2026-2027 D668 Elementary Literacy OA Notes-Understanding the Reading Brain and Literacy Skills West

2026-2027 D668 Elementary Literacy OA Notes: Understanding the Reading Brain and Literacy Skills Western Governors University

○ Frontal Lobe: Helps us focus and remember what we're reading and is where speech is produced. ○ Temporal Lobe: Listens to sounds and helps us understand words. ○ Parietal Lobe: Helps us see and recognize letters and words and is where a written word is segmented into its sounds (i.e., word analysis and sounding out words). ○ Occipital Lobe: Looks at the words on the page and helps us with sight recognition. ○ Broca's Area: Helps us articulate ideas as well as use words accurately in spoken and written language. ○ Planum Temporale: At the intersection of the parietal, occipital and temporal lobes, is where the phonological and orthographic processors intersect after they are

activated with explicit phonics instruction. This area can be strengthened with explicit instruction critical for connecting sounds to letters during the reading process

Key Terms

○ literacy: the ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling effective communication and comprehension ○ the reading brain: the network of brain regions that work together to decode, comprehend, and interpret written language ○ systematic instruction: instruction that presents concepts in order, beginning with the easiest concepts and increasing in difficulty, with new concepts being built on prior knowledge

○ explicit Instruction: a systematic and direct teaching approach where educators clearly and directly teach specific concepts, skills, or strategies involving providing clear explanations, modeling, guided practice, and feedback to facilitate understanding and mastery of the material ○ Identify the Content: Determine the subject matter or topic that the standard addresses. This could be about vocabulary, phonics, grammar, reading comprehension. This is usually done by identifying the noun in the standard.

○ Understand the Skill: Identify the skill or cognitive process that the standard requires. This might involve analyzing, comparing, explaining, synthesizing, or evaluating information related to the content. This is best done by identifying the verb in the standard.

○ Clarify the Expectation: Determine what students are expected to do with the content and skill. This could be writing an essay, creating a map, debating a topic, or solving a problem. This step will also help you determine the depth of knowledge, which will give you an understanding of how your learners need to demonstrate learning.

The best ways to teach reading in elementary school include reading books together and talking about them, doing small group reading where the teacher helps each student, and teaching how letters and sounds work together to make words. Doing fun activities with words and writing also helps students learn better.

○

Phonology: the study of sounds in language, like how words are made up of different sounds and how those sounds come together to form words. It helps us understand how we speak and how we hear language.

○ Sound-Symbol: the understanding that letters and letter combinations (symbols) make different sounds. ○ Syllables: parts of a word that contains one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonant sounds. When we say words, we

can hear different syllables by noticing the beats or sounds in the word. ○ Morphology: the study of how words are put together with smaller parts called morphemes, which can be prefixes, suffixes, or root words. By understanding morphology, we can figure out the meaning and structure of words. ○ Syntax: the grammar rules for putting words together in sentences. It helps us understand how to arrange words in the correct order to make clear and meaningful sentences. {{role of a word}} ○ Semantics: the meaning of words and how they relate to each other. It helps us understand the meanings of sentences and how words connect to form clear and meaningful communication.

These elements are taught using three evidence-based principles of instruction. These instructional principles are:

○ Systematic and Cumulative: instruction that presents concepts in a logical order, beginning with the easiest concepts and increasing in difficulty. Each new concept is built on prior knowledge. ○ Explicit: instruction provided by the teacher clearly and on an appropriate level. ○ Diagnostic: instruction that includes ongoing formal and informal assessment and focused on a student's individualized and specific needs.

Structured Literacy Selection of Materials Differentiation/ High-Leverage Practices for Supporting All Learners Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

content standards: the guidelines that outline the knowledge, skills, and concepts students are expected to master at each grade level in a particular subject area; typically defined at the state level performance standards: standards that describe the level of proficiency or achievement students should demonstrate in relation to the content standards Blooms Taxonomy: a hierarchical framework that categorizes cognitive processes into six levels, ranging from lower-order thinking skills, such as remembering and understanding, to higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing and creating alphabetic principle: the understanding that written language is based on a system of letters (graphemes) that represent sounds (phonemes) in spoken language prosody: reading with appropriate expression, intonation, and phrasing Scarborough's Reading Rope illustrates how reading is a complex system like a rope made of different strands, each important for comprehending what is read. It is like putting together different skills, such as knowing the sounds of letters (phonemic awareness), understanding what words mean (vocabulary), and being able to build a mental model to comprehend the text by decoding the words and connecting those words to their meanings.

