Introduction
A literacy-rich environment is the crucial parameter to ensure an effective form of literacy for all students. An effective literacy classroom provides necessary assistance to teachers and students in enhancing the prospect of learning (Paratore & McCormack, 2007). It is notable to mention that some components can be considered effective features to enhance the literacy classroom. These particular components can differ concerning the specific subjects and age groups of the students.
Components of Effective Literacy Classroom
Following is the list of possible necessary components of an effective literacy classroom:
- Words wall
- Reading centers
- Books
- Content posters
- Anchor charts
- Computers
- Bulletin boards
- Labels
- Whiteboard
Evaluation of Class Room
Evaluating the classroom environment concerning the different components of an effective literacy classroom is crucial to making effective inferences about the learning. Different components of an effective literacy classroom will be evaluated concerning my visit to the particular class of Language Arts, grade 7th of the middle school in my last semester. This particular visit was immensely effective for me in observing the different components of literacy that can be applied to maintain a better classroom environment for students.
The feature of a word wall was present in the case of a particular classroom of Language Arts. It seems to be an effective interactive tool for the teacher to convey broad learning concepts to students (Pressley et al., 2001). The particular feature of the word wall provides the necessary indication about the list of the important words related to the aspects of reading and writing concerning the learning of the students of the 7th grade. The reading center was one of the prominent features of the particular class of Language Arts of the middle school. There was a place where students interacted with each other and with the teacher to discuss specific concepts related to the subjects. I perceive it as an immensely effective approach as it provides necessary opportunities to convey specific ideas related to the different features of art and language.
The book component is the essential feature of the effective literacy classroom. This particular component of books effectively existed in the case of the Language Arts, grade 7th class of the middle school I visited last semester. There was a proper shelf that contained some books related to the subject. Students successfully benefit from the service of books, which ultimately enhances the effective approach of literacy classrooms. The overall environment of the classroom was decorated with the help of the content posters. The feature of posters is effectively used to give the students a prime glimpse into the overall subject. Anchor charts were another effective component of the effective literacy classroom, which was successfully applied in the classroom. The prospect of a bulletin board was also successfully used in the class to convey the necessary knowledge information to students. I also observed the component of the whiteboard that the teacher used to deliver the concepts related to the subject. The facility of technology was also observed in the form of computers. The teacher often used a computer to provide visual aids to the students with particular concepts of art and language.
Recommendations
An effective and rich literacy environment in the classrooms should have the necessary features to enhance the learning approach for the students. The prospect of an effective literacy classroom can be achieved with the adaptability of the necessary features that effectively align with the learning requirements for the students (“Literacy-Rich Environments,” 2018). The particular classroom of the Language Arts of the 7th grade can be characterized as a good example of an effective classroom that properly aligns with the essential components of an effective literacy classroom. It is suggested that the effective literacy classroom be well aligned with a better environment, enhancing the spirit of conducive learning for all the students. It is evident that an effective classroom environment helps promote literacy and the delivery of instructions by teachers. It is crucial to consider that the components of the effective literacy classroom should be according to the specific needs related to the subjects and the class level.
References
Literacy-Rich Environments. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/literacy-rich-environments
Paratore, J. R., & McCormack, R. L. (2007). Classroom Literacy Assessment: Making Sense of what Students Know and Do. Guilford Publications. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=xs2s3_vNonAC
Pressley, M., Wharton-McDonald, R., Allington, R., Block, C. C., Morrow, L., Tracey, D., … Nelson, E. (2001). A study of effective first-grade literacy instruction. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5(1), 35–58.
