ABSTRACT
A common unfounded criticism of balanced literacy is that it leaves no space for spelling instruction. Shared writing is a whole-class activity where the teacher sits at the front of the meeting area and, with input from the class, composes a writing piece on chart paper or an interactive whiteboard. Interactive writing kicks shared writing up a notch, giving the students a greater role in actually writing the piece. Guided reading is a method of teaching children in a small group. Word study is a crucial part of the balanced literacy framework, but is overlooked. Shared reading is a collaborative learning activity, based on research by Don Holdaway that emulates and builds from the child's experience with bedtime stories. An effective read-aloud with an accountable talk session is a time to support the development of reading comprehension across different genres. Basal readers are designed to teach reading skills that are critical for children to learn: phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension.
