How can teachers integrate meaningful literacy activities to promote student independence in the (K-6) classroom?
The beginning of my teaching career was not an easy walk in the park. Like most teachers just starting off, I had to learn how to juggle the multiple responsibilities that were placed in my hands. I was learning how to fill out administrative paperwork, be apart of a professional learning community, and how to create an inclusive classroom management plan. On the sidelines, I was also trying to build relationships with the students in my classroom and learn the curriculum guidelines so I could deliver instruction. Along the way, I learned how to effectively manage these responsibilities but as a teacher you never stop learning. I consistently asked for guidance from colleagues and mentors on how I could increase my students independence in the classroom. Although I saw progress from the strategies, projects, and management systems I put into place- I never felt like 100 % of my students were actively engaged while working independently. Upon entering the New Literacies & Global Learning Program, I knew that I wanted to address this issue that many teachers, including myself, struggle to overcome. This brings me to my compelling question for this creative synthesis project: "How can teachers integrate meaningful literacy activities to promote student independence in the (K-6) classroom?"
You may be wondering what I mean when I say "meaningful literacy activities". Throughout my coursework in this program, I have come to find that meaningful literacy activities are those that are academically challenging yet engaging because they show a purpose and connection to a child's life. In order to cultivate a learning environment which allows students to be independently successful, teachers need to include the gradual release of responsibility model in their literacy instruction, as adapted from authors Pearson & Gallagher (1983). This model shows that when teachers provide sufficient scaffolds when students receive explicit and direct instruction and time to collaborate with their peers, students are able to effectively work on these skills or tasks independently. |
References:
Pearson, P. D., & Gallagher, G. (1983). The gradual release of responsibility model of instruction. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8, 112–123.