Literacy Project Part I: Introduction

Grade level: The grade level that I want to teach at is grade 5, however I am confused if this

assignment is supposed to reflect the grade level that you want to teach at or the grade level you

will be observing this term? I was told that if I want to teach upper elementary, then I need to do

all my observing for grades K-2. Because I want to teach upper elementary, therefore I will try to

find a second grade class to observe in. Therefore I am confused if I need to write my Literacy

Project for the grade that I want to ideally teach at, grade 5, or the grade which I will be

observing for this class, hopefully grade 2.

Philosophy: Four main theories was presented to us in our opening text, while I didnt full

heartedly agree 100% with each of them as the sole and most accurate theory, here were some

things that I did agree with from each of the theories.

Behaviorism Theory: With behaviorism theory I do believe that learning something can be

broken down into concrete steps and arranged in a sequential order to learning something, rather

than just giving all of the information all at once. However, every student and class will learn

differently, so one shouldnt always be married to accept steps and arrangement of those steps

each time. There should be a basic skeletal structure to a concept but how it is taught and

implemented and approached could be different from class to class depending on the group of

learners one has and what they interested in and what will help them learn best. But in a basic

sense for literature, Western Literature is best understood as longterm conversation, think of the

imagery of a long distance phone conversation. For the most part, any author or era of writing or

story is most likely connected in one way or another to this long phone conversation that started,
lets say, with the Biblical and Ancient Greek era. Everything and author since, in some way or

another, is most likely connected to this overarching conversation we call Western Lit. The point

being is that imagine someone was listening and talking on phone and they had been there for

hours, now imagine one coming up to that phone and just entering that conversation with no

prior knowledge of what was going on in that conversation, other than that one knew it was a

phone conversation. Is it not reasonable to imagine that one would have difficulty, perhaps,

understanding what was being said, even though both parties are speaking ones mother

language. Now imagine if in fact five individuals were on the phone line talking, and not just the

fellow you are eavesdropping from. This is similar to modern approaches to teaching literature

and poetry, one just knows that one is teach a certain subject or author, and therefore textbooks

are bought or such and such and students just find themselves being asked to open up to a page

and start reading, in accordance to whatever introduction was given. Students can tell that they

are looking at the English language, but if they do not have previous knowledge to connect the

story, author, text, and cultural background to, they may struggle very much to read the story and

get engaged with the story. Because we live in the 21st century, what is more, students are more

likely to be introduced to more modern writers, settings, books, and vocabulary. But if Western

Literature is like a giant phone conversation, then if we are starting with the 20th and 21st

century, then we are in fact starting students off at the end of that conversation, which will make

it harder for them to work backwards in that conversation when they are given the writings of

Edgar Allen Poe in middle school, lets say, or Hawthornes Scarlet letter in high school, let

alone William Shakespeares Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Its much easier to understand a

strand of a conversation and dialogue if one understands and knows the lines of discussion that

took place beforehand that helped prompt the current thought, instead of backpedaling and
introducing things in a backwards manner. Not that modern literature and authors shouldnt be

in curriculum, I am just stating that it is best to teach holistically, in that students can be

introduced at a young age pieces of these conversations and a means to help connect and

construct that timeline of thought and idea. So I very strongly suggest teaching classical things at

a young age, such as the Bible and Greek stories and other foundational texts. If one wants

students to enter high school and college to be able to understand those authors mentioned above,

then students need to have a strong foundation of knowledge and input, as Behaviorism theory is

about breaking things down and placing them in a sequence, so I think it is important to

incorporate stories from and based off of writings from various eras of Western Literature

instead of just teaching modern ones.

Constructivism: As stated above, when I mentioned that one is better able to understand a story if

they are able to connect it back to something, my analogy of a long distance phone call, likewise,