By learning about these skills, teachers can help students become better readers who understand what they read.

The infographic describes Scarborough's Reading Rope. Two categories are located to the left: Language Comprehension and Word Recognition. Below Language Comprehension are five components. Background knowledge includes, "Facts, concepts, etc." Vocabulary includes, "Breadth, precision, links, etc." Language structures includes, "Syntax, semantics, etc." Verbal reasoning includes, "Inference, metaphor, etc." "Literacy knowledge includes, "Print concepts, genres, etc." Below Word Recognition there are three components.

Phonological awareness includes, "Syllables, phonemes, etc." Decoding includes, "Alphabetic principle, spelling-sound correspondences."

Sight recognition includes the qualifier, "Of familiar words." The rope for Language Comprehension is labeled "increasingly strategic." The rope for Word Recognition is labeled "increasingly automatic." The ropes intertwine together to produce "Skilled Reading," which is a title located on the opposite side and defined as, "Fluent execution and coordination of language comprehension and word recognition."

Scarborough’s reading rope: an illustration of the simple view of reading broken down into the different areas of skill needed to be developed to become a skilled reader. skilled reader: someone who has interleaved the language comprehension strategies with structured literacy lessons to be able to not only read text but gain a deep understanding of Phonology is the study of the sound systems and patterns of a language, including how phonemes are organized and used to convey meaning.

Orthography is the set of conventions and rules governing the correct spelling, writing, and usage of symbols in a language.

Syntax is the set of rules that governs the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Semantics is the study of the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences in a language.

Morphology is the study of the structure and formation of words in a language, including how words are built from smaller units called morphemes.

Phase of POSSUM

Phonology

Definition

Ecosystem

What are the sounds

/e/ /c/ /o/ /s/ /i/ /s/ /t/ /e/

in the word?

/m/

Review Orthography

How is the word

e-c-o-s-y-s-t-e-

spelled?

m, noting that the

‘y’

says

short ‘i’

Syntax

What part of speech is the word?

Noun

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms Semantics

What does the word mean?

(like plants, animals, and microorganisms) and their nonliving environment (like water, soil, and

sunlight) all working together in a balanced system.

I already understand the What do I already Understanding

understand about the word?

pre-fix “eco-” meaning environment, and the pictures make me think this connects to animal habitats.

"Eco-" is a prefix

Morphology

What are the word parts?

meaning "related to the environment.’”

Lexical quality of words, as assessed through POSSUM, is crucial for language acquisition and proficiency, encompassing factors like word frequency, age of acquisition, and imageability. orthography: the conventional system of spelling and writing in a language morphology: the study of how words are put together with smaller parts called morphemes, which can be prefixes, suffixes, root words, or other word parts semantics: the meaning of words/phrases and how they relate to each other; it helps us understand the meanings of sentences and how words/phrases connect to form clear and meaningful communication

Bloom's taxonomy pyramid lists the following levels in order from bottom to top: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. Each level has corresponding action verbs and strategies. Remember action verbs include define, list, and memorize.

The strategies are often behaviorist, e.g., drill and practice, repetition, etc. Understand action verbs include explain, identify, locate, and describe. The strategies are often behaviorist, e.g., drill and practice, repetition, etc./may also use cognitivism with teacher-led discussions, explanations, etc. Apply action verbs include solve and use. The strategies are often cognitivist, e.g., instructor-led demonstrations, modeling, etc. Analyze action verbs include organize, compare, and experiment. The strategies are often cognitivist, e.g., instructor-led discussions, demonstrations, etc. Evaluate action verbs include critique and argue. The strategies are often constructivist, e.g., problem-based learning, coaching, simulations, etc. Lastly, the Create action verb examples include construct and develop. The strategies are often constructivist, e.g., problem-based learning, coaching, simulations, etc.

content

standards: the guidelines that outline the knowledge, skills, and concepts students are expected to master at each grade level in a particular subject area; typically defined at the state level performance standards: standards that describe the level of proficiency or achievement students should demonstrate in relation to the content standards Blooms Taxonomy: a hierarchical framework that categorizes cognitive processes into six levels, ranging from lowerorder thinking skills, such as remembering and understanding, to higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing and creating Which key literacy standards will be (or are) prioritized for this unit of study?

