THE STRATEGIES IN TEACHING LITERACY THROUGH LITERATURE

Teaching strategies, also known as instructional strategies, are methods that teachers use to
deliver course material in ways that keep students engaged and practicing different skill sets.
1. KWL

A KWL is a table or chart, a graphical organizer designed to help in learning. The

letters KWL are an acronym, for what students, in the course of a lesson, already
KNOW, WANT to know, and ultimately LEARNED. It can be used for all subjects in a
whole group or small group atmosphere and is completely student- centered.

The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes:

 Elicits students’ prior knowledge of the topic of the text.
 Sets a purpose for reading.
 Helps students to monitor their comprehension.

How to Use the KWL Strategy?

Follow the acronym KWL and are generally organized in the form of a three-column
chart:

KNOW WANT-TO-KNOW LEARNED

After reading,
Before Set a purpose for
reflect, note and
reading, your reading. What
review what
assess and do you want to learn
you learned
record what from the text? As you
from your
you know. read, maintain focus
reading.
on your purpose.

What are the benefits of the KWL Strategy?

1. Promotes Active Learning
KWL encourages active learning by allowing teachers to assess their student's learning
levels.
2. Encourages Academic Success
Since learners are actively engaged, they will be more connected to the class and the
subject matter. Interaction with classmates and the teacher increases their chance for
academic success.
3. Enhances Learning
KWL draws on student's prior knowledge of the subject matter. There is a relationship
between learning comprehension and prior knowledge. High prior understanding has
been associated with better scores, and has also been associated with enhanced learner
interest.
Example:

2. THINK-PAIR-SHARE
 Think-Pair-Share (TPS) a collaborative learning strategy in which students
work together to solve a problem or answer a question about an assigned reading. This
technique requires students to (1) think individually about a topic or answer to a question;
and (2) share ideas with classmates.

Discussing an answer with a partner serves to:

 maximize participation
 focus attention and
 engage students in comprehending the reading material.
THINK in the classroom:
 Teachers begin by asking a specific question about the text.
 Students think independently about the question that has been posed, forming ideas of
their own for a given amount of time (usually 1-3 minutes).
PAIR in the classroom:
 Each student should be paired with another student.
 Teachers may choose whether to assign pairs or let students pick their own partner.
 Be sensitive to learners' needs (reading skills, attention skills, language skills) when
creating pairs.
SHARE in the classroom:
 Students share their thinking with their partner. Teachers expand the "share" into a
whole-class discussion.
 Allow each group to choose who will present their thoughts, ideas, and questions they
had to the rest of the class.
ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES of THINK-PAIR-SHARE
ADVANTAGES
 Total involvement- highly collaborative.
 Generates a lot of ideas quickly.
 Small groups can have quality discussions.
 Highly inclusive of all members.
DISADVANTAGES
 Can be very noisy.
 Because of noise, may lose control of class.
 Puts time pressure on some
CONCLUSION
 Think-Pair-Share (TPS) gets everyone involved.
 TPS extracts the best ideas.
 Even introverts contribute and can do so at a high level.
 TPS builds directly into the collaborative learning process.
 TPS can build critical thinking skills since ideas are aired and discussed.
3. THINK-SQUARE-SHARE
THINK-SQUARE-SHARE or THINK-PAIR-SQUARE-SHARE is a time
when you reflect on the topic or questioned presented.
How to use Think-Pair-Square-Share in the classroom?
 THINK- You have a period of time to reflect and to write down your thoughts on the
topic or question at hand.
 PAIR- You now work with a partner and discuss your thoughts and listen to theirs.
Come to a consensus which reflect the pairs thoughts.
 SQUARE- You now work in a group of four and discuss each Other thoughts again,
you must come to a consensus which reflect the square thoughts.
 SHARE- Designated number, from each square, will report back for their square.
This report will be reflective of the square consensus. A consensus will be developed
which will be reflective of all squares.

