LITERACY CLASSROOM DESIGN 1

Literacy Classroom Design

Alyssa Fortin
University of Lethbridge
EDUC 4260 English Language Arts in the Elementary School
Prof. Jana Boschee
LITERACY CLASSROOM DESIGN 2

Literacy plays an important role on early child development. The world we live in
is dominated by social constructs and social ways of life, and we rely heavily on language
to understand one another no matter the form. As stated on the first page of the Program
of Studies for English Language Arts (2000), language is not only a defining feature of
culture, but also a mark of personal identity and is essential for forming interpersonal
relationships, extending experiences, reflecting on thought and action, and contributing to
society. As teachers, it is our job to ensure that our students are able to communicate their
thoughts, feelings, and experiences (Alberta Education, 2000). Overall, I really want
collaboration and teamwork to be key characteristics of my classroom structure. I hope to
build a strong classroom community where the students feel comfortable with each other
and look to one another in questioning times.
I have separated my ideal classroom into 4 main areas: a conference space
(Conference Carpet), a reading corner, a writers corner, and the main learning space
consisting of the students tables and my desk. The purposes of these areas will be laid
out throughout this design, in addition to my explanation of the importance of the
implementation of multiple modes of literacy, and the 6 Language Arts in ones
classroom.

Reading
Taking the time to read on a daily basis is critical to language development.
Whether for pleasure or educational purposes, reading allows for students to get a better
grasp on how literature can expand their knowledge and foster their imagination. As one
of the 6 Language Arts, I plan to implement a designated reading time every day of the
week. Ideally, I would have them read after lunch recess so as to provide a way for them
to settle down and relax before resuming the rest of the day. A scheduled time of 15 to 20
minutes a day should be adequate in allowing them to refresh and direct their thoughts to
something else.
As discussed by Donalyn Miller in her article Creating a Classroom Where
Readers Flourish, encouraging the students to read whenever they have time should be
heavily enforced in the classroom. There will be a multipurpose reading space in the
room, where students can choose to sit, but are not obligated to (they can sit at their desks
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or find a place in the room where they can make themselves comfortable with cushions,
mats, or blankets that will be available to them), and where they can choose and share
literature. The walls in the reading corner will display posters explaining the process of
choosing a book, and the reading process, along with other prompts to encourage and
motivate reading. The purpose of this space will not only be for reading and finding
literature, but also for the students to separate themselves from the rest of the class when
they feel the need to escape. There will also be a board in this area (or in the conference
space) where the students can post books that they recommend to their classmates.
Through Book Talks, the students can talk more about these books and why they think
others should read it.
To encourage effort and progress among the students, I will meet with each of
them individually near the start of the year (after having assessed what levels they are at)
and again later to check on their progress, and collaboratively set reading goals with each
of them. These goals will indicate the amount of appropriate books I would like them to
try and complete throughout the year; they will primarily be of their own choosing, but I
will also inform them that they will have to read additional books on the side. These
secondary books will have topics in other subject areas (math, science, social, music, art,
play, etc.), allowing them to expand their knowledge in said areas. As an alternative, if
available through the school, I will require that students complete special leveled books
as well. To assess the students progress, they will keep reading logs that I will check and
discuss with each of them over the course of the year. From these logs, I can ask about
the books they are reading (for comprehension purposes) and also provide suggestions for
further investigation. For students who are low in reading, I will offer guided reading
sessions during reading time.
On top of individual reading, the students will be assigned to groups throughout
the year. These groups will interchange every month, allowing the students to work with
different people each time. These groups will be called TEAMs (Together Everyone
Achieves More). On Fridays during the designated reading time, the TEAMs will do a
book study together for the month that they are together. Throughout the month, I as the
teacher will call each group to the Writers Corner (U table) to read part of their book
with them and ask comprehension questions. Once the month has come to an end, the
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TEAMs will complete a Sketch-to- Stretch activity (Tompkins, Bright, & Winsor,
2015, 206) in which they will share with the rest of the class along with things that they
may have liked or disliked about the story. This will be conducted on the Conference
Carpet (explained later) as a way of making sharing ideas more routine and comfortable.

