Alyssa Toetz

ED 345-01
Spring, 2015
May 15, 2015
Alyssa Toetz
9321 Kensington Way
Franklin, WI 53132
414-617-4374
toetzaa@alverno.edu
Michael Mullen
Principle of Canterbury Elementary School
Greendale School District
7000 Enfield Ave
Greendale, WI 53129
Dear Michael Mullen,
After my first interview it was suggested that I create a comprehensive instructional
literacy plan for a 4th grade classroom according to their specific needs in literacy. My
educational background in Elementary/Middle Education from Alverno College, along
with my professional experience, makes me an excellent candidate for creating an
effective literacy plan.
As you will see from the enclosed literacy plan, I have a solid understanding of which
direction I would like to instruct these fourth grade students and how I will do so. This
plan entails specific details regarding how children learn literacy best. I have highlighted
educational theorists I wish to relate to in my classroom. I have also identified the various
levels of readers and writers I expect in this fourth grade classroom and my instructional
and strategic plan to address the diverse needs. My personal and professional
commitment for effective literacy skills in the classroom is shown through this plan. I
have included my balanced literacy approaches and how those will be put in place
regarding the role of the teacher, student, and environment. This plan will also address
how I will approach the following: reading assessments, reading concepts and strategies,
reading instruction, writing assessment, writing concepts and strategies, writing
instruction, word study concepts and strategies, word study instruction, and a tentative
classroom floor plan, followed by a professional development plan.
If you have questions about my comprehensive literacy plan, please contact me at 414617-4374. I look forward to meeting you again to further discuss employment
opportunities with the Greendale School District.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Toetz

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ED 345-01
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Comprehensive Literacy Plan
A. Set Goals:
As a teacher I will strive to instill strong reading and writing habits in my fourth
grade students. I want students to not only learn how to read and write but I want them to
learn the different purposes for reading and writing. I will work to encourage students to
become reflective learners, open to collaboration, and organized and respectful. I feel it is
very important for students to have strong collaboration skills so they are able to learn
from their peers and work well with them. Independent work also plays a role during
literacy learning. A goal for my students will be to become responsible learners and take
responsibility for their own success in the classroom. As a teacher it is my goal for all my
students to be successful and have confidence in their reading and writing abilities. I want
my students to explore different genres in order to expand their knowledge of different
texts and their structures. Also, as writers, I want students to use their knowledge of
literacy as a resource when they are writing. Word study will also impact their reading
and writing. My goal is for students to become curious about words through the
exploration of different words they come across while reading and during word study. I
want students to broaden their vocabulary so they are able to use new words in their
writing. I want students to become confident with their ability to find ways to find out the
meanings of unknown words. This will encourage their vocabulary development and
strengthen their literacy skills. Another goal I want my students to be able to do is to use
a variety of reading, writing, and speaking and listening strategies. It is important to
model these strategies for students and actively involve them so they are able to
determine which strategies are best for their individual success. Through establishing

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clear literacy goals for the students in the classroom they will strive to meet those goals,
further encouraging their motivation for learning as students. My final goal is for students
to become successful critical thinkers when they are reading so they are able to make
connections to the text and develop stronger comprehension of what they are reading.
B. Analyze Data:
The third grade data informs me of the students developmental progress in their
reading and writing levels from the beginning, middle, and end of third grade. Looking at
the data as a whole this third grade group of students has a strong base understanding of
reading, writing, and word study skills.
While examining the reading development data I looked at the students reading
levels to determine what the range of reading development is for these students at the end
of third grade. The reading levels range from a level L text to a level T for narrative text,
and a level K to T for informational text. I used the OASD Instructional Guided Reading
Levels Proficiency Benchmarks (ED 345 handout) to see where their levels were in
comparison to where they should be by the end of third grade. At the end of third grade
students should be reading at a level P text. For this group of students, their reading levels
range from a level K to a level T. Level K is where a second grader should be at by the
middle of the school year and level T is where a fifth grader would be at near the
beginning of the year. It is clear from this data that there is a wide range of readers.
This group of readers ranges from the late Transitional to the early Advanced
Reading stages. (Building and effective reading process over time, ED 345 handout)
There are many characteristics involved in these stages. In the late Transitional stage
students are able to use different cueing systems to check information as they read. They

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reread to check, predict, and self correct. They use sound letter relationships to decode
words. Students in the early Advanced Reading stage are able to read silently and fluently
when reading aloud. They are able to self-correct miscues that change the meaning of
words and use self-correction strategies automatically. Additionally, they are also able to
read for longer periods of time.
I went on to analyze the students writing assessment scores from all three samples
recorded in third grade in order to determine their writing development needs. For the
narrative writing assessment at the beginning of the year students met the expectation
according to the scaled scores from the Teachers College Rubric, which expects that
students score a 2 at the beginning of the year. All students met that expectation
illustrating their clear strength of narrative writing. As I went on to analyze the score
from the informational and opinion writing assessment students scores were less
proficient. For the mid year informational writing assessments 9 out of 23 recorded
scores did not met the expected scaled score from the Teachers College Rubrics of a 2.5.
Also, 13 of the 21 reported scores from the end of the year opinion writing assessment
did not meet the expected scale score of a 3. These students need more support for both
informational and opinion writing.
This group of writers ranges from the Transitional stage to the Self-Extending
stage. (Building an effective writing process over time, ED 345 handout) Behaviors
observed of transitional writers are they are able to spell many words conventionally and
make almost accurate attempts to spell more. They are able to work on writing pieces
over several days that include dialogue, beginning, middle, and endings. Their writing is
mostly conventional with simple sentence structure. Self-Extending writers are able write