Constructivism is about constructing meaning and knowledge based off of building that

knowledge on previously known and understood things. Probably the theory that I agreed with

the most was Scheme Theory and Piagets analogy of learning is like placing things in a file

cabinet. This is how both the conscious and subconscious mind work. It is similar to a speedway

on an interstate, imagine racing down a speedway with cars zipping past. On that same freeway

is many off ramps and incoming ramps, more than one can count. This is a good analogy of

picturing what train of thought looks like. Therefore understanding how both the conscious and

subconscious mind works and that learning and thinking process is a key teaching new

information. Therefore vocab choice and word choice is extremely important because of these

act as a certain golden key of unlocking the right file, or opening up an off ramp for students
minds to steer on to, or opening up a new onramp with the right knowledge and ideas that you

want them to connect to. This can also be seen as building bridges between previously taught and

known things and new information. Likewise, one can also use knowledge one is strong in and

apply that to learning new information, even if there is actually no direct connection between the

two topics. For example, I once tutored a fourth grader who was behind in math and found math

difficult. After talking with him for a bit I found out that he is a big fan of Goosebumps and

loves reading the books and watching the movies. So within seconds, I cleverly changed all of

his word problems into Goosebumps items. Because he already understood the Goosebump item

really well, when he connected that item with the item in the math problem, he could visualize

and imagine the math problem more quickly. Instantly he became more engaged in the

worksheet we were working on and began doing each problem faster. What is more, sometimes

he enjoyed the little story we were making for a particular math sentence problem that he would

want to add to the story and fill in more details, which helped him understand the math of the

problem even more concretely.

Sociolinguistics: The aspect that I agreed most with this theory is the importance that oral

communication and listening takes in learning to read. Giving students a chance to talk before a

new book and giving them ways to express ideas or background knowledge is a great way to

help assess students prior knowledge and steer and correct misunderstood thought before the

text is presented. It also is a way for students to personally relate personal experience to a work

or it gives them the chance to process previous read texts or items, so as the help exercise their

memory, opening up that file cabinet, which helps the mind get active and ready to learn new

information. It is a lot harder to run a five mile race without first giving ones self a warm up.
Likewise, it is important to give students the chance to discuss and talk throughout the book, like

at the end of a chapter lets say. This gives students the chance to summarize what has been

learned, use oral and vocabulary skills, and helps to open up fruitful and on task conversation

with their peers. Also giving students a chance to write down such thoughts, like in a literary

journal, even though in written form, helps linguistic learning. What is more, a teacher can also

allow students to break up into groups and have students to read their reflections and journals.

For example, a project might be to write a diary from the perspective of the main character.

In addition to oral communication, listening is also very crucial to reading. This is

actually the area that I will emphasize throughout my reading career. Long ago stories were

transmitted via the storyteller who would come and sit down by the fireplace and share exciting

tales that would excite and enchant the community of listeners. Today our culture is losing the

ability to sit down and listen to something or a conversation for a long period of time without

getting bored or losing train of thought. Therefore I think it is very important to build skills in

students where they can listen to a story, read in a dramatic way, that they can not only know

what is being said, but that they can picture it in their heads and use their imagination as if they

were watching a movie in their mind. If such a thing could take place, then most likely students

memory and recalling ability would increase with such a story, because they were using their

imagining faculties of their brain and cognition, but at the same time, most likely they would be

interested to read a story in print. For example, if a teacher could start off chapter one or a first

book dramatically in such a way and help the students get mental pictures in their minds of the

characters and setting and get them engaged in the plot, then this would probably help them read

the next chapter silently or dramatically, like in readers theater.

Cognitive/Informational Processing: the aspect of this theory that I agreed most with was this

sentence from the book, when teachers emphasize that students should read to remember

specific information from the story theyre reading, theyre forcing students to read efferently.

Teachers need to consider the purpose they set for students because when students read stories

efferently rather than aesthetically, they dont develop a love of reading and are less likely to

become lifelong readers, (page 12). This goes to a basic premise that I have about reading in

education today, reading is taught but teaching how to read is less-than taught. One could give a

student a book to read and tell them to read the page and listen to how they pronounce words and

construct meaning and help them to learn. But that is not necessarily teaching them how to

read that page. An example is seen in poetry, for the most part how to read a poem is for the

most part absent from todays curriculum. Either it is not seen as important, or that information is

being lost or dismissed, or todays theories about the reader creates their own meaning is getting

in the way of knowing how the poem is to be read. But there is a vast world of difference to

interpreting and understanding a poem from when the poem is read and spoken correctly veress

just coldly reading the poem after the teacher has asked one to open up a page in the textbook. So

how can students enjoy poetry or fall in love with poetry as people have for centuries if they

arent even getting an authentic way to experience what poetry actually is. What is more

appealing, seeing a Van Gough painting or trying to read a paragraph that tries to describe

Starry Night. Isnt it night and day and a world a difference between the two? What is more

appealing, reading a transcript of Jesus sermon on the mount and his parables, or getting a

glimpse to be a partaker of what that experience may have been like, as Jesus most likely did not

speak monotonically as those actors in the 60s spoke in. A teacher can teach for the test and for

a good grade in a test, but if one is actually inspired and passionate and engaged about
something, then they will most likely already do well on the test. One way will just teach

information that is just temporarily filed away and crammed session into the mind so as to pass a

test but then forget about the subject two semesters later, and the other is like finding a long lost

friend that you are glad you found and you are eager to keep in touch with.

