Title

A Balanced Literacy Model for Pre-Kindergarten Through First Grade

Author

Lauri A. Hiber, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Non Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

Program

Early Childhood Education

Capstone Instructor

Barbara Schoenbeck

Second Reader

Lacey Wellens

Keywords

language and literacy, developmentally appropriate practices, performance-based assessment

Abstract

A balanced literacy model that uses performance-based assessments entitles young children in pre-kindergarten through first grade to develop concepts of print, a child's ability to recognize conventions and characteristics of a written language, and phonemic awareness, the ability to recognize spoken words as a series of sounds, at their individual developmentally appropriate level. Performance-based assessments enable educators to create activities based on a child's performance when given a literacy task. Pre-school through first grade children in the early stages of literacy development should be exposed to and assessed on basic concepts of print and phonemic awareness depending upon their emerging literacy skills. Results of performance-based assessments should be explained to parents so that individual progress can be shared and learning goals can be created.

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