

As you have seen, there are different approaches on the spectrum when teaching literacy.

Do you think the Balanced Literacy approach is most effective?

Here are also 4 reasons why the Balanced Literacy approach is effective.

The US National Reading Panel was clear in finding that systematic phonics instruction should be integrated with other reading instruction to create a balanced reading program. This approach is used when teaching children HOW to read, the Australian National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy supported this balanced approach, and recommended for use in the first couple of years of schooling for beginning readers (k-3).

This approach also allows children to experience literacy creatively, finding meaning, and enjoying the texts that they read. But it also gives them the tools they need to break language down into its component parts, reading and writing correctly from a younger age. Children are also given different opportunities to learn in different ways, it works for children at all levels of literacy and it creates a rich literary environment.

When do you think is the most appropriate time to use the balanced literacy approach?

In this topic, we will go through what the Language Experience Approach or LEA is. LEA is also one of the topics covered in the ABC+ Language Learning and Transition.

Since LEA/ language experience approach integrates speaking and listening, reading, and writing through the development of a written text based on first-hand experiences, it is an instructional strategy that is worth doing whether in school or at home. Through scaffolded talk, the teacher supports students to document experiences and ideas, using familiar and expanded vocabulary, modeling ways in which their thoughts and words can be written down and later read. LEA as an overall approach to language learning and development upon which is anchored strategies to develop competencies in specific domains.

When do you think is the most appropriate time to use LEA?

The Language Experience Approach is best used with first language learners. Educators have also advocated the value of LEA for English language learners (ELL), including elementary, secondary, and adult ELLs (Dixon & Nessel, 1983; Dorr, 2006;Nelson & Linek, 1999; Wurr, 2002). LEA can be used to teach students to read and write in any language. This approach is also best used when using first hand experiences of children (field trip, cooking, projects) related to their own lives. Lastly, LEA is used when teachers want to integrate speaking, reading, writing and grammar into one lesson.

Let us take a look at how the Language Experience Approach is applied in a Project Initiative. Scroll through the images below to see how the Project initiative was planned and implemented and what are the findings and recommendations after implementation.

When using the Language Experience Approach, remember that:

1. Provide a system of support for the HLPs who will be using the literacy strategies at home, especially LEA

2. Optimize the flexibility of LEA as it ensures a Balanced Approach by promoting both Top Down and Bottom Up skills while being easily adaptable for home use.