Concluding remarks: In the above I related to aspects from the assigned theories that I agreed

with. Overall my philosophy and theory actually falls into the category of archetypal theory and

imagination theory, as these are the two concepts best describe how I believe people learn, or at

least are methods on how to teach effective learning and long term memory (or if one wants to

put the two together, using image and symbols to teach, like my illustration of using the phone

conversation to describe Western Literature, using an image to go along the thought I was

introducing). What is more, I think story is also an effective tool in teaching all subjects. I

believe we were wired for story as created creatures, as every culture that we have observed in

every era has always had a need to create and pass down story. So I believe one of things that

separates us from animal creatures is that we are story oriented beings. We process information

through story and spend a lot of day thinking in story patterns and actively engaging in stories.

How much does one spend watching tv and movies, those are stories. Reading messages and

talking via text is participating in stories. Even at work, think of someone who works in customer

service for example, we are engaged with learning stories to help our day or task. Therefore I

believe incorporating story, imagination, and creativity into subjects is a great way for helping

students learn that information, like the Goosebumps example that I used.
Standards Listed

Reading Literature

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate

understanding of key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2

Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their

central message, lesson, or moral.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3

Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

Craft and Structure:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4

Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines)

supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5

Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces

the story and the ending concludes the action.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6
Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a

different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7

Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to

demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.8

(RL.2.8 not applicable to literature)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.9

Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by

different authors or from different cultures.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the

grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of

the range.

Reading Information Text

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate

understanding of key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.2

Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs

within the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3

Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or

steps in technical procedures in a text.

Craft and Structure:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject

area.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.5

Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries,

indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.6

Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or

describe.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.7
Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to

and clarify a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.8

Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.9

Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.10

By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social

studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with

scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Reading Foundational Skills

Phonics and Word Recognition:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.A

Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.B

Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.C

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.D

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.E

Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.F

Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

Fluency:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.A

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.B

Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on

successive readings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.C

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as

necessary.
Writing

Text Types and Purposes:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state

an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and,

also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions

to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3

Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events,

include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event

order, and provide a sense of closure.

Production and Distribution of Writing:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.4

(W.2.4 begins in grade 3)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5

With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as

needed by revising and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish

writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.7

Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single

topic to produce a report; record science observations).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8

Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer

a question.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.9

(W.2.9 begins in grade 4)

Range of Writing:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.10

(W.2.10 begins in grade 3)

Speaking and Listening

Comprehension and Collaboration:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts

with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.A

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways,

listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under

discussion).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B

Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of

others.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.C

Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under

discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2

Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented

orally or through other media.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3

Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension,

gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.4

Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details,

speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5

Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories

or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.6

Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide

requested detail or clarification. (See grade 2 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific

expectations.)

Language

Conventions of Standard English:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when

writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.A

Use collective nouns (e.g., group).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.B

Form and use frequently occurring irregular plural nouns (e.g., feet, children, teeth,

mice, fish).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.C

Use reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.D

Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.E

Use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be

modified.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.F

Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences (e.g., The boy

watched the movie; The little boy watched the movie; The action movie was watched by

the little boy).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,

and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.A

Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.B

Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.C

Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.D
 Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage badge; boy boil).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.E

Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and

correct spellings.

Knowledge of Language:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or

listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.3.A

Compare formal and informal uses of English

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases

based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.A

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.B

Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix is added to a

known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell).

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.C

Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root

(e.g., addition, additional).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.D

Use knowledge of the meaning of individual words to predict the meaning of compound

words (e.g., birdhouse, lighthouse, housefly; bookshelf, notebook, bookmark).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.E

Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify

the meaning of words and phrases.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.5

Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.5.A

Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are

spicy or juicy).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.5.B

Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and

closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.6
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and

responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids

are happy that makes me happy).