Are there other supporting standards (skills and concepts) that can be reinforced in this unit of study but not formally assessed?

What content will be taught and how will students demonstrate and apply their understanding?

What are the broader learning goals for the unit and smaller learning targets for each lesson and how will they be assessed?

What is the logical ordering of learning activities?

What texts could be used (or have been designated) for each lesson within the larger unit?

How will you measure progress and adjust your instruction throughout the unit of study?

The Lesson 1 summary includes the following concepts: (1) "A research-based literacy education should be closely aligned with educational standards. Understanding those standards ensures that your literacy instruction, curriculum, and assessments are aligned," (2) "Structured literacy is a systematic and explicit method, focusing on teaching the foundational skills of language, including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics," and (3) "Understanding and unpacking standards helps in instructional planning across the school year."

● multisensory: education that involves engaging multiple senses, such as sight, hearing, touch, and movement, to enhance learning and reinforce concepts

Classroom Setup A literacy-rich classroom allows students to interact with print in different ways. ● Create displays like anchor charts and word walls. ● Include different areas, literacy stations, writing centers, and book displays. ● Label things and places throughout your classroom to connect print to speech.

Classroom Libraries Classroom libraries introduce students to a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. ● Include relevant books to your learners and get them excited about reading. ● Ensure you have books that present different people and places. ● To meet the needs of all learners, include books at different reading levels and across genres.

Cross-Curricular Activities A literacy-rich classroom integrates literacy activities into every curriculum area and supports the idea that reading is the foundation of learning.

Literacy activities also support new vocabulary across different content areas. ● Themed classrooms, like weather, plants, or animals, support an integrated literacy experience. ● Carefully selected vocabulary words support reading comprehension across different content areas.

Creating a literacy-rich classroom (Figure 1.5 below) includes careful planning and observation of what is in your classroom. A graphic identifies the "Steps to a Literacy Rich Classroom." The title is on the left side, above an icon of an open book with stars and circles above the pages. On the right, each of the steps aligns with a letter of the word, "Rich." There are four boxes, each with a letter on the left and an explanation on the right. The first box is green and has the letter, "R." The text reads, "Relevance: is the content in your classroom relevant to your instructional standards and your students?" The second box is light blue and has the letter, "I." The text reads, "Inclusive: are all of your learners represented in your materials? Are they able to see new perspectives?" The third box is purple and has the letter, "C." The text reads, "Creative: does your material spark new ideas and encourage critical thinking skills and problem solving?" The fourth box is dark blue and has the letter, "H." The text reads, "Hands-on: are students able to access resources in different ways for a multisensory education?"

● multisensory: education that involves engaging multiple senses, such as sight, hearing, touch, and movement, to enhance learning and reinforce concepts

● literacy-rich environment: a setting that immerses students in a variety of reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities and materials, promoting the development of strong literacy skills ● Multisensory strategies (shown in Figure 1.6) in literacy instruction generally refer to instructional strategies that connect auditory (sound), visual (sight), and kinesthetic (touch) activities. This means students learn best if they can use their whole bodies to learn. As you plan your lessons, ensuring that you have a variety of activities will help your students make crucial brain connections for reading success.

●

One way to bring in multisensory activities in literacy education is Word Mapping, Word Mapping is an activity that supports students in seeing new words using the following multisensory steps: ● Auditory: hearing a new word, and hearing the sounds that make up the word ● Visual: seeing a new word using letters, pictures, or both ● Kinesthetic: tapping, clapping, or using fingers to count the sounds in a word.

