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This document shows a sample schedule for a 110-minute language block. It’s important to note that this schedule should shift across the school year to better meet students’ changing needs. For example, focus may shift more to multisyllabic word reading and spelling.
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Thank you for sharing this! I do wish there were examples of what the different components look like (e.g., sentence list reading, orthographic mapping template). With so many concepts to be covered each day, what (already) created resources are available (ONlit?) or recommended to support implementation?
I do not agree with the amout of time for writing. I understand that writing can and should be coverd in other areas, however, many educators do not teach these subjects. In addition, they are not given planning time to collaborate with colleagues to plan and assess writing to create impactful lessons for both whole group and small group activities. For a timetable like this to be effective I feel that there needs to be changes made at the system level.
I agree! Would love to see an example for French Immersion
Is 15 minutes a day enough time for writing?
Hi Brandon – not at all! You’ll notice that there is additional time for spelling and handwriting in the literacy block, as well as additional writing time in content areas. The IES Practice Guide recommends 1 hour per day, and gives suggestions for how that can be embedded across the day: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/practiceguide/wwc_writingpg_summary_092314.pdf
Teaching English to French Immersion (which is more than half our board now) we have 60 minutes a day of English (minus snowsuits, settling = 50 mins). All the charts are for double this time and say everything must be done in a day. Clearly that’s not possible for us but we don’t even know where to begin or what to drop and are trying so hard but very frustrated. Also, I am lost with grade 3 which is very varied in terms of needs and not sure how to attack that with age appropriate exercises, games etc.
Would like to see a sample for FI classroom, when we have less time because students have English for 300 minutes per week also. Can you explain what you mean by spelling bags?
Thanks for the suggestion Stephanie – I’ll pass that suggestion on to our content team!
Spelling bags are a series of activities for independent practice. They could contain a variety of activities:
1. Printing practice for independent practice while routines are being established and reinforced.
2. Successive blending cards (to spell words on whiteboards) – Students spell the picture on whiteboards, and then flip it over to the successive blending side, to confirm their spelling.
3. Sentence construction including content that follows the scope and sequence of instruction.
The goal is for a bag of activities to support independent work building fluency. Activities wouldn’t go into into the bag until the content and skill has been taught and learned as a whole group.
Helpful to see different ways of structuring a literacy block.
The sample schedule is split into oral language, word study & fluency, writing and intervention. It focuses on moving from more scaffolded to less scaffolded over the week. It gives a variety of ideas for each section.
Thank you for sharing this idea for mapping out a literacy block.