Previous Lesson

Literacy Teaching Resources

Student Reading BookAs a literacy teacher, you will need a variety of good resources with which to present instruction that will facilitate the development of literacy skills in your students. When you cannot easily locate these resources on your own, you might have to exercise some creativity and construct your own resources to create a literacy-rich environment in your classroom.

A Literacy-rich Environment

Exposure to print in and out of the classroom is vital to a child’s success. Experiences and interactions with text are also very important for our young readers. Ensuring your classroom is a literacy-rich environment is key to student success.”
(Katie Hubbard, University of Minnesota)

Hubbard (2018) provides a list of suggestions and accompanying resources for creating a literacy-rich environment:

  • Create a space that is inviting for reading with comfortable chairs and floor pillows.
  • Provide easy access to books and sort them by reading level, interests, categories, etc.
  • Use books with larger text and model how to interact with text, such as pointing to words as you read and expressing thoughts about what you are reading.
  • Place charts and other visuals around the classroom demonstrating appropriate use of books and habits of good readers.

The intentional selection and use of materials is central to the development of the literacy-rich environment. Teachers ensure that students have access to a variety of resources by providing many choices. Teaching staff connect literacy to all elements of classroom life (The Access Center, Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, 2008). Teaching staff alternate books in the classroom library to maintain student’s interest and expose them to various genres and ideas (International Reading Association [IRA] & the National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 1998). For example, teachers should include both fiction and nonfiction literature. Classrooms should include miscellaneous literacy materials that are used in everyday life to further demonstrate how literacy is used (Goodman, Bird, & Goodman, 1991).

Suggestions for creating literacy-rich environments include developing a theme-based setting as well as providing a variety of standard and adapted materials (Reading Rockets, 2022b). For example, using a forest theme-based setting and activities, students can:

  • read books about different types of forests (e.g., deciduous, rainforest, etc.).
  • investigate content on various kinds of trees and plants that grow in different forests.
  • review labels or notecards with forest vocabulary.
  • draw or paint illustrations of different types of trees and plants in various forests.
  • sing songs about trees or forests.
  • create journals and write about different types of trees and plants seen in forests.
  • chart changes in tree foliage during different seasons.

Examples of standard materials that may be used include:

  • Alphabet displays
  • Dictionaries
  • Labels
  • Menus
  • Phone books
  • Printed directions
  • Recipes

Examples of adapted materials that may be used include:

  • Manipulatives: these are intended to build skills through hands-on materials such as color tiles, pattern blocks, and reading rods.
  • Pencil grips: these grips are shaped to fit over pencils. They facilitate proper grip and letter formation.
  • Slant boards: these are boards placed on book stands that are angled to help students more easily write.
  • Tactile books: these books feature textured print or pictures for students who learn better by touching and sniffing.

From the atmosphere and décor of the room to interactions with peers and teachers, every element of a literacy-rich classroom is designed to allow students to explore the elements of literacy. The literacy-rich environment emphasizes the importance of speaking, reading, and writing in the learning of all students. This involves the selection of materials that will facilitate language and literacy opportunities, reflection and thought regarding classroom design, and intentional instruction and facilitation by teachers and staff (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1999). Because literacy-rich environments can be individualized to meet students’ needs, teachers are able to create both independent and directed activities to enhance understanding of the concepts of print and word, linguistic and phonemic awareness, and vocabulary development.

All of this occurs in a concrete setting giving all students, including those with disabilities, multiple opportunities to gain the skills necessary to participate in the classroom and achieve the goals set out in the curriculum (Adapted from Literacy-Rich Environments, Office of Special Education Programs, USDOE, 2006).

Assignment:

Using the resources provided and your own research, complete the assignment as directed. Be sure to include proper citation for the resources you use, including those provided.

For this assignment, use the ideas presented in this topic’s content or from your own research, and create a teaching resource for literacy instruction that would enrich the environment for your students. Follow the guidelines below to complete the assignment.

Include the following details in a report about your resource:

  • Identify a grade for the students in your classroom.
  • Choose and describe a theme for the literacy environment.
  • Include two examples of standard materials.
  • Include one example of an adapted material.
  • Explain how you would use the materials to teach the literacy theme.

Once you have completed your report, save it in a document in MS Word format (.doc or .docx) and use the tool below to upload a copy of your completed work.