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in a variety of genres, apply more complex sentence structure, develop ideas is fictions
and non-fiction, and use a variety of ways to organize information.
Finally, when analyzing the data for word study development, I looked at the
students Words their Way scores from the beginning, middle, and end of the year as well
as their comprehension scores. The Words their Way score was assessed using the Words
their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory and/or the Primary Spelling Inventory. The
Words their Way scores range from late Letter Name stage to the middle of Syllables and
Affixes stages. (Words their way chapter 7, Assessment data key ED 345 handout) In the
Letter Name stage, students use picture sorts to review initial consonants. They are
working on words to contrast blends and digraphs. In the Within Word stage, between the
Letter Name and Syllables and Affixes stage, the students are still using picture sorts.
They are working on contrasting short and long vowel sounds. Finally, in the Syllables
and Affixes stage the students are using word sorts to study inflected endings and
compound words. They are studying prefixes and suffixes and how they change the
meaning and grammatical use of the words in a sentence. I noticed the majority of the
students are in the Syllables and Affixes stage from the Words their Way sorts recorded at
the end of third grade.
I looked at the comprehension scores to determine where students are
developmentally in word study. Comprehension relates to words study because if a
student comprehends what they are reading, then they are able to understand what words
mean in the text they are reading. If a student has a low comprehension score, I would
then predict their use of vocabulary is not as strong as a student who has a high
comprehension score. The students comprehension scores were scored from a 1 to 10

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range for the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment. These students
comprehension scores ranged from a 4 to a 8 for informational text. This informs me that
the students who have a low comprehension score also may not have a huge knowledge
of vocabulary and word development because they are not able to understand the
vocabulary in the text.
To further investigate reasons behind these students low comprehension scores I
went on to analyze their fluency and words per minute scores. When students have low
words per minute scores it affects their comprehension because they are too focused on
how to say the words rather than what the words mean. I compared students words per
minute scores with the Benchmarks for Oral Reading Rate standards created by the
Teachers College. For both narrative and informational words per minute scores 10
students did not meet the level 3 standard expected. These students do need support with
further fluency instruction.
Some information that I feel I need to find out about these students at the
beginning of the fourth grade year is their reading, writing, and word study scores after
their summer vacation. As the teacher I will administer a variety assessments to
determine if the students reading and writing scores are still the same as they were at the
end of third grade. I will also need to find out what these students attitudes and interests
are.
To determine where my students are in reading, writing, and word study after
summer vacation, I will need to assess them during the first few weeks of school. In order
to assess reading levels of each child I will administer the Fountas and Pinnell
Benchmark Assessment, which will help to determine students oral reading and

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processing strategies. As the teacher, once the benchmark assessments are complete, I
will reflect on students performance and look for patterns in their reading. I will
determine their accuracy rate and determine reading behavior patterns observed. The
benchmark assessment will also aid in the determination of what level of books is just
right for the student. Comprehension can also be evaluated using the Fountas and
Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment. I will analyze comprehension levels through
pairing students up with partners so they can discuss books together, as the teacher I will
observe conversations through using an anecdotal checklist to record their comprehension
level of what they read. I would also administer a general reading survey to see what and
if students have read over the summer. I would include questions to see what students
individual attitudes are toward reading. I would also be sure to have a variety of books
for students to access so students are able to have a variety to chose from when picking
books for their book bins. After students fill their book bins I will be able to observe their
general interests in books they enjoy reading and whether they have the skills to pick
just right books.
In order to assess student writing I would collect on demand writing samples from
before, during, and after units of study, which would include narrative, informational, and
opinion. I would collect writing samples over time and use the Teachers College Rubric
to score them. I will also analyze the rubric and use it to plan for instructions and set
goals. I would also use ongoing assessment to set goals during units of study. Some
informal assessments I will use are recording anecdotal notes and conferencing with
students individually. I would also read their writing in their writers notebooks. Through

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these informal assessments I would continually adjust my instruction for the students as
their needs and levels of support shift.
Another assessment I would administer is either the primary or elementary
spelling test from Words their Way. I would look for how students spell individual words
and also how they spell words in their writing samples. Writing samples and spelling tests
are also effective when determining a students word study development. I would
reference their writing sample to see if they used a variety of words or if the words were
repetitive. I would look to see if students are using words correctly in sentences and if the
meaning of the word is correct as well. As a teacher I will be sure to tune in and listen to
student conversation to observe the kind of vocabulary they use when verbally
communicating with their classmates. If students use words in their everyday language
then they understand what the word means and how to use it correctly. Finally, I would
also use scores from the benchmark assessment to observe if students are using their
word knowledge and how students are decoding words on the run.
Through out the year I will continue to use these assessments to observe my
students growth in literacy skills. In order for my assessments to be effective I want to
make sure my assessment method is authentic. Authentic assessment is continuous and as
the teacher is very informative of and for my teaching. Assessment will aid in my
decisions about what I want my students to do, what they can do, and what they are ready
to learn next. I want my students to be involved in their assessment so they are able to see
their learning growth and develop that responsibility as a learner. I will also use a
checklist through out the entire year to keep track of students reading development. The
checklist will provide behaviors that I will be looking to observe while my students are

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reading. These checklists will vary according to specific lesson plans and goals of student
learning through out the year. In order to continue to assess comprehension levels I will
encourage students to retell what they just read, this is a great strategy to improve
comprehension among students. After students read I will ask them about what they read,
and about certain information to determine if the student understands what they are
reading. Another assessment technique I will use is having my students keep readers
notebook, which is another way I can determine students comprehension levels. Also, the
readers notebook is a great tool to use when assessing writing development and word
study development. I can reference their notebooks to check if students are using words
that we are studying in class in their writing, and if words are spelled correctly. I will also
use their readers notebook to assess their level of thinking in accordance with the
Teachers College rubric. All of these assessments will be used continuously through out
the year.
C. Instructional Plan:
There are many ways that students can learn literacy. I believe that children learn
literacy best when they are able to work together with the materials they are learning. I
believe that learning is a social process and through language students are able to
organize their thoughts. When students are working with others and discussing their
learning they are able to learn from their peers and develop a deeper understanding of
what they are reading. I believe students word study development is enhanced when
word sorts are done out loud and they are able to discuss word patterns and meanings
with their peers. Students can also share their writing with classmates. I believe that
teachers should focus their instruction according to students zone of proximal

