This document outlines a literacy program called Daily 5 that is used in a classroom. It includes 15 minutes of whole class instruction on reading strategies, 15 minutes of independent reading with reading conferences, 30 minutes of word work rotations in differentiated activities, 50 minutes of writing instruction with modeled and independent writing, and time for reflection. During the rotations, small reading strategy groups are held to explicitly teach goals and the teacher also conducts guided reading sessions. The teacher finds the program helps make student learning goal-oriented and differentiated, but can be challenging to fit all components into the morning.

1. LITERACY IN MY
CLASSROOM
Using the CAFE and Daily Five
Program

2. Whole class CAFÉ – 15 minutes
•
Focus: Introducing a new café strategy and/or revising previously taught
strategy.
•
I use online stories on the Interactive White Board (using Oxford Owl or
similar resources) or Big Books, to model the strategy.

3. Read to Self – 15 minutes
•
•
Students read ‘Just Right Books’ that they have selected from the
Classroom library. During Reading Conferences I monitor students’
book choices.
During this time I hold small (10 min) Reading Strategy Groups.
The focus has been determined during the previous week’s
Guided Reading sessions. During this time students are
introduced to their new reading goal, and are explicitly taught the
strategy that they need to work on and are given the opportunity to
practise it. They are given a book mark with their goal on it.

4. Word Work Rotations –
30minutes

Activities include:

Spelling investigations

Comprehension activities

Guided Reading texts

Listen to reading (using iPad, MP3 or CD player)

VCOP tasks (focusing on Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers &
Punctuation)

All activities are differentiated to cater for the ability levels and
needs of individual students)

During this time I hold guided reading sessions. Every week
students have an explicit strategy to work on and this is
documented and used to group students according to common area
of need.

5. What My Daily 5 Rotations look like

6. Work on Writing- 50 minutes
Structure:
 Whole Class Introduction.
 Share modelled writing with whole class.
 Individual writing for approximately 20 minutes.
Interactive writing groups held regularly to support
individual writing needs.
 Writing conferences are used to determine individual writing
goals and future strategy groups.
 Strategy groups are held to explicitly teach strategies and
give student the opportunity to practise goals.


Whole Class Share time to reflect on and
consolidate learning as well as celebrate

7. Interactive Writing in my class
Journal Writing
Focus: Using connectives
‘and’ & ‘because’
Model: I model and
students add to construct a
sentence. Magnetic letters
are used to support spelling.
Independent: Students
complete own work with
modelled work nearby for
support.

8. My Reflection
Positive
Minus
Interesting
• Student learning is
goal – orientated
• All tasks a
differentiated
• Reading strategies a
explicitly taught
• Student are able to
articulate their goals
• Students work in both
similar ability and
mixed ability groups.
• Can be tricky to fit all
in each morning
• Haven’t yet found a
system to cater for
Writing tasks in the
Daily 5. However this
year (2012) I have
started with small
comprehension
responses after
independently
reading their guided
reading books.
• I would like to allow
student choice over
Daily 5 and
ownership of learning.
• Reading goals on
bookmarks ensure
students are
reminded of what
their reading goals
are.