What is Balanced Literacy?

By Dr. Mary Kleymann, Chief Operating Officer

Writing Symphony (www.writingsymphony.com)

Balanced Literacy is a curriculum approach that allows students to grow in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills throughout each lesson. Balanced Literacy focuses on developing the skills that quality readers and effective writers possess, in an authentic method of communication.

Good writers are good readers! Writing gives voice to students’ inner thoughts and allows them an effective, efficient way to share them. As a form of communication, writing provides students a way to thoughtfully present their ideas in order to engage and persuade their audience. Creatively, writing can transcend time and is a way to pass stories from generation to generation.

Balanced Literacy embraces the idea that the best way to improve anyone’s reading is to have them write as writing focuses on phonics, comprehension, mechanics, developing voice or perspective, and communicating that perspective to others. Writing makes for better readers and improves comprehension and critical thinking.

For all of these reasons, all of Writing Symphony’s Grade Level Writing courses, Public Speaking courses, and Skill-Focused Academic Camps embrace Balanced Literacy as its base philosophy. In our Grade Level Writing courses and Writing Skill-Focused Academic Camps, each lesson includes indirect instruction in:

1. Reading comprehension – Students read source texts each week and use them for class discussion and the basis for their writing assignments. Students must understand the main idea and supporting details of a source text to appropriately apply the Writing Symphony methodology.
2. Listening – Students’ listening skills grow as they participate in various, collaborative aspects of each lesson, including Real-Time Editing and applying new or reviewed methodological components.
3. Speaking – Students present portions of their homework to their classmates and teacher during the class and to their parents between class sessions. This practice provides students with multiple opportunities each week to improve their presentation and speaking skills.

The primary focus of all Writing Symphony Grade Level Courses and Writing Skill-Focused Academic Camps is the development of writing skills. Students practice these skills weekly through various aspects of each lesson including vocabulary, writing methodology, and grammar. Writing Symphony’s Public Speaking students engage in a Balanced Literacy curriculum through direct instruction on Listening and Speaking. They practice their reading comprehension and writing skills each week through handouts and responses. The combination of the small group setting (no more than 6 students in a class) and our highly qualified, U.S. certified teachers means that each student receives the attention they need to grow in all aspects of balanced literacy.

Now is the time to help your student find their voice by becoming a confident, competent, courageous communicator throughout Writing Symphony’s courses. Contact us today to learn more!