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development to differentiate instruction. I believe students should learn to think critically
about what they are reading in order to think deeper about the meaning of text, make
connections, and improve comprehension. Students need to understand that reading is
about comprehension because with out comprehension there is no purpose for their
reading. I also believe that students learn reading and writing best when they have a
model for their learning. If students are able to observe how they should be thinking, they
are going to develop a better understanding of how to perform the skills that they are
learning about. I also believe that children need to be actively involved in their learning
process and take responsibility for their own learning (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective
Teacher of Reading).
There are many theories to connect to how children learn literacy best. The
Behaviorist Theory is teacher centered where the Constructivist, Sociolinguistic, and
Information Processing theories are student centered. All of these theories have different
structures that they believe are the best ways for students to learn literacy. In my own
practice, I believe in specific theories that support my practice for how I believe literacy
is learned best.
The Sociolinguistic Theory is the theory behind the center of my practice because
of its emphasis of using language for learning. Lev Vygotsky believes that learning is a
social process, and students need to use language to organize their thoughts. It is
important for teachers to incorporate opportunities for students to discuss their learning
through working in small groups to share their writing, discuss books they are reading,
and examine word patterns and meaning. Sociolinguistics promotes scaffolding student
learning, which means when the teacher has new material for the students, they begin by

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providing a high level of support. Teachers are able to provide high levels of supportive
learning through expert others. The expert other can take many forms. The teacher is seen
as the ultimate expert other and students learn through they language they observe,
otherwise known as think alouds. Expert others are also seen through students discussing
their learning with their peers. As the students continue to work through their learning the
support is slowly released. The students begin to take on the responsibility of the learning
as the teacher releases the support. The teacher gradually releases the responsibility of the
learning to the students until they are able to perform the learned skills on their own.
Vygotsky also believes that the teacher should focus instruction according to each
students zone of proximal development. This is the students level of learning between
their actual development and their potential development. If student is learning something
they already know then there is no new learning, this is why it is important for teachers to
challenge their students through their zone of proximal development to ensure students
are continuously learning new things and that their learning is challenging. Focused
instruction through the zone of proximal development is a great way to differentiate
instruction.
Another theory that I base my practice off of is the Information Processing
Theory. This theory compares the mind to a computer and describes how the information
moves through a series of processing units as information is sorted (Tompkins, Becoming
an Effective Teacher of Reading). The Information Processing theory believes that
reading and writing are related through the two-way flow of information between what
readers and writers know and the words that are written on the page. Another concept I
believe strongly in is that students need to be interacting with what they are reading and

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the writing process, which is also emphasized in the Information Processing theorys
interactive model (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading). This theory
also promotes the importance of constructing meaning of a text and how each students
comprehension of the text is their own interpretation. This is supported by the
Transactional theory that there is a two-way flow of information between the reader and
writer and what is on the page because each student has different experiences, which
allows for different interpretations. The Information Processing theory also believes that
students need to be strategic or goal-orientated behaviors to guide their thinking. In order
to do so they employ strategic behaviors of visualizing, organizing, and revising to
achieve their goals (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading). The
Information Processing theory believes that students need to be able to actively control
their thinking. Metacognition is a control mechanism that involves both students
awareness about their thinking and their active control of thinking (Tompkins, Becoming
an Effective Teacher of Reading). I believe that reading is all about comprehending.
Comprehending is the process in which the student is engaging with the text and
understanding the text (Tompkins, Promoting Comprehension: Reader Factors).
Engaging and interacting with a text is supported by the Information Processing theory
when they say that reading is an interactive process of meaning making. Meaning making
is exactly what comprehension is all about which is why I want to focus on
comprehension strategies with my students through reading and word study.
A comprehension strategy I want to focus on with my students is making
prediction. Making predictions is an important skill because it encourages students to
start thinking about what will happen next in the text. They will ask themselves what they

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think is going to happen and why it might happen. These predictions are based of off
previous knowledge, and their own experiences. The Information Processing theory also
supports that each student experience affects the students comprehension. As students
read they are going to want to find out if their prediction are correct and will continue to
make prediction as they read. This strategy is effective because it encourages students to
really think about what is happening in the book rather than just word reading.
Another comprehension strategy I would focus on is text to self-connections. A
text to self-connection is all about how the child relates to what they are reading, whether
they can relate to the characters, or situations described. This strategy is going to help
students to think about their previous knowledge and experiences they have had and see
the connections they can make to what they are reading. Making text to self-connections
also makes reading a more meaningful experience for students because it is related to
their own life. Text to self-connections will also help with comprehension since they
students will have to think about what they are reading and how it connects to their own
experiences instead of just reading the words on the page.
Rereading is another comprehension skill I would teach my students to do. This
strategy is effective when students encounter words they are not familiar with. The child
rereads the sentence when they come across a word that does not sound right, look right,
or make sense. From there the students have to use strategies they are taught to decode a
word and then use that word in the sentence they read. Through rereading students are
checking to see if the word sounds right, looks right, and makes sense. If they answer yes
to these questions, then the word must be correct. If they answer no to one of them, then
they may need to try another strategy to help them decode the unknown word and try

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rereading again. Rereading also helps with comprehension because it encourages students
to make sure that they are reading the correct words to ensure the meaning of the
sentence of the sentence or page is what the author is saying. If the students are making
up words, or pronouncing them incorrectly then they are not able to truly understand
what exactly the author has written. Rereading is also connected to metacognition
because when a student rereads they are taking the time to realize if what they read makes
sense, looks right, or sounds right.
Another comprehension strategy I would coach students through is retelling. This
strategy is done once reading is complete. The students will need to ask themselves who
the characters are and what events happened in the story. Students will need to be able to
retell with out having to read the book again, it may be helpful to look at pictures but the
child should be able to retell without rereading. Retelling also gives the students a better
understanding of what happened in the book because the student has to retell what they
read in their own words. When the students retell in their own words it becomes more
meaningful as well. While a child is retelling I will look to see if the students
comprehends the story. If the student is unable to give a vivid description of what they
read this would indicate that students may need more support on other comprehension
strategies before they are able to retell.
Setting the purpose for reading is another important strategy when it comes to
comprehending. The students need to understand why they are reading and to make a
plan to support better understanding, which encourages students to become
metacognitive. If students are reading an informational book then they need to be aware
that they are looking for information and facts about new and interesting topics while