4. THE DRAMA METHOD

Drama method - a teaching method which would allow students to explore
the curriculum using several of Gardner's multiple intelligences.
 Research reinforces the notion of a positive relationship between action-centered
experiences with drama and learning to read, says Cox.
 It was concluded that an important link is formed as children experience drama in
response to literature
Benefits of The Drama Method
1. Encourages interest in and motivation for reading.
2. Expands vocabulary.
3. Encourages the development of critical reading skills and comprehension.
4. Encourages guided, extended reading.
5. Encourages lifetime readers.
Steps in Dramatization
1. Divide the story.
2. Name the parts.
3. List the characters in each part.
4. Discuss the setting.
5. Let the pupils choose the cast.
6. Review the action and principal conversation.
7. Constructive criticism.
8. Let pupils choose the final cast.
9. Allow time for practice and rehearsals.
10. Let the pupils evaluate their own performance.
5. IMAGE ANALYSIS
Lead students in a critical analysis of an image that enhances their
observational, interpretive, and critical thinking skills.
Lead Students through Analysis
Share the image with students by providing copies or by projecting or
displaying it in the classroom. Lead students slowly through the following six
 steps, pausing between each step to give them significant time for thinking and
writing.
 Step One: Ask students to look deeply at the picture for a good long time. Have them
observe shapes, colors, textures, the position of people and/or objects, etc.
 Step Two: Have students write down what they see without making any interpretation
about what the picture is trying to say.
 Step Three: Ask students: What questions do you have about this picture that you would
need to have answered before you can begin to interpret it? Ask as many questions as you
have.
 Step Four: Have students discuss their questions with two other students in the class to
try to find some answers.
 Step Five: Given the historical context and subject of the piece, ask students what they
think the artist is trying to say (what does the piece mean), and who they think is the
intended audience?
 Step Six: Discuss your interpretation with the class, and be prepared to support your view
by referring to specific elements of the image and what you know about the history of the
time.
6. GRAPHIC STORY
A graphic novel tells a story using a comic book format.
What Genre Are Graphic Novels?
 Graphic novels are not a genre on their own.
 Graphic novels can be ANY genre! Fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy...
 Any genre can be made into a graphic novel.
What will you find in a graphic novel?
 a story told in frames/panels
 dialogue in speech bubbles
 illustrations in a sequence
 a beginning, middle, and end
How to read a graphic novel?
Read a graphic novel just like any other book-from left to right and top to bottom.
Elements of a graphic novel
 Frames
 Gutters
 Thought Bubbles
 Speech Bubbles
 Sound effects
 Captions

7. USING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
A graphic organizer visually represents ideas, concepts, and relationships between
various components.
Graphic organizers can help to visualize and construct ideas, organize and/or
sequence information, plan what to write, increase reading comprehension, brainstorm,
organize problems and solutions, compare and contrast ideas, show cause and effect, and
more.
Concept maps and knowledge maps all are types of graphic organizers. You can
use any chart or diagram as a graphic organizer to compare facts and depict a story.
5 basic types of Graphic Organizer
1. Circle Map Graphic Organizer
A circle map consists of a large circle with another circle inside, where the main topic or
idea takes center stage. Surrounding it is the larger circle where corresponding ideas
flow.
2. Spider Map Graphic Organizer
The spider map's purpose is to define a main topic with specific descriptive connections.
3. Idea graphic Organizer
The idea wheel is like a mixture of the circle map and the spider map. This graphic
organizer works for brainstorming and organizing ideas at the same time.
The center of the chart holds the main topic which is being studied and around it there
can be other circles or shapes, a sectioned larger circle or connected bubbles.
4. Idea Web Graphic Organizer
The idea web graphic organizer is a combination of two spider maps. It's basically a
comparison organizer that defines differences and similarities between topics.
5. Concept Map Graphic Organizer
A concept map and an idea web look very similar with circles stemming out from the
center. The difference is that an idea web is for comparing while a concept map is for
brainstorming and organizing.