Literacy Centers

[bg718]

I am going to begin introducing a Literacy Center period. How long should it be? How do I manage it? Ideas please. Thanks.

Becky in the Slope

[mopar]

It depends on what you plan on doing in the literacy center. If you want to have guided reading groups, plan on 15-20 minutes per group. Therefore at least 30 minutes if you have 2 groups. I usually try to make it 3-4 rotations depending on class size. I only want about 5 students in a group. So that will make your time.

I try to make one center guided reading, one guided writing, spelling/vocabulary center, independent reading and grammar.
Guided reading is where I meet with the students to work on using reading strategies. Guided writing is where the students work on a writing assignment and I offer support and suggestions for the next days writing. In spelling/vocabulary I have my students play games with their spelling and vocab words (bowling is a favorite). My students usually read their guided reading books in independent reading or another novel. For grammar, I have my students work on a grammar center that can be used in their writing.

I have also included a poetry center when needed and a book on tape.

Try introducing one center at a time to your students. Then increase it as they are ready.

Hope this helps.

[bg718]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like you are teaching upper elementary. I am actually a K teacher and haven't started guided groups yet. When you talk about rotations, do these happen in the space of a period or are you talking about a week?

Thanks.

[mopar]

Yes, I have taught more elementary. I have also taught first grade and in an early childhood setting pre-K. Try using similar centers but at their level. I have done guided writing where I give the students a sentence starter or topic and they write a sentence or two and draw a picture. Do this around your word wall.
For guided reading, you may want to do letter activities or phonemic awareness something small group.
Have some kind of craft where they decorate the letter with something that starts with that letter. Use cheerios for C, jam for j, applesauce of A etc.
You can have an independent reading station where students listen to a book on tape or look at books.

The centers depends on your students. If you can have the students work for 10 minutes at each station and then rotate to another one, try to do 2-3 a day. Then use the same centers the next day. Or you can do the same centers for a week.

Also, try to tie the centers to the theme you are teaching. If you are teaching about transportation, have the students make mini egg carton buses or write about driving in a car or listen to a book about buses or planes. Then the students will have more fun at each center.

You can even get the students to stay in their areas for 10 minutes or whatever you decide and then offer a movement activity to all students for 5 minutes and then complete another center.