English Language Arts Instruction: Balanced Literacy Through the Workshop Model

  • 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.



Contact Us

  • Elementary Literacy Department
    1108 Bissell Ave.,
    Richmond, CA 94801

    Sonja Bell
    Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
    SLBell@wccusd.net

    Kate Gliksman
    Program Assistant-Central Literacy Coach
    kgliksman@wccusd.net