● A graphic identifies the Science of Reading Principles. The graphic has the title, "Science of Reading Principles" in the center with a dotted-lined circle. There are colorful nodes on either side of the circle. The nodes correspond with a colored speech bubble that contains a science of reading principle. The shape on the top left is dark blue colored and says, "Science-based reading instruction is a matter of equity." The second shape on the left is light blue colored and says, "Learning to read proficiently in any language requires both word recognition and language comprehension." The third shape on the left is magenta colored and says, "Literacy instruction in each language must reflect its unique elements." The fourth and bottom shape on the left is green, and says, "Reading in any language is not natural and must be taught systematically and explicitly." The top shape on the right is green and says, "Background knowledge and vocabulary are as crucial to comprehension as decoding skills." The second shape on the right is magenta and says, "Foundational skills instruction must be systematic, explicit, and engaging, using multiple modes and senses." The third shape on the right is light blue and says, "Universal screening and progress monitoring are critical to ensure all students

receive the right instruction." The fourth and bottom shape on the right is dark blue, and says, "Science-based reading instruction reduces the need for intervention and allows children to move forward as capable, confident readers."

● science of learning: how we learn new ideas, build upon prior knowledge, and transfer knowledge to new situations ● phonemic awareness: a subset of phonological awareness and specifically refers to the ability to recognize and manipulate individual phonemes (speech sounds) in spoken words ● phonics: the study of the relationships between letters and the sounds they represent, essential for students to know in order to decode words ● fluency: the ability to read text accurately, automatically, smoothly, and with expression ● vocabulary: a deep understanding of a words’ meaning, once achieved, the word will be stored the brain's mental lexicon (storehouse of words) ● comprehension: understanding and interpreting the meaning of text ● science of reading: a body of research that investigates how individuals learn to read, encompassing the cognitive, linguistic, and instructional processes involved in literacy development ● simple view of reading: students having both the ability to recognize words and the ability to comprehend language, to become a skilled reader (reading comprehension = decoding × understanding language) ● decoding: the process of using knowledge of letter sound relationships (grapheme phoneme correspondence) to translate written symbols (graphemes) into spoken language (phonemes) and recognize words Correct:Letter and word recognition involves the orthographic processor and letter box, which help in identifying and processing written symbols.

Language Comprehension Select an option

meaning and context processor

orthographic processor and letter box

phonological processor

phoneme-grapheme association correct Answer Correct:Language comprehension relies on the meaning and context processor to understand and interpret spoken and written language.

Speech Sounds (inputs/outputs)

Select an option

orthographic processor and letter box

phoneme-grapheme association

meaning and context processor

phonological processor correct Answer Correct:Speech sounds are processed by the phonological processor. Phoneme analysis, Sound Symbol Connection Select an option

phoneme-grapheme association

and context processor

meaning

orthographic processor and letter box

phonological processor correct Answer Correct:Phoneme analysis and the connection between sounds and symbols

involve

phoneme-grapheme

essential for decoding and spelling.

Submit

●

Key Terms

3

association,

which

is

● dyslexia: a learning disorder characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities ● language acquisition: process in which students acquire the ability to comprehend language and to have the skills necessary to use words and sentences to communicate ● four-part processor: a framework that describes how the brain processes written language, involving phonological, orthographic, meaning, and context processors working together to facilitate reading and comprehension ● orthographic processor: the part of the brain that helps us recognize and remember the visual patterns of written words and letters ● phonological processor: the part of the brain that helps us recognize, remember, and work with the sounds in spoken language ● meaning processor: the part of the brain that helps us understand and interpret the meanings of words and sentences ● context processor: the part of the brain that helps us understand words and sentences based on the surrounding text and overall situation ● syntax: the structure, arrangement, and organization of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences in a language ●

Correct:This part of the brain is responsible for accessing the mental lexicon or (storehouse of words) and helps in understanding the semantic content of words during reading.

● The phonological processor is primarily responsible for processing sounds, including decoding and encoding phonemes. ● Collaboration This is the step where the teacher steps back and watches the children practice the skill to mastery with others in collaborative groups. If students are still struggling on this step, they know they should do an intervention with a small group including this student.

