Navigating the complexities of teaching with limited time is a challenge many of us face, especially when you only have a 60 minute literacy block. For those of us tasked with fitting a comprehensive literacy curriculum into just 60 minutes a day, the pressure can feel overwhelming. This post is dedicated to all my fellow teachers who find themselves in this predicament, offering strategies and insights on how to make the most of your constrained 60 minute literacy block.
Understanding the Challenge of a 60 Minute Literacy Block
Firstly, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: it’s tough! We’re expected to deliver the same rich literacy experience in 60 minutes that others do in 100. Various factors contribute to this situation, from school schedules and program requirements to the unique needs of bilingual or immersion students. The goal is clear, though: to maintain a high-quality language program within these time constraints.
Strategies for Maximizing Your 60 Minute Literacy Block
Leverage Overlapping Skills
For those teaching English to French Immersion students, it’s crucial to identify where language skills overlap between English and French. This doesn’t mean skimping on content but rather focusing on areas that require less depth because they are being covered in French. Skills like comprehension strategies and writing forms are universal, allowing for a more streamlined approach in English.
Advocate for Your Schedule
A less-than-ideal timetable can be a significant hurdle. Engage in conversations with your administration early on about scheduling needs for the next academic year. Suggesting practical solutions and expressing how a more favorable timetable could enhance language instruction can lead to positive changes.
Make Every Minute Count
When faced with a 60-minute block, efficiency becomes your best friend. Here’s how you can structure your literacy block:
- Warm-Up or Centers Activity (15 minutes): Start with engaging, focused activities that prime students for learning.
- Teacher-Directed Lesson (15-20 minutes): This is the core teaching time, where you can alternate between spelling, read-alouds, and comprehension activities throughout the week.
- Second Center (10-15 minutes): Follow up with another targeted activity to reinforce learning.
- Writing, Grammar, and Morphology Lesson (remainder of the time): End with instruction focused on writing and its mechanics, ensuring students practice and apply their learning.
This structure promotes consistency, allowing both you and your students to settle into a predictable and productive routine.
Prioritize Instructional Time
Evaluate non-instructional activities that may be eating into your literacy block. Can some of these be integrated with curriculum goals, or adjusted to ensure they don’t overrun their allotted time? Protecting instructional time is paramount.
Use Resources Wisely
Consider using a program like Ignited Literacy, which can be adapted from a 100-minute model to fit a 60-minute block. By adjusting timelines and simplifying activities, you can cover essential literacy skills without feeling rushed.
Embrace Flexibility
Being flexible with your schedule can also offer solutions. If your timetable is fixed, think creatively about how you can adjust your literacy instruction to fit. This might mean extending projects over two weeks instead of one or splitting your literacy block across different parts of the day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while teaching a comprehensive literacy block in 60 minutes is challenging, it’s not impossible. By leveraging overlapping skills, advocating for a supportive timetable, making every minute count, prioritizing instructional time, using resources wisely, and embracing flexibility, you can provide a rich, engaging literacy experience for your students.
Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Sharing strategies, successes, and challenges with fellow educators can provide additional insights and support. Together, we can navigate the constraints and continue to inspire a love of language in our students.
Watch The Video
Looking for more literacy help?
Check out our Ignited Literacy program that helps you all year long.
