1. Literate Environment Analysis
Sherry A. Johannes
Walden University
EDU-6706 The Beginning Reader,PreK-3
Dr. Davenna Williams

2. Getting To Know Literacy Learners PreK-3
This research based practice demonstrates how
getting to know your students is the first step to
creating a safe learning environment for students.
Getting to know students is also a key component
to how literacy instruction will develop and
differentiate as the year goes on. The National
Association for the Education of Young Children
state that young children should be engaged in
experiences that make learning meaningful,
memorable, and create a basis of prior knowledge
for future use (National Association for the
Education of Young Children, 1998).
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (1998). Learning to read and write:
Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. Washington, DC: Author

3. Getting To Know Literacy Learners PreK-3
In order to create my lessons I got to know my students in formal and informal ways by
using:
Non-Cognitive
Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (McKenna &Kear, 1990)
Me Stew
Cognitive
Reading-Curriculum Based Measurements – Aimsweb
DRA
McKenna, M. C., &Kear, D. J. (1990). Measuring Attitude toward Reading: A New
Tool for Teachers. Reading Teacher, 43(9), 626-39.

4. Selecting Texts
When selecting texts Dr. Hartman and Dr.
Almasi demonstrate the literacy matrix
and how it can be used to balance literacy
texts used in the classroom (Laureate
Education, 2010). It is important, as an
educator, to seek out text that is
appropriate and engaging for individual
students (Laureate Education, 2010). It
is also important to create a balance of
various texts within our instruction.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Analyzing and selecting texts. [DVD].
The beginning reader, prek-3. Baltimore, MD: Author.

5. Selecting Texts
Characteristics of text difficulty when selecting texts
 Size of print
 Sentence length
 Word size- syllables
 Semiotic content
 Word difficulty
(Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Analyzing and selecting texts.
[Videocast]. The beginning reader, prek-3. Baltimore, MD: Author.

6. Selecting Texts
Texts I used in
creating my lessons
using the literacy
matrix to create a
diverse selection.

7. Interactive Perspective
The interactive perspective focuses on teaching reading strategies.
“Phonemic awareness, phonics,
sight word recognition, and
fluency, as well as vocabulary
knowledge and literal and
inferential comprehension all
contribute to reading success”
(Afflerbach, 2007)
Afflerbach, P. (2007) Understanding and using reading assessment,
K-12. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011).

8. Interactive Perspective
Fluency is defined as “the ability to read accurately, quickly, effortlessly,
and with appropriate expression and meaning” (Griffith &Rasinki, 2004).
Fluency is also referred to as “a bridge between word identification and
comprehension” (Bashir& Hook, 2009, p.196).
In order to be a fluent reader, a student requires the ability to focus on
comprehension rather than decoding words they are not familiar with. If
a child becomes more fluent in their reading they will be able to
comprehend more of what they are reading and make connections to and
with the text. They will be able to look for inferences and context clues
within the reading.
Word identification is also important to the ability to read fluently. The
more words students are exposed to, the more fluent their reading will
become since they are spending time struggling to decode the words.
Anderson, R. C., &Freebody, P. (1981). Vocabulary knowledge. Comprehension and teaching: Research reviews
(pp. 77-117). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Bashir, A.S.& Hook, P.E. (2009). Fluency:A key link between word identification and
comprehension. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 40, 196-200.

9. Interactive Perspective
Research by Anderson and Freebody tells us that the knowledge of
vocabulary is the most important factor that contributes to reading
comprehension (1981). Also, knowing how to decode and discover the
meaning of words is important to comprehension. One of the reasons
why I chose to do this lesson was because we would be seeing the same
vocabulary throughout the entire unit. In order for my group of
students to comprehend what we were reading about, they needed to
become familiar with the vocabulary they would see, not only throughout
this book, but the books that were to follow. The students need to use
their background knowledge and surrounding words to decode a word’s
meaning. They were also required to translate the meaning into their
own words, demonstrating that they understand the meaning of the
word.
Anderson, R. C., &Freebody, P. (1981). Vocabulary knowledge.Comprehension and teaching: Research
reviews (pp. 77-117). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

10. Critical Perspective
Critical perspective allows students to examine, think critically
and interpret text (Laureate Education, 2010).
When we allow students to think critically we
are encouraging and promoting students to
question, reflect and examine text. Somers
and Worthington tells us "literature offers
children more opportunities than any other
area of the curriculum to consider ideas,
values, and ethical questions" (1979). Books
that engage students to look at these aspects
can also help us to model inference and
conclusions of literature.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011a). Critical perspective. [Videocast].
The beginning reader, PreK–3. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Somers, A.B., and Worthington, J.E. (1979) Response Guides for Teaching Children's Books.
Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
.

11. Critical Perspective
Dr. Vacca tells us that students should make connections
between their experiences and text (Laureate Education,
2011). Through inference, the students learn that
through hard work and determination you can do anything
you really want to do. As Dr. Almasi tells us, it is
important that students learn strategies and decoding
skills, however students must also learn how to explore
text as critical thinkers (Laureate Education, 2011).
First we teach the skills of how to read, and then we
teach the skills that tell them what to do with what they
have read.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Critical perspective. [Videocast].
The beginning reader, PreK–3. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Reading and writing connections. [Videocast]. In
The beginning reader, PreK–3. Baltimore, MD: Author.
.

12. Response Perspective
The response perspective allows students to interact, connect and respond
to various texts (Laureate Education, 2010).
Ways to incorporate response perspective into the classroom:
Journaling
Grand Conversations
Reading Log
Story Writing
Literature Circles
Reports
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Critical perspective. [Videocast].
The beginning reader, PreK–3. Baltimore, MD: Author

13. Response Perspective
Reading and writing allow students to make connections to what they are reading
using what they know and combining it with what they have learned forming
valuable connections.
Connections
Text to Self
Text to Text
Text to World
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Critical perspective. [Videocast].
The beginning reader, PreK–3. Baltimore, MD: Author

14. Feedback from Colleagues and Family
Members of Students
Thank
you!