● At the intersection of the parietal, occipital and temporal lobes, is where the phonological and orthographic processors intersect after they are

activated with explicit phonics instruction. This area can be strengthened with explicit instruction critical for connecting sounds to letters during the reading process. ● Language comprehension primarily occurs in the temporal lobe, where auditory processing and language functions are located. ● Phonics instruction emphasizes understanding how letters represent sounds and how these sounds combine to form words, aiding in word recognition and reading fluency. ● Vocabulary instruction is designed to enhance comprehension and expression by expanding students' word knowledge, enabling them to better understand what they read and communicate effectively in writing and speaking. ● ] five pillars of literacy are essential building blocks for becoming a good reader and writer. They include understanding how sounds work in words (phonemic awareness), knowing the connection between letters and sounds (phonics), reading smoothly and with expression (fluency), learning the meaning of words (vocabulary), and understanding what you read (comprehension). By focusing on these areas, students can become strong readers and writers. ●

● print awareness: the understanding that print has meaning and is organized in a particular way, understanding that we read from left to right/ top to bottom. It is knowing that words are made up of letters and have spaces in between them. It is also called print concepts or concepts of print. ● alphabetic principle: the understanding that written language is based on a system of letters (graphemes) that represent sounds (phonemes) in spoken language ● Ehri’s phases of word development: Pre alphabetic (pre-k); partial alphabetic (end of K); full alphabetic (end of grade 1); consolidated alphabetic (end of grade 2), describing the way students learn words ● Phonics is about learning how letters match up with sounds to read words. ●

● Phonological awareness is the ability to hear and play with sounds in words, like rhymes and syllables. ●

● Phonemic awareness is a part of this and focuses just on hearing and working with the smallest sounds in words, called phonemes. ● Tolman’s hourglass figure: a conceptual model that illustrates how broad, general knowledge is progressively filtered and refined into specific, goal-directed behavior through the stages of learning and decision-making ● phonological awareness: the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of spoken language, including words, syllables, and phonemes (individual speech sounds), without necessarily understanding the meaning of the words ●

The ability to Isolation

What is the

identify and

first sound

articulate

in

individual

word cat?

sounds in

the

specific positions within

/c/

a word, such as the

beginning,

middle, or end.

The ability to break down a Segmentati on

word into its individual sounds or phonemes in order.

Blending

What are the sounds in the word boat? /b/ /oa/ /t/

The ability to

What word

combine

has the

individual

sounds

sounds

/c/ /l/ /o/ /p/?

(phonemes) to form a whole

clop

word.

The ability to add a phoneme to Addition

an existing word to create a new word.

Take the word plan and add a /t/ sound at the end. plant

Deletion

The ability to

Take the word

remove a

ground and

phoneme from a

word and

remove the

create a new

/g/ sound.

word. round

The ability to

Take the word top and

replace one Substitutio n

change the

phoneme in a

/t/ sound to

word with

a /h/ sound.

another phoneme to create a new

hop

word. isolation: the ability to identify and isolate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words ● segmentation: the process of separating a word into individual phonemes ● blending: the process of combining individual phonemes (speech sounds) together to form a word ● addition: the process of adding a phoneme into a word to make a new word ● deletion: the process of removing a phoneme from a word to make a new word ● substitution: the process of changing a phoneme in a word to another phoneme to make a new word ● Learning phonics directly can really help you get better at reading and spelling by showing you how sounds in words match up with letters in writing, especially if you're having trouble with dyslexia or English ● phoneme: the smallest unit of sound in spoken language that distinguishes one word from another

● grapheme: the written symbol (letters or combinations of letters) that represent phonemes (speech sounds) in written language ● Effective literacy fluency promotion requires a tailored approach combining phonics, vocabulary, comprehension strategies, independent reading, and culturally relevant materials.

