WHAT IS BALANCED LITERACY?

District 15’s Philosophy of Literacy:

District 15 believes that the incorporation of balanced literacy, coupled with the ongoing monitoring and support of all of our learners will lead to increased student success in reading and writing.  Furthermore, we believe that an effectively implemented, appropriately challenging and intellectually stimulating balanced literacy program will engage children in literacy and help them develop the necessary skills, confidence and desire to become life-long readers, writers, thinkers, communicators and learners.

District 15’s Definition of Balanced Literacy:

Balanced literacy is a multifaceted, research-validated framework for reading instruction that integrates several essential and engaging instructional elements.  At its core, balanced literacy revolves around providing meaningful daily opportunities for students to engage in interactive read-alouds, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, and systematic-word study.  Additionally, within this framework, students engage in modeled writing, shared writing, interactive writing, guided writing, and independent writing.