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reading to support their new learning. If they are reading fictions then students will be
aware to focus on characters, problems, and solutions while reading. This type of
purposeful set up for reading will help support students to comprehend what they are
reading.
Questioning and self-monitoring are both similar strategies that will help students
to see if they understand what they are reading. Students can ask themselves questions
like, Who are the characters? What is happening? Why is this happening? Through this
type of questioning students are able to check in with their understanding of what they
are reading as they reading, which supports students through their interactions with the
text. Interacting with the text is supported by the Information processing theory.
Another concept supported by the Informational Processing theory that I want my
students to realize is that reading and writing are related. Through out the entire year I
will integrate reading and writing so students are able to experience the connections for
their own learning. I will do this through having students write reflections on what they
are reading; some options are writing a book review or writing informational pieces
based on informational books they have read. I will also have students read their own
writing and the writing of their peers. Reading and writing are not separate concepts; I
want my students to see how their reading affects their writing, vice versa.
I believe students should become metacognitive. Students need to be able to think
about their own thinking. The Transactional theory believes that metacognition is a
sophisticated level of thinking that allows students to become aware of their own thinking
(Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading). When students can think about
their own thinking they can start to become aware of how their brains are thinking and

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why they think the way they think. Through strategies like setting the purpose and
rereading students will be able to comprehend information at a deeper level of
understanding. Word study instruction also supports metacognitive abilities through
encouraging students to become aware of their thinking about word pattern and meanings
while reading.
Word study also plays role in students literacy development. I would use the
strategy of word sorts to engage students in vocabulary and words patterns. Word sorts
draw attention to the features specific words share. This helps students make
generalizations about the spelling system. It is also interactive and engaging for students.
Word sorting is inquiry based where students are learning about the spelling patterns
through their involvement in manipulating words. (Bear, chapter 8)
Students would need to apply their knowledge gained from word sorts in their
reading and writing. The purpose of word sorts is for students to develop an
understanding of word patterns and meanings behind words. Students can apply their
knowledge of word meanings to improve their reading comprehension, word choice and
their knowledge of word patterns in their spelling. (Bear, chapter 8) Organizing word
pattern and meanings through word sorts is also supported by the cognitive strategic
behaviors of the Information Processing theory.
The majority of the fourth graders in this classroom ended third grade in the
Syllables and Affixes sorts. At the beginning of fourth grade I will first administer the
Words their Way spelling test to determine their word sort stage. I will then use that
information to determine the features the students know well, are using but confusing,
and features that the student does not know at all. From there I will determine the

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students instructional level and developmental spelling stage and plan instruction
accordingly. I will assess the students progress on an ongoing basis. Addressing students
needs through the Words the Way spelling test is providing instruction according to
students zone of proximal development, which is supported by the Sociolinguistics
theory.
One potential instructional level that these fourth grade students will be in is the
Syllables and Affixes stage. Students who are in the Syllables and Affixes stage will need
to develop background knowledge and their vocabulary in order to comprehend their
reading especially as they explore new topics and genres.
Some concepts that word sorts will encourage students to develop in the Syllables
and Affixes stage is they will begin to look at words in a new way. They will use larger
chunks to decode, spell, and store words. (Bear, chapter 7) Another important concept of
word study I would focus on for students in the Syllables and Affixes stage is vocabulary.
In this stage students own reading becomes the primary source of new vocabulary. As
they read they are exposed to more and more words that they do not know. For students
in these stage teachers need to take an active role in making sure students vocabularies
are growing. I will be sure to point out, discuss, and encourage students to ask about
unfamiliar words. The active engagement and language involved in word study group is
supported by the Sociolinguistics theory and their belief in language based learning.
One critical strategic way to examine unfamiliar words for student in this stage is
to use morphemic analysis. This is the process of using the meanings of prefixes,
suffixes, and base words to help determine the meaning of a word. It is critical to model
and reinforce this strategy in order to give students plenty of practice with using this

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strategy. Modeling is supported by the Sociolinguistic theory and their belief in expert
other learning. A potential word study group for these fourth graders would be to focus on
morphemic analysis in order to encourage the meaning of words which in turn will
improve students comprehension while reading. When introducing words for a word sort
I will be sure to check for student understanding of word meanings and adjust my support
as needed which is also supported by the Sociolinguistics theory.
Another strategy to improve students vocabulary is introducing content
vocabulary through concept word sorts. Concept sorts provide multiple exposures to new
concepts and vocabulary and can help students form relationships between words and
their ideas. Focus of content vocabulary is another potential word study group for these
fourth grade students who are in the Syllables and Affixes stage. While instructing a
concept sorts I will be sure to incorporate the following activities: activate background
knowledge, explain the concept as it relates to other concepts, use graphic organizers,
charts, or diagrams to show relationships among concepts, and discuss examples and nonexamples. (Bear, chapter 7)
Other students in this fourth grade classroom ended third grade in the Letter Name
stage and their instructional need will be different than students in the Syllables and
Affixes stage. I will focus my instruction on their zone of proximal development, which
is supported by the Sociolinguistic theory. Some instructional focuses will be the study of
beginning sounds, study of blends and digraphs, and short vowel instruction. Word study
in the letter-name stage will include picture sorts for initial sounds and then work towards
word sorts for short vowels and beyond. (Bear, chapter 5) This type of instruction will be
beneficial for students whose words per minute scores are low as well. Through focusing