Continuous assessment and adjustment based on student progress are vital. ● Accuracy: This refers to reading words correctly. Accuracy is important because it allows readers to understand what they are reading without stumbling over unfamiliar words. ● Rate/Automaticity: Rate (or automaticity) refers to the speed at which a person reads. While it's not just about reading quickly, a good rate allows readers to maintain comprehension and engagement with the text. ● Prosody: Prosody involves reading with appropriate expression, intonation, and phrasing. It's about reading with feeling and understanding the punctuation and structure of sentences to convey the meaning effectively.

This choice is correct: Word decoding fluency skills. Word decoding fluency skills are an essential part of the mechanics of fluency, focusing on recognizing and decoding words efficiently.

This choice is correct: text decoding fluency skills. Text decoding fluency skills involve applying decoding strategies to larger segments of text to support overall reading fluency.

This choice is correct: comprehension fluency skills. Comprehension fluency skills are crucial for understanding and making sense of the text being read, which is an important aspect of fluency. accuracy: This refers to reading words correctly. Accuracy is important because it allows readers to understand what they are reading without

stumbling over unfamiliar words.

rate/Automaticity: Rate (or automaticity) refers to the speed at which a person reads. While it's not just about reading quickly, a good rate allows readers to maintain comprehension and engagement with the text. prosody: Prosody involves reading with appropriate expression, intonation, and phrasing. It's about reading with feeling and understanding the punctuation and structure of sentences to convey the meaning effectively.

This four-part plan includes: ● Provide rich and varied language experiences: This includes reading lots of different genres and types of text, and having discussions as a class. ● Teach individual words: This includes using the Tiers above to

select

appropriate

words

that

can

help

students

understand what they read. ● Teach word-learning strategies: This includes teaching students strategies for understanding new words, like knowing different parts of words (morphology), using tools like a dictionary or thesaurus, or using context clues. ● Foster word-consciousness: This includes helping students find a love of words by teaching the power behind words, using positive words, and choosing words carefully.

A graphic identifies 8 Comprehension Strategies. The strategies are Metacognition, Monitoring Comprehension, Visualizing, Graphic and Semantic Organizers, Answering Questions, Generating Questions, Recognizing Story Structure, and Summarizing.

Metacognition: Think about how you learn and understand things. When you read, consider which strategies help you and which don't, so you can become a better reader.

Monitoring Comprehension: A reading strategy where readers actively check their understanding of the text as they read, identifying and resolving any confusion to enhance overall comprehension.

Visualizing: Picturing what is happening in the story helps create mental images of the text, which enhances understanding and retention.

Graphic and Semantic Organizers: Use visual tools like charts or webs to organize information from the text. These tools help you see connections and understand the text's structure.

Answering Questions: Answering questions about the text helps you check your understanding and think more deeply about what you've read.

Generating Questions: Asking your own questions about the text helps you think critically and understand it better.

Recognizing Story Structure: Understanding the parts of a story, like characters and plot, helps you follow the story and understand how it all fits together.

Summarizing: Summarize the main ideas and key details of the text in your own words. This helps you remember and understand what you've read.

That's correct! Phonemic awareness activities involve discerning and manipulating sounds within words, laying the foundation for reading skills.

That's correct! Phonics and word analysis activities help students decode unfamiliar words by understanding letter-sound relationships.

That's correct! Fluency practice aims to enhance reading by focusing on expression, accuracy, and pace.

That's correct! Vocabulary enrichment activities involve exploring word meanings through context clues and word parts, such as prefixes and suffixes.

Pointing to words as they are read aloud helps children make the connections between spoken and written language, which is a key aspect of print awareness.

Correct! Illustrations and visual elements can support understanding but do not impact the Lexile quality of words. ● mental lexicon: a storehouse of words with a deep understanding of (including definition, role, pronunciation) housed in the language section of the brain. ● Print communication skills: the foundational abilities necessary to understand, create, and effectively use printed materials. These skills are crucial for academic success and overall literacy development.

Here's a summary:

● Reading comprehension: Elementary students learn to decode text, understand vocabulary, and comprehend written passages. They develop the ability to extract meaning from various types of texts, such as storybooks, textbooks, and informational articles. ● Phonics

and

word

recognition:

Students

learn

letter-sound

correspondences, phonemic awareness, and sight word recognition.

