As I work with young children, I’ve come to realize that teaching within a balanced literacy framework provides many points of entry into the club of readers and writers (Smith, 1987).

Developing a schedule for the literacy day is a critical step in creating a truly balanced curriculum, in other words, a curriculum that reflects the gradual release of responsibility. Since this task can be challenging, it is helpful for teachers to look at their schedules across a week rather than on a daily basis. By looking across a week, teachers are better able to make sure that their balanced literacy framework is indeed balanced. Across the week, for instance, teachers account for several sessions of shared reading, interactive writing, shared writing and word study while they make time daily for reading, writing, and math workshops (which all include small-group instruction), as well as for read-aloud time each day. When composing their instructional schedule teachers prioritize so that what is done in the classroom supports whole class (e.g., mini-lessons, read aloud), small group (e.g., guided reading, guided writing, word study) and one-on-one instruction.

Since every grade and school has particular issues (e.g., lunch schedules, prep schedules, support services) that effect scheduling, it is impossible to propose a schedule that works for everyone. There are, however, helpful recommendations and guidelines for creating a balanced instructional schedule as well as sample schedules that teachers find invaluable when creating their own. (Please see below the attached sample instructional schedules as well as suggestions for scheduling the different balanced literacy components across the grades.)

• Recommendations for Scheduling Balanced Literacy Components
• Blank Instructional Schedule
• Sample Primary Instructional Schedule
• Sample Intermediate Instructional Schedule
• Sample Intermediate Instructional Schedule (Fountas and Pinnell)

 

Collins, K. (2004). Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary Classroom. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (1996). Guided Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2000). Guiding Readers & Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001). Leveled Books for Readers, Grades 3-6. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Goldberg, G. & Serravallo, J. (2007). Conferring with Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Miller, D. (2002). Reading with Meaning: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Sibberson, F. & Szymusiak. (2003). Still Learning to Reading; Teaching Students in Grades 3-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Smith, F. (1987). Joining the Literacy Club. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.