The Daily 5 literacy program is built on strong literacy skills that meet the wide and varying needs of all students. As educators, we try to find an effective literacy program the Daily 5 may be what you are looking for.
It allows students to independently work on reading skills while the teacher maintains a small group or individual instruction. This framework was established by The Sisters: Gail Boushey and Joan Moser.
Their framework allows students to have five choices of activities to work independently toward their own literacy goals. Ready to take a look at what Daily 5 literacy is and the choices your students could have for reading?
What is the Daily 5 Literacy Program?
Daily 5 is a student-centered instructional framework that establishes literacy best practices. It meets the needs of all students with varying literacy needs. This program promotes a love for reading while setting up individual goals for students to obtain. The framework is built on the following principles.
Establishing Expectations & Guidelines for Students & Educators
This program sets routines and procedures for students and educators to follow. These routines are modeled and reinforced so students understand what is expected of them during their literacy time.
Maintain a Literacy Block
The Daily 5 framework supports a structured block of time. Students are engaged in independent literacy activities while educators can work without interruption with small groups or individuals.
Build & Sustain Literacy Stamina
Students need to have extended periods of time to become proficient readers and writers. This program allows educators to help students build their stamina in both these literacy areas.
Independent Learning Practices
Daily 5 structure allows students to work independently toward reaching their literacy goals. Educators prepare students for the challenge of working independently to promote self-discipline.
Take a look and grab these independent charts to guide you with your student instruction!
The Daily 5 Literacy Centers
Students are offered five centers or choices in the Daily 5 framework. They work independently in each of the centers toward meeting their personal literacy goal. The five centers include the following:
Read to Self
Read to Someone
Listen to Reading
Word Work
Work on Writing
1. Read to Self
Students use “good-fit” books during this center. They are seated alone and read independently. They are taught expectations, guidelines, and strategies so they can become independent readers. Learners are asked to do the following:
Read 3 Ways: Read the pictures; read the word; retell the story
Choose Good-Fit Books: Consider the purpose, interest, comprehension, and word knowledge
Read the whole time
Stay in one spot
Read quietly
Work on stamina
Get started right away
2. Read to Someone
This center offers students the opportunity to read with a partner. It provides the reader time to develop their reading fluency and comprehension skills. Learners are asked to do the following:
Be a good reading partner
Sit EEKK (elbow to elbow, knee to knee)
Use a soft voice
Read the whole time
Check for understanding (Restate what or who, retelling)
Stay in one spot
Get started right away
3. Listen to Reading
Listen to Reading can take many forms. It could be audiobooks from your classroom or school library or and online form of books. This center is especially beneficial to the struggling reader. It allows them to listen to books at their comprehension level while developing their reading level. Learners are asked to do the following:
Get out materials
Listen to the whole story
May listen to another story if time
Follow along with pictures and/or words
Listen quietly/Get started quickly
Put materials away neatly
4. Word Work
Word Work is a hands-on time to explore the spellings and/or meanings of words, thus the vocabulary of words. Depending on our learners’ developmental stages, they might use this time to focus on letters and their sounds, read and spell words, or work on word meanings. Learners are asked to do the following:
Learn procedures for material use
Everyone using materials helps put those materials away
Materials go back in the original tub
Return materials to the same spot
Leave the materials neat
Clean quietly
Get started on you task quickly
5. Work on Writing
Students are allowed an extended period to practice and explore different writing topics. Student chose should remain the focus of this center. Learners are asked to do the following:
Write the whole time
Stay in one spot
Work quietly
Choice of what to write
Get started quickly
Underline words were not sure how to spell and move on
In summary, Word Work Centers will help students in their reading and writing by focusing on many literacy skills needed for them to succeed. It is important to use a variety of multisensory materials and set expectations for students to be successful.
The literacy skills that can be practiced during Word Work Centers are endless. There are so many free and reasonably priced resources available for educators to use.
Teachers Pay Teachers makes it extremely easy for you to find resources. You can just search for a skill or theme area and thousands of resources can be found. Your students will just love the Word Works Center!