Let's Talk about Work Stations and Literacy Centers!

I'm starting to implement my Work Stations! Need some ideas and great materials? 

As the students become more familiar with classroom routines and expectations, I start to implement my Work Stations or Centers for literacy and reading practice.

When we designed our Phonics Workshop materials we intended them to be used throughout the day. Well, our materials do double or triple duty in our classrooms.

• Word Work Station #1 is the Word Wheel Station. In this station we put copies of past word wheels we have done. As we go through the patterns, we let the students choose which word wheel they want to make or one they think they need some practice with. Remember, it's really o.k. to have students create or make something more than once. This is practice and the more they practice, the better they get. In the Station basket there is a folder with the word wheel. There is also a white board, marker, and eraser for each student. After making the word wheel, they read it two times to their partner. Next, they write the words on the white board. Again, they are making it, reading it, and writing it. If there is still time they can make a second word wheel or choose to make a flip book, word web, or word book to go along with their word wheel. It gives the students some academic choice and because they've used all of the materials before, they are immediately set up for success.
• Once we go through many word patterns, we put a laminated copy of the word wheels done and eliminate the step of making the word wheel again.

• Word Work Station #2 is the Word Sorting Station. In this station we put copies of past word sorts we have done. The premise of practice is the same. The more they practice the better they get. In the station basket there are folders with the different word sorts in it. There are scissors, glue, pencils and crayons. They complete the word sorts with their partners. They discuss which one they'd like to do. They color the chunks yellow and green to differentiate the patterns. After they read the sort to their partner. First by column and then by row. If they finish and there is still time, they can choose to make a flip book, word web, or word book.

• Buddy Reading Station - We put our fluency grids of patterns we have worked on as part of our Buddy Reading Station. The students take turns reading the words to see how many they can read in a minute. 

• Overhead Station - We put copies of all poetry in our overhead station. The poems are targeted toward word patterns and chunks so it's shortened application to text. Check out the Scholastic website for great poetry for word families or patterns. They have great song books too. We have also been known to type of words or sentences containing the targeted patterns.

• Word Chunk Search Station - We use the word chunk search for our more advanced readers at the beginning of the year. It enables those students to read and track any words they find that belong to the targeted patterns.

• Recording Station - Again, the poems and songs are put into a binder for the students to read into a tape recorder. I found cassettes online and the students read into a microphone and record themselves practicing the poems and songs with the targeted chunks. Again, check out Scholastic. They have some great books of poems and songs.

 

• Sound Sorting Station - We print out copies of the picture cards for our Sound Sorting Station. We put a pocket chart in the room for this station. I've even done it on the floor on construction paper in the past. In the station bin are bags with the cards in them of word patterns we have studied. For example: in one bag the cards for at and ap are there to be sorted. Once -ag is done, they get printed and put in the bag. Then once -ack is done, the cards get printed and put in the bag and so on. Once we get to a second vowel, short o, there would be bags added for -at and -ot, -ag and  -og, -ack and -ock and so on. The students work in a pair. They pull a card and sort it under the correct header. After they sort, they read the pictures by pattern and then by row and then write the words on their white boards, which are in the station bin. After they finish, they can pick another picture sort to do.

As you can see, our materials that we use for phonics can be used over and over in the classroom. It provides the students consistency throughout their day. They become independent in their practice and learning. After a few weeks, they run the stations themselves because they are successful. They learn the process and you will be able to filter the new content through that process. 

Check out our vowel packs! They all have all of these materials plus all of your phonics instruction!