As you know, I have described the Four Blocks Literacy Program as having four distinct sections. I have discussed both the Guided Reading Block and the Self-Selected Reading Block. While both blocks enhanced reading skills, they used two very different teaching styles. Today, I would like to introduce the writing block. This block is often overlooked or misinterpreted by educators. Some teachers treat this block as handwriting. However, writing and handwriting are two very different things. The goals of the writing block are to allow children to see that writing is a way to tell about things, to learn to … Continue reading →

The Four Block Literacy Program is made of four blocks. The first block is Guided Reading. The purpose of Guided Reading is to teach and strengthen comprehension skills and strategies, to expose children to various types of literature, to establish background knowledge, language, and vocabulary, introduce students to the different elements of a story, and to encourage confidence and motivate students to students to read. Guided Reading begins in kindergarten and continues through the eighth grade. All children are being exposed to the same level of reading and receiving the same instruction during this block. During Guided Reading, the teacher … Continue reading →