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these fourth graders word study instruction on word pattern and sounds their recognition
of words will improve which will improve their ability to recognize word meanings
through correct pronunciation, which ultimately improves comprehension.
The final stage that fourth graders in this classroom will be in is the Within Word
patterns stage. Again their instructional plan will be different than students in the Letter
Name stage and the Syllables and Affixes stage. Their instructional focus will involve
high frequency long vowel patterns contrasted with short vowels, an example is the silent
e, or double vowels, and less common vowel patterns for example complex consonants
like 3-letter blends and silent letters. Also, they will focus on homophones and
homographs. (Bear, chapter 6)
I want my students to understand that writing is an interactive process, which is
supported by the Information Processing theory. The writing process is to first explore,
draft, edit, then publish. The Common Core State Standards set clear expectations of
what is expected of fourth graders. I would align my strategies with the concepts
expected. I would focus on the types and purposes of writing for fourth grade, which
include opinion, informational, and narratives. Studentswritenarrativesbasedonrealor
imaginedideas,events,orobservationsthatincludecharacters,setting,plot,sensory
details,alogicalsequenceofevents,andacontexttoenablethereadertoimaginethe
worldoftheeventorexperience.Fourthgradestudentswillalsowritetoinform,suchas
toexplain,describe,andreport.Informationalwritingtasksmayincludeprocedures,
recipes,instructions,howtomanuals,observations.Studentswritetoformanopinion,
suchastopersuade,argue,andrequest.Opinionwritingshouldestablishacontrolling

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idea,developsupportingarguments,providedetailedevidence,andincludepersuasive
techniques.For this group of fourth grade students I would plan to provide more
instructional support for opinion and informational writing.
I would plan to use the writing process as my guide for writing concepts. Through
instruction focused on the writing process children are able to become independent
writers. The first phase of the writing process is prewriting. Students will generate ideas
for writing by using prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, and graphic organizers.
The next phase of the writing process is drafting. I will want my fourth grade students to
develop drafts by categorizing ideas, and organizing them into paragraphs. In the first
paragraph, students establish a central idea with a topic sentence and spark interest
through the use of quotations, questions, or descriptions. The next paragraphs provide
supporting detail that shows an understanding of facts and/or opinions. Some strategies to
focus on during the drafting phase of the writing process is organization, topic sentences,
and evidence support or details that match topic sentences. (Fountas and Pinnell, chapter
5) Another writing strategy to focus on during the drafting phase that is supported by the
Informational Processing theory is writing for a specific audience. Students need to
understand who there is audience is, this illustrated the two-way flow of information.
(Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading)
The next phase of the writing process is editing. Students edit their writing based
on their knowledge of grammar spelling, punctuation, and appropriate word choice. A
strategy for students to use when editing is a peer edit. Through students peer editing they
are able to learn how to respond from other writing and determine their strengths and

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weaknesses in order to set goals as a writer. Peer editing is supported by the
Sociolinguistic theory and their belief in the expert other. (Tompkins, Becoming an
Effective Teacher of Reading) Through peer editing students are the expert others for
each other through analyzing others writing they are able to understand what is expected
and can use that as a self assessment for their own writing. The final phase of the writing
process is publishing students will be given the opportunity to publish their writing to
support the skill of writing for intended audiences. (Fountas and Pinnell, chapter 5)
Publishing is supported by the Sociolinguistics theory because of its belief in creating
authentic learning experiences. (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading)
Through all of these concepts and strategies that I would plan to teach, there are
many ways to facilitate meaningful instruction. Mini lessons would be part of my daily
instructional plan. During the mini lesson I would demonstrate how to perform the
objective through think alouds which allow students to hear how I am thinking so they
can follow that model for their own thinking, I would also incorporate turn and talks
between students. Turn and talks are a great way to encourage students to work together
and discuss their learning. Learning through language is supported by the Social
Linguistics theory, stating that students and people are able to better understand when
they are able to verbalize their thoughts. When students are sharing their thinking through
the turn and talks of the mini lesson, the students who are listening are able to gain a
perspective on what their turn and talk partner is saying. This entire experience of turn
and talks provides students with a deeper understanding of the concept or strategy focus
of the mini lesson.

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As the facilitator of the mini lesson I will focus in on the students zone of
proximal development, which is the level between the childs actual development and
their potential development (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading). The
Social Linguistic theory also supports teaching to the students zone of proximal
development (ZPD). I will do this through thinking about how much support the children
need and this will guide what types of lessons I will plan for. The goal of the balanced
literacy approach is to gradually release the responsibility of the learning from myself as
the facilitator to the students themselves.
During a writing lesson when the students need the highest level of support, the
teacher would do a write aloud or model the writing demonstration. This also serves as a
scaffold because the teacher is doing the thinking as the students watch. Scaffolding
student learning is supported by the Sociolinguistics theory of learning. While writing, I
would do a think aloud about different strategies and skills that would be necessary to
think about as I write (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading). The
purpose of the think aloud is for the students to be able to hear the thinking that happens
while the skill is performed. Students will know the type of thinking they need to do
when they use the skill. I will use an interactive whiteboard or easel so students are able
to clearly see what I am doing and how the writing is done (Tompkins, Becoming an
Effective Teacher of Reading).
The highest level of support during reading and word study would be an
Interactive Read Aloud lesson. I would use a book to read to the students, the book will
be more sophisticated for the students because I as the teacher will be doing all of the
reading. I will also use an interactive read aloud for teaching comprehension skills

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because the students will be clear of what the text says. Similar to the modeled writing
lesson, I as the teacher would perform a think aloud about different skills and strategies
students are using while they read. I will do this so again, the students can hear the kind
of thinking involved when they are performing this skill. Comprehension skills are great
focus during interactive read alouds when first introducing the skill because you are able
to provide a high level of support for student learning. During the interactive read aloud I
would use a book that I plan to use for future mini lessons. The students would use this
time to listen closely and pay attention to what I am doing as I read. Next, I would
provide students with an opportunity to participate in the learning. Participation is
important and supported by the Social theory of learning because the students are able to
begin to take some of the responsibility of the learning. A way of doing this is through a
turn and talk with their partners so they are able to discuss with their classmates.
Vygotskys theory of learning believes that students learn best when they socialize with
others (Tompkins, Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading).
According to Vygotsky, as the students become familiar with the skill the teacher
then can begin to release the support they give to students. The students need to start to
take on more responsibility for their learning; this can be done through guided reading
and guided writing lessons.
In a guided writing lesson the students are given greater responsibility for their
learning than in a mini writing lesson. Guided writing lessons also allow for
differentiated instruction because the teacher is able to work with smaller groups of
students. The students do the writing with the support of the teacher. During the guided
writing lesson I would give students a prompt and the students can work independently or