This enables them to decode unfamiliar words and improve reading fluency. ● Vocabulary development: Through exposure to various texts, students expand their vocabulary and learn new words in context. Teachers often incorporate vocabulary-building activities to enhance understanding and expression. ● Writing skills: Elementary students practice expressing their ideas through writing. They learn about sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. They also develop their creativity and critical thinking skills through storytelling and composition exercises. ● Grammar and language mechanics: Students gradually grasp and apply grammar rules in their writing. They learn about parts of speech, sentence types, and punctuation conventions. ● Text analysis and interpretation: As students progress, they engage in more analysis of texts. They learn to identify main ideas, infer meaning, and analyze literary elements such as plot, character development, and theme.

Digital Communication

How can it be used to teach literacy?

Teachers can use social media Social Media

platforms like Twitter to create a class account where students can

practice writing concise messages, share book reviews, and participate in literacy-related discussions, enhancing their reading and writing skills.

Teachers can use video conferencing tools like Zoom to Video Conferencing

conduct virtual read-aloud sessions, where students can follow along with the text and engage in discussions about the story, enhancing their listening and comprehension skills.

Teachers can use email to send students writing prompts and

Email

encourage them to respond with their own short stories or reflections, helping to develop their writing and communication skills.

Teachers can use augmented and virtual reality apps to immerse students in interactive storybooks,

Augmented and Virtual Reality

where they can explore scenes and characters in a 3D environment, enhancing their engagement and comprehension of the text.

Teachers can use virtual whiteboards to collaboratively brainstorm ideas, Virtual Whiteboards

create story maps, and practice spelling and grammar exercises with students, making the learning process interactive and visually engaging.

Teachers can use chatbots to simulate conversations with characters from books, allowing

Chatbots

students to ask questions and receive instant responses, which enhances their reading comprehension and engagement with the text.

Teachers can use artificial intelligence-powered reading apps that provide personalized feedback

Artificial Intelligence

and recommendations based on each student’s reading level and progress, helping to tailor instruction to individual needs and improve literacy skills.

● Literacy knowledge demonstration: Demonstrate knowledge of

the

theoretical,

historical,

and

evidence-based

foundations of literacy and language ● Communication approach identification: Identify patterns, trends, and key findings that inform communication approaches. ● protagonist: the leading character in a fictional text

● antagonist: the character who causes conflict with the protagonist.These text features are used in the following ways: ● Captions: Brief explanations accompanying images. ● Comparisons: Highlights of similarities and differences between concepts. ● Glossary: A list of terms and their definitions used in the text. ● Diagram: A visual representation explaining parts of an object or process. ● Map: A visual depiction of geographic locations and spatial relationships. ● Label: Identifications of parts within a diagram or image. ● Index: An alphabetical listing of key topics with their page numbers. ● Illustration and photos: Visual representations to support and enhance the text. ● Special print: Text that is emphasized through bold, italics, or other formatting. ● Titles and subtitles: Headings that introduce and organize sections of the content. ● Table of contents: An outline of the text's structure and main topics. ● Graphs and charts: Visual presentations of data to support and clarify information.

Teaching text features to elementary students is crucial because it equips them with the skills to navigate and comprehend informational texts effectively. Understanding elements such as captions, indexes, and glossaries helps students locate key information quickly and enhances their ability to grasp complex concepts. Familiarity with text features supports their overall reading comprehension and boosts their confidence in handling diverse reading materials.

Table 4.2. Elements of Poetry

Element

Explanation

Example

A figure of speech where human characteristics is attributed to non-human Personification

things, such as animals, The wind whispered objects, or ideas. It is

through the trees.

used to create vivid imagery and make abstract concepts more relatable.

A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike Simile

things using the words "like" or "as." It

Her smile was as bright as the sun.

is used to highlight similarities between different things.

A figure of speech directly compares two, Metaphor

unlike things without using "like" or "as." It implies that one thing is another, enhancing understanding through direct, symbolic

Time is a thief.

comparison. "Time is a thief."

