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The  Balanced Approach to Literacy provides authentic opportunities for all students to learn, practice, and apply the skills they need to become fully literate individuals, capable of lifelong learning.

Why a Balanced Approach to Literacy?

The Common Core Standards describe a literate graduate as someone who: 

• Demonstrates independence
• Builds strong content knowledge
• Responds to varying demands of the audience, task, purpose, and discipline
• Comprehends as well as critiques
• Values evidence
• Uses technology and digital technology strategically and capably
• Understands other perspectives and cultures

Meeting this ambitious vision requires a shift in literacy instruction and curriculum. Activity-based instruction of isolated skills from a scripted teacher’s manual is not sufficient. 

What is a Balanced Approach to Literacy?

A Balanced Approach to Literacy instruction occurs within six interdependent components taught throughout the school week: 

• Reading Workshop
• Writing Workshop
• Shared or Close Reading
• Interactive Read Aloud
• Interactive/Shared Writing
• Word Study

These six components are interwoven in order to balance learning to read with reading to learn.