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with a partner (Fountas and Pinnell, chapter 5). This portion of the scaffold is flexible
because the students are doing the work and as the teacher you are able to vary the level
of support you provide according to each students needs. Some possible guided writing
groups I would develop for my fourth graders would be adding evidence to support
claims made when doing opinion writing or when doing informational writing. Another
possible guided writing group focus would be brainstorming for those students who have
trouble beginning the writing process. These fourth grade students may also develop the
need for a guided writing lesson that focuses on who their audience and how their
audience is different for different types of writing. Another guiding writing group that
would support these students need for their informational writing would be questioning to
encourage further investigation, organizing prior knowledge through a graphic organizer,
and how to use various materials to help aid their writing.
A guided reading lesson is very similar to guided writing lesson. Again, this is the
portion of the scaffold where the students are doing and the teacher helps. In a guided
reading lesson I would work with a small group of students and use a book that is
appropriate for the readers in that group. I would begin the guided reading lesson by
giving the students a brief overview of the book and then the students would be doing the
reading. My role as the teacher remains as the support figure, there to assist the readers as
needed. (Fountas and Pinnell, chapter 11) Guided reading groups would be most effective
for the fourth graders in this classroom who are reading at lower reading levels because
they will need support with decoding skills, fluency, and comprehension. I would form
my guided reading groups based on the reading levels of the students.

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The final stage of the scaffold is when the teacher gives students the least amount
of support and the students have the greatest amount of responsibility for their learning.
Independent reading and writing would be appropriate as this stage, the learning is also a
skill that the students know and have worked with.
Independent reading and writing is when the students do the reading and writing
themselves and put the skills into action that they have previously worked with through
mini lessons, shared lessons, and guided lessons. Students are able to chose their own
books for reading and read at their own pace. In my classroom I will allow students to
have a read to self-time where they can pick any spot in the room to reading
independently. Students will chose their books from their book bins, which will contain
their just right books to read from. Through independent reading students will learn to
read for enjoyment and see reading as a lifetime skill. While students are reading
independently I as the teacher will have the opportunity to support students as needed and
check in with their learning on an individual level.
Another way to meet the need of the readers in the classroom is through
conferencing with students individually during independent reading. When conferring
with students I will check in with what students are reading and how much they
understand. I will use recording sheets to collect evidence. I will also deliver a teaching
point to the student that is at their zone of proximal development, which is supported by
the Sociolinguistics theory.
Independent writing is very similar to independent reading. The students will do
all the writing and the teacher is there to provide support as needed. Independent writing
also provides choice for students allowing them decide what they want to write about.

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Again, students will be using skills they have previously worked with during independent
writing. Students are able to write at their own pace and develop their writing
independently.
Conferencing will also take place during independent writing. I will use this time
to check in with students individually and diagnose their needs in order to provide the
next step of instruction or support that they are in need of.
All of these instructional strategies work together to encourage students to
develop the skills that they need in order to become successful readers and writers. The
three-block model of balanced literacy allows students to experience the relationships
between reading, writing, and word study. The reading workshop block of mini lessons,
small group instruction, and independent reading allows the teacher to scaffold the
students from the beginning introductory stages to the known stages as the teacher
releases the support. The same is illustrated through the writing workshop block of mini
lessons, guided writing, and independent writing with conferencing. The word study
block is interwoven and applied to the reading and writing workshop blocks. As the
students continue to work with and use their new skills they will be able to become more
independent as they continue to practice while the teacher simultaneously releases
support. The end goal of the three-block framework is for students to be able to use these
skills independently while reading and writing.
Through out my instruction I will implement many tools that will help to provide
my students with the most meaningful learning experiences. One tool I will use is anchor
charts. The anchor charts will be created to have the students learning displayed and hung
in the room for the year. Through displaying the anchor charts of student learning

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students will be able to reference them as needed. Since students will be involved in the
creation of the anchor charts the students will understand the value and use the charts in
their learning process.
Another tool I will use in my instruction is to implement a variety of texts. My
goal is to have each students book bin filled with a variety of books so they can read at
their independent reading levels. In my classroom I will be sure to include a many
different kinds of books to appeal to interests of all the readers. I want my students to be
interested in the books they are reading to encourage their meaningful interactions with
the text. Interacting with the text, which is supported by the Information processing
theory, encourages students to create more meaning from their reading. Along with a
variety of text I want to provide my students with the opportunity to read a variety of
genres as well. Through introducing my students to a variety of genres they will
experience the importance. I want to teach my students how to read different types of
genre so they become familiar and develop the ability to read different types of genres a
certain way or for different purposes. For example, if students are reading an
informational text they would need to be able to know how to find or pick out important
information in the text. In a fiction book, students would read this differently from an
informational book. For example, while reading fiction students would learn to focus on
the authors voice in the book. Students will also learn to use different comprehension
strategies when they are reading different genres, they may do more predicting while
reading a fiction book rather than an informational text.
Another important concept I would use while teaching students about different
genres is that they can be integrated. I will want my students to understand that genres are

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not separate but rather all intertwined, as the teacher I will make sure to provide learning
opportunities for my students to experience that. For example, I would model for students
that when they are reading a fiction text, they can use informational text to help them to
learn more about places, events, or time periods that the story describes or takes place in.
Also, if students are reading under the biographical genre, they can again use
informational text to learn more about the time that the person grew up in, or the culture
the person is from. These examples a few ways that genres can be integrated, and through
students learning that genres are woven together they can develop deeper understanding
and connections with what they are reading and writing. The genres I plan to incorporate
are realistic and science fiction, informational, biographical, and historical fiction.
Using effective classroom management and routines will also help me to
implement my instructional strategies and allow for me to differentiate my instruction to
meet the range of readers, writers, and word study behaviors that are in my classroom. I
will set routines through having readers and writers workshop. Through practicing guided
reading and writing instruction during workshop I will be able to differentiate my
instruction. Another tool I will use to differentiate my instruction is doing literature
circles during workshop.
Every readers and writers workshop will begin with a mini lesson, which will
serve as the main focus of the workshop. After the mini lesson, students will go off to
work on the objective that was the focus of the mini lesson. While students are reading
and writing independently, I will use that time to meet with students for guided reading or
writing.

