Literacy Centers: Word Study Center

Sarah Fleck

What the research says The Florida Center for Reading Research

defines differentiated instruction as “matching instruction to meet the different needs of learners in a given classroom that includes small groups and increased practice opportunities in the form of reading centers.” (2006)

Research continued Literacy centers are defined as small

areas within the classroom where students work alone or in small groups to explore literacy activities while the teacher provides small group guided reading instruction (Diller, 2003)

Small Group

Small Group

CenterCenter

CenterCenter

CenterCenter

Research continued Maurer (2010) says that literacy centers

can enhance literacy skills when children: Have time to interact with materials and

peers Have a choice of literacy activities Engage in peer dialogue Read books together Play with language Work on literacy tasks together

This book was

great!

Don’t forget

to support

with details

like Mrs. Fleck

taught us!

Minute Reflection Think about the research and your

current literacy centers. What parts from the research are

missing from your literacy centers?

References

Look at the center you brought and complete the checklist Do students:

Locate the appropriate word cards and/or manipulatives for the task?

Participate in the independent, partner, or group activity following modeling routines?

Practice identifying familiar phonics and spelling elements and applying these to new words?

Use multisensory formats to increase their recognition of high frequency words?

Chapter 6 Jigsaw activity

Read your section. Record your favorite ideas from the

chapter on the group poster. Share the ideas with the group

Minute Reflection What are you still concerned with about

the management of literacy centers in your classroom

Discussion

Teacher Tube http://

www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=Literacy_Centers&video_id=209521

Thoughts? Is this what your centers look like? Are these true literacy centers?

http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=177550&title=Using_the_SMART_Board_for_Differentiated_Centers

Thoughts? Would this work in your classroom? How could you modify it?

Lima Beans Compound words Use the word lists

provided and lima beans to create a word work center

You can use these in your classroom next week!

Share student work Based on:

The research The book chapter Teacher Tube videos

Evaluate your student work using the checklist provided

How can you modify your center to improve student work?

For next time Modify your current word work center

according to the discussion Be prepared to bring more work

samples based on your modifications Observations and peer coaching will be

next week!

How was it?How did I do? Please complete the evaluation for this

session. Please be honest! You won’t hurt my

feelings. It will help me. THANKS!

References Diller, D. (2003). Literacy work stations:

Making centers work. Portland, ME: Stenhouse

Maurer, C. Meeting academic standards through peer dialogue at literacy centers. Language Arts. May 2010. Vol. 87 Issue 5. p353-362.

Florida Center for Reading Research