Instructional Model

In Frisco ISD, our goal is to provide a literacy-rich classroom environment that:

  • is student-centered,

  • provides students with the opportunity to embrace challenges and collaborate with peers, 

  • allows students to communicate through reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking,

  • integrates various modalities of literacy instruction,

  • provides opportunities for students to engage with a variety of genres and texts,

  • integrates authentic reading and writing experiences to respond to the needs of others and solve real-world challenges,

  • provides explicit skill and strategy instruction, 

  • provides guided and collaborative instruction, moving students toward independence, and
    fosters engagement by encouraging student choice.

Reading Instructional Philosophy

The workshop model is designed to provide a simple and predictable environment with multiple opportunities to personalize instruction to meet students’ needs. The information below represents the approximate time devoted to each component within the reading workshop. These components can occur in any sequence depending on the needs of your students. 

  Component  Purpose of Component  Time
Workshop   Minilesson The minilesson is whole-group instruction focused on a specific learning target. The minilesson follows a predictable sequence: Connection, Teaching, Active Engagement, Link. 5-10 Minutes
 Independent Reading/
Partner Reading
 Students apply strategies learned while reading self-selected texts independently or with partners. Students respond to reading orally and/or in writing.  35 Minutes
 
Small Group Instruction 
& Conferring 		 Students receive targeted small group instruction based on their needs. Instruction may take the form of guided reading, strategy groups, conferences, phonological awareness groups, phonics groups, shared reading groups, etc.
 Share Students reflect and share their learning with partners or the whole group. Students celebrate the work they did that day. 5 Minutes 
Additional Components  Interactive Read Aloud Students are read to daily using a variety of genres. During interactive read aloud, the teacher models the reading process and students engage in conversations about the text to expand their thinking.  10-15 Minutes
K-1 Shared Reading Shared Reading is a whole-group instructional context in which students participate in the reading of a common, enlarged text. All students are reading and discussing the text with an instructional focus on phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, comprehension, and/or vocabulary.  10 Minutes

Writing Instructional Philosophy

The workshop model is designed to provide a simple and predictable environment with multiple opportunities to personalize instruction to meet students’ needs. The information below represents the approximate time devoted to each component within the writing block. These components can occur in any sequence depending on the needs of your students. 

Component  Purpose of Component  Time
 Minilesson The mini lesson is whole-group instruction focused on a specific learning target. The mini lesson follows a predictable sequence: Connection, Teaching, Active Engagement, Link. 5-10 Minutes
 Independent Writing
 Students apply strategies learned while writing independently or conferring with partners. Students write every day, usually on self-selected topics. Students take writing pieces through the writing process at their own pace.  20 min
(K-2)
30 min
(3-5)
 
Small Group Instruction 
& Conferring 		Students receive targeted small group instruction based on their needs. Instruction may take the form of strategy groups or conferences.
 Share  Students reflect and share their learning with partners or the whole group. Students celebrate the work they did that day. 5 Minutes 
Grammar Talks Students explore how reading and writing connect in the conventions through meaningful conversations facilitated by the Patterns of Power Invitational Process.  5-10 Minutes

Other Literacy Components (OLC) 

Note: These components will be reinforced during the Reading and Writing Workshop.

Component  Purpose of Component  Time
 K-1 Phonological Awareness Students receive daily phonological awareness instruction following the Heggerty curriculum. 5-10 Minutes
Word Study/Phonics
 Students receive daily word study instruction to support phonics and vocabulary acquisition, as outlined in the grade level word study scope and sequence.

K-2 Phonics Workshop:
Minilesson
Rug Time
Share
Extensions can be embedded within the phonics, reading, and writing blocks to support students.

  20 minutes
 
K-3 Handwriting 		 Students receive daily explicit handwriting instruction following the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. 5-10 minutes