Literacy Centers
A classroom organized for literacy learning invites children to use print in purposeful ways: wherever possible, written language - materials for reading and writing - are incorporated naturally and authentically. Individuals and groups of children are able to interact with the materials independently, regularly freeing the teacher to work with individuals or small groups. The setting is safe and supportive and enables all learners to develop confidence, take risks, learn to work independently, and develop social skills. In short, an organized and well-designed classroom enables the teacher to observe, support, and meet the learning needs of each child.
Make Words Center
This center focuses on letter and word study. There will be specific tasks for children to perform there, tasks that lead them to explore the features of letters and to build and decode words.
Art Center
This center provides a place and materials for a variety of hands-on activities that enhance their creativity. The art projects involve a response and connection to the stories or poems introduced in read-aloud, shared, or guided reading sessions.
Kid News Center
This center is a clearly defined space that allows the children to write about their own experiences and about what is going on in the classroom.
Read-Around-The-Room Center
In this center, children may read all of the print displayed in the room. Every rich literacy classroom in "loaded" with print that is meaningful to children. Even children who can read very little can read around the room when their own names as well as the number and alphabet charts are displayed. Eventually, students will learn to build sentences from these words.
Independent Reading Center
The goal of all classroom reading is to develop readers who select and read books independently. In this center, Children may select text from a "book bag" of previously read text.
Learning Games Center
Learning games are an asset to the classroom. This center gives children the opportunity to play many word and alphabet games.
Computer Center
This center allows students to work in various computer programs that focus on enhancing their reading and math skills.
Listening Center
The listening center contains a variety of stories on tape. Using headphones, children listen to a story on tape and follow along with a copy of the book.
Buddy Reading Center
Reading with a partner is a favorite activity for young children. Even young children are capable of showing respect for and praising each other's efforts.
This information was obtained from Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell