What do I do with the rest of the class when I am teaching small groups?
Centers are a good solution to this problem. In addition, guided reading can be conducted while children are in reading and writing workshop.

What is the connection between teaching reading and writing?
The language arts of reading, writing, listening, and speaking are integrated, i.e. each improves with improvement in the others. It is important for teachers to focus instruction in all four areas.

How important is background knowledge in literacy teaching?
Children who lack background knowledge are at a disadvantage when they learn to read and write. They literally do not posses the same number of vocabulary words as their peers who have richer background knowledge. In school, the more words a person knows, the easier it is to function. It is essential for teachers of children in generational poverty to provide a rich environment through which children gain access to more vocabulary words. This is done through reading aloud, first hand experiences, and class discussions. Teachers must be always open to the “teachable moment” when they can point out new vocabulary. A good lesson also always begins with some discussion to activate the background knowledge of the participants.

Is phonics best learned in context or in isolation?
It is easier for the brain to remember things when they are embedded in meaningful context. However, phonics instruction should be direct and systematic so that all sounds are covered and so that children do not have to figure out the sounds without help. A short poem is a good context for learning onsets and rimes, but these must be identified with the children.

What is the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics?
Phonemic awareness can be done in the dark because it is about being able to hear sounds, separate them, and put them back together. Changing a word by changing a sound is part of phonemic awareness, as is identifying rhyming words when they are spoken. Phonics is seen. It is making the connection between a written letter, or series of letters, and the sound or sounds represented.

What is the connection between fluency and comprehension?
Fluency is smooth reading with expression and appropriate pacing. When a child reads slowly and laboriously or painfully sounds out each word, fluency is compromised. This is called “over attending to text.” Thus, the child may not comprehend what he/she is reading. Comprehension strategies must also be directly taught.

How do I organize myself to teach reading?
Reading should be taught for at least 2 ½ hours a day, although good teachers find ways to incorporate reading and writing throughout their day in all of the content areas. A balanced literacy program includes working with words (during which phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary are taught), guided reading (during which children are helped to read text that is at their instructional level, which may include vocabulary instruction), self-selected reading (or reading workshop), and writing workshop. Teachers must model reading and writing for students. They must provide time for shared reading and writing, for cooperative reading and writing, for independent reading and writing, and for performance. This is called the “literacy backbone.”

How much support do I have to provide for the children in my class?
The older children are, the more independent they become. Teacher support must be intense in the early years when children need lots of modeling. As they grow in independence, though, they still need support with new vocabulary, idioms, and more sophisticated forms of writing.