ELA (English Language Arts)

  P.S. 247's Balanced Literacy Program   

     Balanced literacy is an approach that combines many different forms of reading and writing practices. It provides a balance of instruction that includes direct instruction, shared reading and writing experiences and opportunities for children to read and write independently. 
       Balanced literacy utilizes a method called ‘The Workshop Model’. In this workshop, the teacher demonstrates or models a lesson, followed by the students independently working on the lesson and concludes with a chance to share out what the student has learned. During the independent work time, the teacher often conferences with students individually or in small groups to meet the needs of each student in her classroom.
       A balanced literacy program aims at providing varying levels of support as the children move toward independence. This approach is often referred to as the “by, with and to” method because reading and writing experiences occur by, with and to children each and every day.
       The goal of the Balanced Literacy Approach is to help students become lifelong and independent readers and writers.