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Guided reading and writing will be a time where I can differentiate my
instruction. I will group students together that that are around the same reading or writing
level and need extra support with a certain objective. During guided lesson I will be
teaching to students at their Zone of Proximal development, which is supported by the
Social linguistic theory. I can teach a reading or writing lesson that will be beneficial to
each member of the guided lesson group. I also have the option to focus on different word
study behaviors that students may need support with. Students that are in the lower levels
of reading will benefit more from guided reading because I will be able to provide
explicit instruction that will help support their zone of proximal development and
encourage them to progress in their levels of reading. According to my diagnosis of these
fourth grade readers I would develop a guided reading group that focuses on decoding
and fluency skills in order to improve their comprehension of what they are reading. The
students that need this type of instruction are the students who are reading at low reading
levels (K, L, M) and whose words per minute and comprehension scores are low.
During the students independent reading and writing I could plan for small
flexible needs based groups to meet. The small flexible needs based groups are a great
way to differentiate instruction. Another great thing about flexible needs based groups is
students do not have to be at the same developmental level. I may plan to group students
together who are in need of more support when visualizing what is happening in a text in
order to improve their comprehension. Through grouping them together I can teach them
an explicit lesson on visualizing. This type of lesson would also be beneficial for the
fourth graders who are struggling with comprehending what they are reading.

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Another way to group students during the readers and writers workshop is through
a literature study. This group of students also does not have to be on the same
developmental level and each group is able to choose the text they would like to read.
Each student has a set time that they need to have a portion read by and the groups will
have meeting times that I would set up as the teacher. During literature study groups
students are able to discuss the book as a group. (Fountas and Pinnell, chapter 16) This
discussion will help students with comprehension strategies, and allows them to think
critically and really get involved and interact with the text, which is supported by the
Informational processing theory. The literature study discussion also supports students
communication skills and writing skills, which allows students to experience how reading
and writing are related and is also supported by the Information processing theory.
Literature studies focus on comprehension strategies, which is a skill, all students in this
class need more support with.
Since students will be working independently during readers and writers
workshop, there will be expectations that are set up before they go off to independent
work. The students will know that they have a responsibility to be doing the learning
while I am with a group of students. During their independent work time, students may
be working on word study activities that I have planned for them. They can be reading
independently or writing about their reading reflections in their writing journals.
The readers and writers workshop model will be a routine that the students learn
at the beginning of the year. Once students understand their responsibilities and how the
workshop routines work, the workshop will run smoothly. My attention will be on all of

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the students but through different times of either guided lessons or literature circles to
allow for meaningful differentiation of instruction for all students.
Through practicing routines in my classroom students will feel more responsible
for their own learning. The Sociolinguistic theory believes that it is important for students
to have responsibility for their own learning. Students will also be responsible for
creating a positive classroom community of learners. I want my students to feel part of
the classroom. At the beginning of the year, students will create their own classroom
constitution that they believe is important for them to follow. This constitution will be
hung up for the entire year. Students will be more likely to follow their own constitution
they created as a class because if they do not, then they are not following their own
guidelines making it more personal. Another way I will encourage students to feel a part
of the classroom is through classroom jobs. As a class, we will discuss the importance
and expectation of each job. Each child will have opportunities to do classroom jobs.
Students will feel their classroom job is important and will encourage students to do it
with pride and work together as a class to make every day great. Creating a positive
classroom environment sets up the best environment for students to learn in and will also
serve as motivation while students are learning.
Another way I will motivate student learning is through giving my students
choices with parameters. One way I will do this is during readers and writers workshop. I
believe that students should be able to pick the books they want to read as along as they
are reading books that are at their independent reading level or just right. Another way I
will provide choice is through allowing students to choose what they would like to write
about during their independent writing. I believe that providing students with a specific

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topic inhibits their writing because they may not be interested in that topic. Interest
creates curiosity and encourages students to investigate and their writing becomes more
meaningful and purposeful. Choice will also be seen during literature study because
students will be able to sign up for books they are interested in reading. Giving students
choice encourages students responsibility of their learning and students feel in control
through their power they have in their learning choices. Choice will help to motivate
students to be the best learners possible.
Another strategy that will encourage my students to become the best learners is
the layout of my classroom, which affects the classroom environment. As illustrated in
the attached picture, student desks will be arranged in groups. Through organizing
students desks in groups students will be able to participate in turn and talks very easily.
This supports my beliefs that students need to talk about their learning with other
students, which connects, to the Sociolinguistic theory that students are able to organize
their thoughts when they are able to discuss their thinking. I would change the groups
students sit with every few weeks so that students are able to get to know and works with
everyone in our class. Each students learning experience is valuable, and when students
share their learning experiences with their peers, students are able to gain new
perspectives. It is important for students to be aware of a variety of perspectives so they
can gain a deeper understanding from their own learning. This again is supported by the
Sociolinguistic theory.
In my classroom, I will also have space for students to sit at a carpet for the
morning meetings and mini lessons. Fourth graders should not have to sit at a desk for
long periods of time. Moving from their desks from time to time will help to engage

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students especially during the mini lesson. Another space students will have access to is
the reading nook that will be inviting for all students. This area will have carpet
squares, and beanie seats and chairs students can use during independent reading. It is
important for students to feel comfortable while they are reading which is why they will
have access to carpet square and will be able to choose a spot in the room where they
would like to read.
The walls in my classroom would start out a little bare, but through out the year I
would continue to fill the walls with students work and our anchors charts that we make
as a class. I believe that students should be immersed in their learning, which is also
supported by the Sociolinguistic theory. Through immersing students in their learning the
yare able to have visual reminders of what they have learning or what they should be
doing in their own reading and writing.
Lastly, I will have an area with a bookshelves that will be filled with a variety of
texts and levels that students can chose to read from. For this classroom of learners I
would be sure to include books ranging from levels L to T as well as levels higher than T
as students start to progress in their reading levels. I will have many different kinds of
books so students are able to pick books that are about something they are really
interested in and that will spark their learning. I will also have a variety of genres so that
students can experience each type.
D. Implications of my Plan on Student Learning:
If I am given the opportunity to implement my literacy plan, I can predict that all
of my students will grow in many developmental areas. As I analyzed reading scores I
noticed that many of the students had low comprehension scores. My literacy plan

