1. Literate Environment
Presentation
Tim Nehring
Education 6706 - The
Beginning Reader, PreK
Professor McCully

2. Presentation Components
Getting to Know Literacy Learners
Selecting Texts
Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Literacy Lesson: Critical and Response
Perspectives
Questions for the Audience
References

3. Getting to Know Literacy Learners
Introduce and explain assessments
Cognitive - Independent Reading Level Assessments
(americanreadingcompany.org)
Noncognitive - Attitude Reading Survey (McKenna &
Kear, 1990)
Share results and findings from data
According to Dr. Helman’s guidelines, Lacy is at a
beginning level in her literacy development (Laureate
Education, Inc., 2010a).

4. Selecting Texts
Literacy Matrix - helps analyze texts so they are
useful to students and helps strike a balance for
using different texts (Laureate Education, Inc.,
2010b).

5. Selecting Texts
Students exposed to a variety of texts at an early age show rapid
development in obtaining literacy skills (Tompkins, 2010)
Introduce text features
Whole Group Read Aloud - Praying Mantises, by Helen
Frost (2001).
Independent Reading - Beetles by Cheryl Coughlan
(1999)
Enumeration Graphic Organizer (Tompkins, 2010)
Share Lacy’s Main Topic and Three Facts from her
graphic organizer
Students have buckets of books to choose from for the 100
Book Challenge that include a variety of topics and both
informational and narrative
(www.americanreadingcompany.com)

6. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective
Goals
Teach students how to read by being strategic
processors and thinkers (Laureate Education,
Inc., 2010c).
Create literate learners that can read and
navigate through texts independently (Laureate
Education, Inc, 2010d).

7. Literacy Lesson: Interactive Perspective Part
One
First-Grade Reading and Science Lesson
Prereading - Whole group KWL chart about
bugs
Teacher reads the narrative text The
Grouchy Ladybug (Carle, 1996).
Teacher than reads the informational text
Ladybugs (Coughlan, 1999).

8. Interactive Perspective Lesson Part Two
During Reading
Compare and Contrast the differences between narrative
and informational texts as a whole group using a Venn
diagram
Small group guided reading instruction (Tompkins, 2010).
Use multiple copies of Crickets (Coughlan, 1999).
Traffic Light Reading (Marcell, 2007).
Using sticky-notes to label books ( !, ?, (: )

9. Interactive Perspective Lesson Part Three
After Reading
Students fill out an enumeration graphic organizer
Identify a bug they read about
List main topic with three supporting details
Orally discuss similarities and differences between
bugs
Enrichment - Students write a narrative text about a type
of bug they learned about

10. Literacy Lesson: Critical and Response
Perspective
Goals
Students learn to critically evaluate text
they encounter (Laureate Education,
Inc., 2010e).
Read, respond, and react to texts in a
variety of meaningful ways (Framework
for Literacy Instruction, 2013).

11. Literacy Lesson: Critical and Response
Perspective Part One
First-Grade Reading Fairy Tales Lesson
Prereading
Whole group activity about what fairy tales
are - characteristics, good vs. evil, plot
Example of diagnostic testing

12. Literacy Lesson: Critical and Response
Perspective Part Two
During Reading
Why do characters turn out the way they do?
They will then listen to two stories about the same
topic, The Three Little Pigs.
The Three Little Pigs (Kellogg, 2002)
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
(Szieszka, 1996).
Think Aloud strategy (Tompkins, 2010) while
listening to the stories
Small group work to read narrative fairy tale
texts

13. Literacy Lesson: Critical and Response
Perspective Part Three
After Reading
Small group activity
Retell narrative story from a different
character’s perspective - use poster board
or act out
Share with class the new take
How could misjudging or misinterpreting
hurt others?
Enrichment - Students write narrative text about
a new take on a classic fairy tale

14. Questions for the Audience
What insights did you gain about literacy and literacy
instruction from viewing this presentation?
How might the information presented change your literacy
practices and/or literacy interactions with students?
In what ways can I support you in the literacy development
of your students or your children?
What questions do you have?
Thank you for listening and for your feedback!!!

15. References
100 Book Challenge. (2013). 100 Book Challenge. Retrieved August 4, 2013, from
www.americanreadingcompany.com
Coughlan, C. (1999). Beetles. Mankato, MN: Pebble Books.
Coughlan, C. (1999). Crickets. Mankato, MN: Pebble Books.
Coughlan, C. (1999). Ladybugs. Mankato, MN: Pebble Books.
Framework for Literacy Instruction Graphic Organizer. [DOC]. Retrieved August 8, 2013 from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1
&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse
%26id%3D_3398017_1%26url%3D
Kellogg, S. (2002). The three little pigs. New York City, NY: Harpercollins.
Frost, H. (2001). Praying mantises. Mankato, MN: Pebble Press.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010a). The Beginning Reader [Video Webcast]. Retrieved
from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&
url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id
%3D_2652506_1%26url%3D
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010b). Analyzing and Selecting Texts [Video Webcast].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group
_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3D
Course%26id%3D_2652506_1%26url%3D
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010c). Perspectives on Literacy Learning [Video Webcast].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group
_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3D
Course%26id%3D_2652506_1%26url%3D

16. References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010d). Interactive Perspective: Strategic Processing
[Video Webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frame
set.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DC
ourse%26id%3D_2652506_1%26url%3D
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010e). Critical Perspective [Video Webcast].
Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/f
rameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2F
execute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2652506_1%26url%3D
Marcell, B. (2007). Traffic Light Reading: Fostering the independent usage of comprehension strategies with informational
text. Reading Teacher, 60(8), 778-781. doi:10.1598/RT.60.8.8
McKenna, M. C., & Kear, D. J. (1990). Measuring attitude toward reading: A new tool for teachers. Reading Teacher,
43(9), 626-39.
Scieska, J. (1996). The true story of the three little pigs. New York City, NY: Puffin.
Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (5th ed.).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.