A word that phonetically imitates or Onomatopoeia

suggests the sound it

The bees buzzed as

describes. It is used to

they flew from flower

create a more

to flower.

immersive and vivid experience for the reader.

The repetition of similar sounding words occurring at the end of lines in poems or Rhyme

songs. It is used to

The cat in the hat sat on

create a musical effect,

a mat.

enhance memorability, and unify the poem's structure. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are."

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in neighboring Alliteration

words or syllables. It is used to create rhythm, mood, and emphasis on certain phrases.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

The following books use elements of poetry or descriptive language. As you read them, pay attention to the poetry elements that you read. ● Imagery: Poetry often uses vivid language to create mental images in the reader's mind. It paints pictures with words, appealing to the senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. ● Figurative language: This includes literary devices like metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism. These devices help to add depth and layers of meaning to the poem. ● Sound devices: Poets pay special attention to the sounds of words. Techniques like rhyme, rhythm, alliteration (repeating consonant sounds), and assonance (repeating vowel sounds) can add musicality and flow to the poem. ● Structure and form: Poetry can take many different shapes and forms. Some poems have specific structures like sonnets, haikus, or limericks, while others may be free verse with no set rules. The arrangement of lines, stanzas, and the overall layout on the page can also contribute to the poem's meaning. ● Theme and tone: Every poem has a central idea or message, which is its theme. The tone of the poem refers to the attitude or mood conveyed by the poet. Themes and tones can vary widely, from love and nature to sadness and anger. ● Emotion and expression: Poetry is often deeply emotional and expressive. It can capture feelings and experiences in a way that prose cannot, using language to evoke strong emotions in the reader.

Understanding these elements can help both readers and writers appreciate and analyze poetry more deeply.

● Metaphors: a type of figurative language that directly compares two different things by stating that one is the other

● Symbolism: use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities ● Prose: poetry written in the way most people write and speak every day ● Simile: a type of figurative language that uses ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare ● Onomatopoeia: phonetically imitates or suggests the sound it describes A graphic identifies the writing developmental stages. At the top and bottom of the graphic are two dark blue bars. There is a title that reads, "Writing Developmental Stages." There are two rows of three items. The first item in the top row has a yellow border and icon. The icon shows a scribbled line. The box identifies the stage as, "Beginner Writer." The description reads, "The student dictates their sentences or stories. Their writing strategies may include drawing, copying, and inventing their own coding of writing. A lot of support with writing is needed." The second item in the top row has a red border and icon. The icon shows a crayon. The box identifies the stage as, "Early Writer."

The description reads, "The student draws and adds initial letters using letter strings. They understand letters and letter sounds and use their experiences of seeing written language." The third item in the top row has an orange border and icon. The icon shows a pencil drawing a squiggly line. The box identifies the stage as, "Developing Writer." The description reads, "The student writes letters, lists, and stories, but they need help with extending. They can read back their own writing and experiment with punctuation, spelling, and phonics. The writing can be read by others." The first item in the bottom row has a purple border and icon. The icon shows a retractable pen. The box identifies the stage as, "Moderately Fluent Writer." The description reads, "The student is writing with more confidence, and extensions are done more independently. They can experiment with different genres. The writing uses conventions more accurately and includes high-frequency words." The second item in the bottom row has a green border and icon. The icon shows a hand writing on a piece of paper. The box identifies the stage as, "Fluent Writer." The description reads, "The student is gaining independence in writing for a range of purposes and can adapt their writing for their audience. They have writing endurance, and their writing uses conventions consistently and effectively." The third and final item in the bottom row has a blue border and icon. The icon shows a line drawing of a person with long hair leaning on a desk and writing on paper. The box identifies the stage as, "Exceptionally Fluent Writer." The description reads, "The student writes confidently and independently. They enjoy writing in different genres and are developing a personal voice. They use text structures they have experienced in their reading. Conventions are used deliberately, and pieces are longer and more complex, with meaningful subjects."

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Skilled writing requires critical thinking for analysis and synthesis, syntax for sentence structure, text structure for logical organization, writing craft for engaging readers, and transcription skills for accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar. These elements collectively help create clear, compelling, and polished written work.