Writing Workshops
Developing writing skills deepens the students abilities to communicate with
others. Another of the 6 Language Arts, writing and the processes that accompany it will
equip children with the strategies necessary to share information, thoughts, and ideas. As
stated in the P.O.S. (2000), by using effective writing strategies, they discover and refine
ideas and compose and revise with increasing confidence and skill (p. 3). I really like
the idea of implementing mass-collaboration in Writers Workshops. I believe it to be
important for students to be able to turn to their peers for writing advice, and not just me,
their teacher. Not only does this emphasize the connotations behind their TEAMs, but
also helps build community and partnership within the class.
Other modes of the 6 Language Arts, such as viewing and visually representing,
can also be achieved through developing a writing practice. The students will be viewing
and responding to each other's work, while representing their own through expository
texts (as depicted in Chapter 7 of the textbook). Chapters 6 and 7 draw a lot of attention
to the writing process, and the many modes in which one can express ideas and
information. I like the idea of leading workshops where students can break up the
elements of story structure and learn how to develop each one individually (plot,
characters, setting, point of view, theme), then bring what they have created together at
the end and actually write the story they have been planning. I also like the idea of
introducing story-writing through encounters with literature where a story is read and as a
class, or individually or in groups, the students analyze the elements present and
construct a map of the book. Similarly with poetry, I believe having encounters and
then conducting student-directed investigations where they discover different and new
ways to portray thoughts and ideas are beneficial to their processes.
Much like the book studies that the students will be completing in their TEAMs,
they will also work in assistance to each other on writing assignments and activities. A
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preferred time of day would be after the reading time that follows lunch recess, or in the
morning when their minds are fresh. In having writing after reading, the students can
apply new ideas and concepts that they may have learned from their reading to their
writing. The space designated for this work is primarily the main learning area of the
classroom at each of the TEAM tables. The Writers Corner, with the U table, will be
where I take individual groups throughout the week and help them with their processes,
and to conduct formal assessments on their writing abilities. Similar to the Reading
Corner, there will be visual aids posted on the wall that depict writing processes and the
elements of story structure, as well as word wall that will progressively change
throughout the year.

Group Talks and the Collaborative Classroom Community

Seeing as collaboration and community will be a key element to my classroom
dynamics, I plan to utilize conversation as much as possible. I am very thankful that the
notion of students sitting in silence and listening to what the teacher dictates is retired.
Allowing students to talk with one another and learn from each other is critical to their
social development. By establishing a conference space within the classroom, I am
designating a spot for the students to foster discussion. Group talks help touch on a large
number of the 6 Language arts, such as speaking, listening, viewing, and on occasion
visually representing. The P.O.S.s perspective on exploratory language resonates quite
well with me:
Exploratory language enables students to organize and give meaning to
experiences. Students use exploratory language to share thoughts, ideas and
experiences, and to express and acknowledge emotions. Exploratory language
enables students to discover and understand what they think and who they are. It
also helps them reflect on themselves as language learners and language users. In
addition, it helps them establish and maintain relationships. (p. 7)
This space will be used to conduct Show-and-Tell, Book Talks, presentations, and other
community building activities. Enforcing class collaboration requires that the teacher take
an active role in helping students discover that their behaviours make a difference to
others in the classroom (Tompkins, Bright, & Winsor, 2015, 33). Teaching the students
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that their efforts together will help them benefit in the end will allow them to really
understand what it means to work as a team. I want my students to be able to depend on
each other, and look to each other for help when they need it.

Guided Learning
On top of major collaboration within the classroom, I also want to approach
learning with the 3 organizational structures from Chapter 2 in the textbook: inquiry-
based, resource-based, and theme-study. I believe it to be extremely conducive to
student-learning when they have a say in what they want to learn (to an extent). Giving
each child a chance to pick a weekly theme for a class reading provides them a sense of
ownership and leadership. Reassuring them that you are not the primary dictator in the
class gets them more involved and interested in their education. Making learning relevant
to their lives makes it easier for them to understand and apply concepts. Whether it be
reading, writing, or group work, I want my students to take charge in their learning.
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References
Government of Alberta, Alberta Education. Program of Studies: English Language
Arts K-9. (Edmonton: Alberta Education, 2000). Retrieved from
https://education.alberta.ca/media/160360/ela-pos-k-9.pdf
Tompkins, G., Bright, R., & Winsor, P. (2015). Language and Literacy: Content and
Teaching Strategies, Seventh Canadian Edition. (Ontario: Pearson Canada
Inc.).