Language and Literacy Framework for the Primary Grades (K-2)

The literacy and language framework for primary grades provides a structure within which teachers can accommodate the varying needs of their students. It is a flexible framework that integrates the range of reading, writing, and word study activities essential for promoting early literacy. It offers many opportunities for the integration of content area learning.

The three blocks of the primary framework, presented in Figure 1, are built around a foundation of oral language. Language is fundamental to learning and communicating and is an integral part of every aspect of the framework. Every day in the primary grades, student and teacher talk focuses on making statements and asking questions, elaborating and explaining, listening and responding, expanding others' ideas, and taking turns. More formally, students and teachers practice thinking about and respecting different opinions, repeating or restating ideas, and using language to investigate and wonder. But most important, language is used to enjoy and share the play of language through poetry, rhyme, and humor while building a community of learners.

Using conversation, presentation, performance, and visual representation, students participate in language and literacy learning through the three-block framework. The first block, language and word study, provides opportunities for students to interact with others during a 30 - 60 minute instructional period. The goal of this block is for students to explore the sounds, rhythms, and details of language and words through interactive read aloud, interactive writing, modeled/shared reading, modeled/shared writing, handwriting, language/word play and letter/word study lessons. They explore the different ways we use our language while building vocabulary and learning the conventions of spelling, word use, and grammar. The second block, reading workshop, is a 60 - 90 minute instructional period. The goal of this block is for students to gain increasing control of the reading process through guided reading where students in small groups read texts selected to meet their specific needs and through independent reading where they read a variety of self-selected and teacher-selected texts. Students engage in conversations about literature and activities that support comprehension of texts. Other students at this time, when not receiving direct instruction, are actively engaged in independent reading, writing, and word study centers. The third block, writing workshop, is a 45 - 60 minute instructional period. The goals of this block are for students to make connections between oral and written language, to understand and use the conventions of written language, to explore and experiment with a variety of writing styles, and to grow as writers. A transitional language and literacy framework is often implemented part way through grade two in order to transition the students to experiences that will enable them to transition to the intermediate framework in grade 3.

In the primary years, students need a safe environment where they are free to take risks and are guided by a more experienced other. The primary language and literacy framework provides ample time for students to practice the strategies and skills they are learning. The teacher provides direct instruction through very specific mini-lessons and then guides students as they integrate their new learning into automatic literate behaviors. Specifically, within the primary language and literacy framework, teachers use direct instruction and guided learning in whole group and small group settings. These instructional practices, deemed most powerful by current research on effective classroom instruction, prepare and support the students as they engage in individualized practice and independent learning.