Balanced Reading and Literacy Block Cause Problems in Intermediate Division (Middle School)

by Kay
(Ontario)

There are lots of articles preaching the glory of balanced literacy. I will leave the praising to them! To create a balanced debate about balanced literacy, one should also consider the following, particularly in the upper grades:

1-Much of the time which used to be devoted to other subjects, such as history, geography, and science has been gobbled up to accommodate balanced literacy blocks of time. Only five or six years ago, history and geography had a combined total of 250 minutes per week. Now we are expected to cover the same content in a mere 80 minutes. (True, to some extent it is possible to integrate language and history, but this is always required have a literacy focus.)

2-Unfortunately, usage of multiple intelligences seems to go by the wayside when guided reading groups occur; after all, it is difficult for the teacher to teach a guided lesson to one small group and oversee a "louder" activity like drama or an activity requiring materials at the same time.