What's a Comprehensive Literacy Framework?

Pat Johnson and Katie Keier, authors of Catching Readers Before They Fall, discuss the components of a comprehensive literacy framework. What exactly is a comprehensive literacy framework? It's a classroom environment that incorporates reading and writing to, with, and by children. Within this framework, teachers are able to reach all of their children, including the readers who are struggling. This is possible because the framework addresses specific needs through multiple ways of instruction. Furthermore, the framework encourages student independence, so teachers can work with small groups and individual students when necessary.

I have included a visual representation of the components of a comprehensive literacy framework. I made this representation myself to get a better understanding of the framework. The top web is of the first component of the framework: reading, to, with, and by children. The bottom web includes the second component of the framework: writing to, with, and by children. Reading and writing are both crucial to the comprehensive literacy framework.

There are four parts to reading to, with, and by children: read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading. Read-alouds are for the enjoyment of books. There are two types of read-alouds, traditional, where the teacher models the language of books, and interactive, where the teacher engages children and helps them make connections. Shared reading includes repeated reading where teachers model skills, and texts are also accessible to all children. Guided reading challenges readers and allows them to predict what will happen next in a story. Finally, independent reading is where students reread familiar texts and have choice in what they read.

Writing to, with, and by children has three parts: morning message, community writing, and independent writing. Morning message depends on grade level and can meet the needs of specific students. Community writing is generated from authentic discussions, and gives student the opportunity to work in their zone of proximal development. When students begin independent writing, they are in charge of the topic, content, writing and illustration. Additionally, their skills learned through community writing are used independently.

Teaching within the comprehensive literacy framework helps all students build an effective reading process system and helps them become better writers as well.