Hi Noemi –
Thanks so much for reading this article from the Art of Teaching Project, and for taking the time to reach out. You have a great question — as a Learning Science Company, we are always asking ourselves the same thing.
As Amanda outlined in her blog post, Balanced Literacy is an approach to literacy instruction that rests in a flexible mindset. It combines a variety of instructional strategies that cater to each individual student’s needs and interests, with the ultimate goal of fostering a true love for reading and writing. For example, many implementations of Balanced Literacy will combine the following components, in a way that suits student needs: modeled reading, shared reading, guided reading, inquiry-driven instruction, reading aloud, or small group instruction.
In the documents below, you’ll find research that backs the effectiveness of some of the core components of our balanced literacy solution. We hope they’re helpful to you as you explore potential approaches to literacy instruction in your classroom.
Small Group Guided Reading Instruction for a Successful CCSS-ELA Balanced Literacy Classroom
Word Study: Effective Language and Vocabulary Instruction in a Balanced Literacy Classroom
Effective Writing Instruction for the CCSS-ELA Balanced Literacy Classroom
