We encourage you to use a balanced literacy approach for teaching and learning a second language. A balanced literacy approach is holistic; it recognized that the 3 ESL competencies intertwine to promote language acquisition. A balance literacy approach means ensuring that all 3 ESL competencies are regularly targeted as learning objectives in your classroom and that you strive to balance the amount of time you spend teaching each competency.
Your literacy routine should include set times for the following components:
Circle time/whole class discussion (Competency 1 & Competency 2)
Suggested time: 10-15 mins/day
Find time each day for students to talk. This could be a daily circle time where students share facts and interests, identify they’re current Zone of Regulation, or where they’re encouraged to think critically about a situation or question. The goal is to give students time to practice oral language and build community!
Read-Alouds (Competency 1 + Competency 2)
Suggested time: 10-15 mins/day
If possible, do two read-alouds a day; one for shared-reading and one for enjoyment. You may want to have students pick the enjoyment book as a classroom incentive! You may also select a multi-media “read-aloud” 1-2 times a week; while reading is important it is also important for students to strengthen their viewing and listening comprehension through a variety of different mediums.
Shared reading (with mini-reading workshops) (Competency 1 & Competency 2)
Suggested time: 10-20 mins/day
Read aloud and have students help you read, if appropriate. Students may have copies of the text or you can display the text on the SMARTBoard, big book, circle etc. You may select 2 of your enjoyment read-alouds for shared-reading and re-read them to teach decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Here the focus is facilitating a whole group mini lesson. Only teach one skill per lesson.
Guided reading + Literacy Centers (Competency 1 + Competency 2)
Suggested time: 45 mins + 5 mins of sharing/day
Meet with small groups of students while others are working independently on reading comprehension or reading independently. In guided reading, use scaffolder instruction and help students read slightly harder words and texts than they could independently. After Independent reading or centers, regroup class and give students time to share what they read or strategies they used.
Independent Reading (Competency 2)
Suggested time: 25 mins + 5 minutes sharing
Students write in small groups or alone. During this time meet with small groups or individuals to offer meaningful feedback. Follow by class share time. Sharing should always be voluntary.
Writing workshops (modeled/shared/interactive) (Competency 3)
Suggested time: 10-15 mins/day
Focus on one skill for students to use. You can explain and then model it to them.
Word work/phonics (Competency 3)
Suggested time: 15-20 mins/day
Teach phonics words or spelling. You may do this in groups if easier. Some students can work independently on words while you work with the other group.
Independent writing (Competency 3)
Suggested time: 25 mins + 5 minutes sharing/day
Students write in small groups or alone. During this time, the teacher should meet with small groups or individuals to offer meaningful feedback. Follow by class share time. Sharing should always be voluntary.
Phonological awareness (Competency 1)
Suggested time: 5 mins/day
Second-language learners benefit from concise and explicit instruction on phonemic awareness (Shanahan & Beck, 2006). There are many phonemic differences between Inuttitut, English and French. For example, in Inuttitut, there are 6 vowels sounds. In English, there are 20. In French, there are 16. Please note, these numbers may vary slightly depending on the source referenced.
Short activities targeting specific phonemes will help students distinguish sound differences and decode text in their second language. We recommend quick oral games and activities to practice letter sounds, rhyming, substituting sounds, clapping syllables, segmenting and blending. These can be used for transition times. Watch this video to learn more about the differences between Inuttitut, French, and English.
*The above times are only suggestions. Find a routine that works for your students and respects your assigned language teaching time.
We encourage you to set a literacy routine to ensure you’re allocating teaching time to each of the 3 competencies. Setting a routine may also help with classroom management. The specific routine you set with your students will depend on the grade level you teach, your allocated teaching time, and the abilities and attention spans of your students. If you’re teaching at the primary level, your routine may change slightly as the year progresses. You may spend more time focusing on oral language with primary students at the beginning of the year, and gradually progress to allocating more time for reading and writing as your student become more proficient in their second or third language. While the time you allocate to each competency may shift slightly over the duration of the school year, it’s important to stick to the same general routine for your literacy blocks.
The goal: Allot daily time to teaching and practicing each of the language competencies. Focus on clear and precise teaching to give students time to practice and integrate their knowledge!
Learn more about literacy assessment in Nunavik.
Glossary:
Competency 1: Interacts Orally in English
Competency 2: Understands and Responds to Text
Competency 3: Writes Text