Sarah Weston's Literacy Showcase
I chose Literacy as a core area of concentration at Michigan State University in the Master of Arts in Education program. I gained a better appreciation of how students learn to read and how to effectively use a wide range of literature in the classroom. I also broadened my knowledge based as I acquired many new skills that will help my students with language development, phonological awareness, comprehension, and writing. This page showcases my professional skills, knowledge, and qualifications in regards to literacy education. My showcase devoted to special education can be found on the Special Education Showcase page.
Elementary Reading Assessment and Instruction
This is my final reflection paper where I discuss how my beliefs about reading instruction has changed. It reflects my incoming views on literacy instruction and compares them to what I learned in the course. Based on my experience in the course I chose three areas to work on in my teaching practices: vocabulary, comprehension and anecdotal notes. I made an action plan for improving each area, based on best practices, which I incorporated into my teaching. Final Reflection Paper |
Literacy Position Paper
In my Literacy Position Paper I discuss the role and influence books have on children's lives as children learn about themselves and the world around them. Books incorporated in the classroom should cover a wide range of genres, and need to be chosen not just for the content they teach, but for the creativity and pleasure they could bring to the reader. Literacy Position Paper |
Gender Role Portrayal in Books
I researched how gender roles are represented across different texts. I was shocked as I began to look at the books I chose to discover the majority of my books reiterated typical gender roles in explicit and/or implicit ways. My Synthesis Project helped me really focus on the hidden messages implied within books, thus helping me to critically think about the books I choose to use within my classroom. Synthesis Project Book List |
Orthographic Case Study and Lesson Plan
I created a case study and lesson plans as I worked individually with a student. Prior to our time together he was unable to use word chunks to sound out new words (orthographic skills), so I developed lessons working on the “–ight” chunk. Explicit instruction helped develop his understanding and I loved seeing his growth during our brief time together. Case Study Lesson Plans |
Phonological Awareness Unit
I developed an engaging and varied three week lesson plan based on the growth and research I did pertaining to phonological awareness. For my lesson plan I created my own lessons and activities to use for the second theme of our curriculum. My lesson plan Incorporated listening activities, rhymes and songs, stories and games. My students were very attentive for the activities, and especially loved singing “My Mother is a Baker”. Phonological Awareness Lesson Plan |