There are many different approaches to teaching literacy in Kindergarten. If you stick to this teaching gig long enough, you'll see them all. They tend to swing back and forth between a total phonics approach and a total word memorization approach. You may be encouraged to teach sounds and not any words at all until all the sounds are mastered. You may be encouraged to not worry about the sounds - just teach sight words. You may be encouraged to let your child learn to read from what they can write. You may be encouraged to have them only learn to correctly spell words. I've done Intensive Phonics, Writing to Read, Big Blocks, and lots more. I've read the books and jumped in with both feet, just to find a new method and get interested in it! See what I mean? Which method is right?
I think they all are AND they all aren't!
I absolutely believe that every teacher must find his/her own method using bits and pieces of everything you can find. I know that sounds wishy-washy, but teaching is an art, and not every art medium is for every artist. Can you imagine a beautiful painting made with clay? A sculpture made of paint? This is how I do it. I am absolutely not saying this is how YOU should do it. My hope is that you'll find something you can use or modify to use in your classroom.
Letter of the Week
I do my letters in the order given in The Letter People guides. We spend a week on each letter. We learn the sounds of that letter and learn to write it correctly. We do a cooking experience, art experience, and a game for that letter. Even though our focus is mainly on one letter, we do not learn it in isolation. We do lots of word building, sound changing, and letter activities that focus on all letters.
Daily Literacy
I wanted so badly to make Daily 5 fit into my classroom. I haven't totally given up on it, but I've created a version of it that works for me and for my Ks. We do Daily Literacy Stations. Right now we do these 3 days a week with 2 rotations per day. Our goal is to move to 3 rotations and do it 4 days a week.
Guided - We totally focus on book comprehension at this station. We learn about the author's purpose and how authors and illustrators work together to tell the story. We learn about character, setting, problem, solution, making predictions, etc. It amazes me how many kids come to school with out that "lap" experience.
Read to Self - This can be tricky at the beginning of the year. I have book bags with 3-4 books in them. My kids go to a spot around the room and read alone. My trick is to put in books with lots of bright pictures and books we have read during the first few days of K, but not too many books. (We don't start Daily Literacy until the second week of school.) Sometimes we use our iPads to listen to books.
Word Work #1 and #2 - To make this work in my room, we have 2 word work stations. One stations focuses on our letter of the week. We do a beginning sound page. The other word work station focuses on all letters. It is usually a matching, sorting, or write the room activity.
Writing - At this point in the year this station focuses on correctly writing our letter of the week. After they finish their handwriting page, they are free to write about anything they want. And, yes, lots of them just draw. I just make sure to ask as many or them as I can to tell me the story they drew, I want them to feel confident about putting ideas down on paper. Words will come, even though I always have a couple who are already labeling and writing words.
Technology - We are very blessed at our school to have lots of access to technology. My Ks either go to the computer, iPad, or Promethean Board at this station. We do Reading Eggs, ABCMouse, ABCYa, or other programs. Most days I tell them exactly which program to do, but after we really get going, they will get more control. I just make sure I know what each child is working on, and steer them toward something they need.
Here are some shots from this week's Daily Literacy.
This week one of our Word Work Stations was Spin and Write Your Name. This was a big hit! The Ks asked to do it over and over. The kids spin a spinner and use a coordination "smelly marker" to write their name. I'm just glad my principal didn't walk in and see my Ks sniffing markers! It's available in my store! 50 cents!
I hope you've found something that you can "chew on!" I'd love to hear how you do literacy. Please leave a comment below!