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provides students will a lot of support with comprehension strategies. Through guided
reading, flexible needs groups, and literature studies students will be given a lot of
support through meaningful learning experiences with comprehension. I would predict
that students comprehension scores would improve through their participation in these
instructional strategies.
The data also informed me that students need more support with how words work.
The word studies that I will have students do will provide a lot of support in learning new
vocabulary. Through guided reading and writing lessons I will able able to support the
students words study knowledge because I can focus on certain groups of words students
may need more support with. Through this focused small group instruction students will
improve their skills to construct meaning, which also improves students comprehension.
Another result I can predict will happen if I am able to implement my plan is that
students reading levels will increase. During mini lessons and guided reading lesson, I
will have the opportunity to scaffold students reading develop which will help students to
continue to progress their reading levels. Also, guided reading and literature circles will
be a time where I can explicitly teach different objectives to students that are in need of
more support. These instructional strategies will help support every students learning
resulting in students moving to higher reading levels.
Along with progression of reading levels students writing scores will increase.
Allowing students to choose what they write about will encourage them to become
interested in writing. From there I can support student learning with specific skills they
may need help with. Guiding writing lessons will help support students at their zone of
proximal development. Also, the word study that I plan for students to do will support

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their writing development. Supporting comprehension skills will also support their
writing because students will be able to sue their comprehension strategies when they are
writing to make their writing more detailed and well developed. In addition, exposing
students to learning experiences where they see how reading and writing are connected
will encourage their writing development.
Throughout my plan there are specific strengths. The comprehension strategies I
plan to implement to improve reading comprehension is a clear strength. Another strength
is the varied support that can be provided for the many instructional reading strategies
that will aim to progress reading levels. My plan also illustrates opportunities for students
to take responsibility for their own learning. When students are given responsibility they
become more motivated to work to their fullest potential. Allowing social interaction is
also a strength in my plan. It supports my belief that learning is a social experience. My
plan allows for a lot of interaction between students which is going to help them think
about others thinking and their own. This is important in the information processing
theory.
An area that could use further development is the word study that I have in my
plan. There are many ways that I can incorporate word study, for example in the readers
and writers workshop I can further develop more ways to implement word study. The
word study will help with my students comprehension skills.
There are certain areas that I would further develop in my literacy plan. One area
that I would like to further develop is the writing area of my plan. I show a lot of ways
that I would increase student-reading development, but I dont have a variety of ways that
I would improve my students writing development. I do have some ways that I would

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work on writing development in my instructional strategies, but I do not have a lot of
writing concepts that I would want my students to work on. This is something I would
like to further develop.
Another area that I would like to develop is the word study. I did not discuss a lot
about how I would implement word study other than that I could do word study through
word sort groups and in guided reading or guided writing lessons. I feel like there are
more ways that I could implement word study in throughout readers and writers
workshop. For example, I could further develop word study by having student focus on
certain words that they may come across in books that they are reading. Students could
talk about what they think specific words meant as they were reading and talk about how
they came up with that meaning.
The last area that I would like to further develop is the assessment area of my
plan. I know that there are a lot of ways that I would informally assess my students, but I
think I could further develop ways of formally assessing my students. There are many
ways that I would informally assess my students to guide my instruction, but having more
ways to use formal assessments would continue to support my decisions when planning
for future instruction.

Self-Reflection
The process I used to approach this problem was to analyze the data that I
received. First, I analyzed the scores that the students had on reading and writing. I
looked at their reading levels and comprehension levels. I also looked at their words their
way scores. I also looked at their writing scores. After analyzing the data, I looked at the

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range of development of the students that were in the class. Then, I thought about what
the students were ready to learn and what goals I wanted these students to reach. I also
look at the development of individual students are what they were each ready to learn
next. I thought about the different groups I could put these students in to form guided
reading and writing groups. After deciding what I wanted the students to learn next and
my goal that I had set for them, I decided what kind of instructional strategies would
work best for these students in order for them to reach the goals that I set for them. I also
decided what kind of classroom environment would be the most beneficial for the
students to encourage the learning that I wanted them to do.
The parts of this process that worked well for me were being able to diagnose
where the students were and where is wanted them to go next and what kind of
instruction I could use to improve comprehension scores. This worked well for me
because it was easy for me to read their scores and make assumptions about where each
child was developmentally. I was able to read their scores and think about the range of
readers and writers that I had. I could analyze which students had similar reading and
writing scores so that I could put them into groups for guided reading and writing. I also
could see that the majority of students had lower comprehension scores, which could be
affecting their writing scores. Their words their way scores were also low which could
be affecting their comprehension scores. Knowing this allowed me to think about the
future instruction that I would do. I would want my students to work on their words their
way scores so that they can increase their comprehension. I also wanted to improve their
comprehension strategies so that they can build meaning in what they are reading.

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Building their reading comprehension will help them improve their writing scores.
Doing this analysis was something that was easy for me.
The part of this process that I struggled with was creating instruction for
improving their writing. I was able to come up with instructional strategies like guided
writing and conferencing. I would like to have been able to find more ways to implement
writing practice in the readers and writers workshop to help improve writing scores.
Creating groups other than guided writing would be helpful for the development of their
writing in all areas.
When I approach a similar problem is in the future, I will analyze the students
data to help me plan for future instruction because I learned that I am able to make
accurate assumptions about students developmental stages throughout this process.

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Works Cited

Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G.S. (2001). Guiding Readers and Writers: Teaching
Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Tompkins, G.E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balance Approach. Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2012). Words Their Way: Word
Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Pearson.
Common Core State Standards: Grade 4.

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