While many may feel that literacy instruction begins when a child enters formal

schooling, I believe that a childs literacy development begins much earlier than this. From
reading the article What No Bedtime Stories Mean (Heath), we know that children begin to
pick up literacy habits from infancy. Having adults read and speak to them develops their literacy
skills. These skills can provide the foundation for the skillset the students will bring to their early
school year. I also believe that the most appropriate time to provide literacy interventions is in
their earlier elementary years. The article titled The Role of Instruction in Learning to Read
proves this point (Foorman). Through their study, they found that early instructional
interventions make a difference for the development and outcomes of reading skills for young
elementary students (Foorman). Without these interventions, our struggling students are at risk of
falling further and further behind in their literacy development. Finally, I believe that students
will perform best when they are provided motivating and engaging assignments. The TARRGET
framework described in Motivation Requires a Meaningful Task is a great model for ensuring
that we are providing our students with motivating tasks (Frey). The Alvermann article shows us
that even hard to reach students will respond to assignments that meaningful to them and that
they feel are engaging.
Research has shown that teachers can perform best if they are aware of their students
backgrounds. Shirley Brice Heath showed that being aware of how students have been raised and
how their culture treats academics can give us insight into the best way to reach our students
(Heath). Reading Culturally Relevant Literature Aloud to Urban Youths With Behavioral
Challenges is another article which shows how being aware of our students cultures can help us
to better teach them (Verden). Providing them with content that is relevant to them motivates
them and allows a better relationship to form between the teacher and student. This article tells
us that students enjoy being considered in lesson planning (Verden). I also believe that teachers
need to be aware of their own biases. Once they are aware, they need to consider how these
biases may impact their instruction. A study cited in an article called Sharing Time is a good
example of how biases can be detrimental to the classroom environment (Michaels). Cultural
differences between teacher and student can lead to a breakdown in communication (Michaels).
It is our responsibility to be aware of ourselves and our students to create the best classroom
environment possible.

Works Cited
Alvermann, D. (2001). Reading Adolescent's Reading Identities: Looking Back to See Ahead.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(8).
Foorman, B., Fletcher, J., Francis, D., & Schatschneider, C. (1998). The Role of Instruction in
Learning to Read: Preventing Reading Failure in At-Risk Children. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 90(1), 37-55.
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2010). Motivation Requires a Meaningful Task. English Journal, 100(1),
30-36.
Heath, S. (1982). What no bedtime story means: Narrative skills at home and school. Lang. Soc.
Language in Society, 11(1), 49-49. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Michaels, S. (1981). Sharing time: Children's narrative styles and differential access to literacy.
Lang. Soc. Language in Society, 10(3), 423-423. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Verden, C. (2012). Reading Culturally Relevant Literature Aloud to Urban Youths With
Behavioral Challenges. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy J Adolesc Adult Liter, 619-628.
Retrieved October 24, 2015.