CLO Reflection

CLO 1: Describe and apply the findings of current theoretical principles and research on
best practices for early literacy learners.

I have learned best practices for early literacy learners. In the past two weeks, I have
learned basic terms in early literacy development, their meaning and usage in teaching reading.
Also, I have realized that through word building, I can help students make significant gains in
reading comprehension, phonemic awareness, and even word recognition. I have learned how to
create a word wall and even reflected on how I can use them to teach students reading. A word
wall is a meaningful way through which learners can work with words. Also, it is a joint venture
that is exciting for all children and thus motivates them to read more. I am almost mastering this
objective, and I think that I will need to practice more on creating word walls, and how to make
them creatively as using the same template can eventually become boring and monotonous for
the students.

CLO 2: Analyze assessments that evaluate performance of developing readers.

Through the use of summative assessments, a teacher is able to identify the level of the
students and make informed decisions on how to tailor instruction to enhance understanding.
This course has introduced me to a balanced literacy lesson plan. I have prepared lesson plans in
the past, but I have not had any on balanced literacy instruction. This has been a challenge, but I
am practicing and will, in the course of the five weeks, be able to make a well-balanced literacy
lesson plan.

CLO 3: Identify stages, principles, and components of early literacy development.

In chapter one, I discovered that early literacy development is a process that does not take
place in one lesson or one day. It is a critical process through which students take time to engage
in authentic reading and writing. Therefore, the process requires a balanced approach, one that
ensures that students receive instruction directed towards all the important aspects of reading and
writing. I plan on providing my students with state-of-the-art instruction in reading and decoding
to assist them in achieving exceptional fluency.

CLO 4: Identify and apply instructional techniques and assessments that focus upon
building comprehension, fluency, and independence in reading.

I think that I have achieved a great percentage of this objective. First, I understand the
importance of teaching word patterns. Students acquire expanded strategies for decoding
unknown words, understand more vocabulary, and they are in a position to use different
strategies to determine the meanings of unknown words. I know how to use different activities to
teach and nurture phonemic awareness. Some of these activities include sound matching, sound
blending, and sound isolation. I feel that I am not yet comfortable using sound substitution and
sound segmentation. However, with consistent practice, I believe that I will be in a position to
use all five activities to teach phonemic awareness. Further, I understand that students who
struggle with phonemic awareness can be helped to understand phonics and decoding instruction
through additional and routine instruction. Some of the basic rules of teaching literacy that I have
learned through this course include, texts used to teach reading fluency should not be over
difficult. Every student is more or less fluent, depending on the complexity or nature of the text
being read. Lastly, it is always good to use texts and stories that are predictable. These should

mostly be from a series or around a theme that students are covering during a certain period.
Overall, this objective encompasses quite a lot, and its mastery is necessary for teaching reading.

CLO 5: Apply principles of balanced literacy toward a lesson plan, which includes concepts
and instructional practices related to phonics and early literacy.

One of the most important things that I have learned is the use of authentic texts. These
are books that provide the support that students who are beginning to learn reading need. Pattern
books are some examples of authentic texts. Through covering this objective, I have realized that
students who are struggling to read need specific texts. Authentic texts provide words and
content that is age-appropriate and that encourage students to keep reading until they master the
art. Learning how to read is not automatic; it is a practice that requires time, adequate planning,
and the use of the right resources. I am still mastering the art of creating a balanced literacy
lesson plan. I believe that with consistent practice, I will achieve this objective in totality.