Planning your Primary Grade Language Program

How to organize a daily 100 minute Language Block for Primary Grades

​Language can feel very overwhelming to plan because there is so much to cover in the year. However, good long range planning and a daily plan helps your year go smoother.

​Regularly Scheduled Program

I find that having the same schedule that runs every day and every week results in positive behaviour. The students know what to expect and prepare themselves both physically and mentally for the next event. Sometimes the task varies within the scheduled activity to create interest, but the topic remains the same. The following is the schedule that I follow every day.

2. Grammar Search

​I begin my Language Block with an activity called Grammar Search that combines grammar and poetry. I introduce a poem, which we read together and discuss what the type of poem it is.

I then display two lines of the poem (two per day) that the students search through to find grammar rules, writing rules, punctuation and words within words using special symbols. This is an independent (student directed) group activity that occurs for about 15-20 minutes.

For further details, see my blog A Unique Approach to Teaching Grammar and the Grammar Morning Work unit on my Teachers Pay Teachers site, Laurie’s Classroom.​

2. Daily 5

For the next 20-30 minutes, I meet with one guided reading group while the rest of the class is at their one centre for the day.

These centres follow a weekly schedule because I need each student to complete work at each of my five centres. They are aware that each centre has specific work that will be either assessed or checked for completeness.

Centre #1 – Guided Reading

During the Guided Reading Centre, the students and I discuss the assigned reading and comprehension questions (that include various reading strategies).

They begin reading the next assigned reading. I listen to each student quietly read a section of the text to make sure they do not need any reading intervention strategies and that the book is at the appropriate level for them.
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Centre #2 – Questioning

Comprehension questions for their guided reading book.

Centre #3 – Silent Reading

Independent reading.

Centre #4 – Spelling

Centre #5 – RAZ

Listening/reading and answering questions on a computer program.

For in-depth descriptions of my Guided Reading and the four other Daily 5 centres, please see my blogs My Guide to Guided Reading and My Guide to Daily 5.

3. Reading and Writing

I then move on to teaching a lesson on a reading strategy or writing form. This is done as a whole group and I like to use picture books as a shared reading to demonstrate what the reading strategy or writing form looks like.

We then do a shared writing in which I show them how to write a reading strategy response or the outline and format for a writing form. This portion of the lesson involves questions and suggestions from the students for the activity we are working on.

To close the lesson I explain what I want them to work on independently. Once, they are working and settled, it gives me the opportunity to work with a small group of students that struggle with similar issues or I can work with one student at a time to give them assistance or feedback.

If you are interested in the order that I teach reading and writing please check out my Long Range Plans for Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 2/3 available through Teachers Pay Teachers.

I also have a blog on Long Range Planning that you might find interesting.​

The Schedule

I run my program on a Monday to Friday schedule. If it’s a four day week, I double up on my guided reading and daily 5 session and shorten my writing activity so that I see each of my 5 groups every week. This keeps me on schedule for the next week.

Monday

The order of my schedule changes a bit for Monday so that I can introduce new activities for the centres for the week.

1. Grammar Search (15-20 min.)
2. Spelling: introduce new spelling words by reading them together, spelling them out loud and reviewing their definition. Then I read over the work that they need to complete for that week’s spelling. (10-15 min.)
3. Daily 5 including guided reading (20-30 min.) (see schedule above)
4. Reading lesson and student activity (35-55 min.)

Total Time – 100 min.

Tuesday

1. Grammar Search (15-20 min.)
2. Guided Reading and Daily 5 (20-30 min.) (see schedule above)
3. Writing lesson and student activity (45-65 min.)

Total Time – 100 min.

Wednesday

1. Grammar Search (15-20 min.)
2. Guided Reading and Daily 5 (20-30 min.) (see schedule above)
3. Writing lesson and student activity (20-35 min.)
4. Grammar lesson, usually once a month (30 min.)

Total Time – 100 min.

Thursday

1. Grammar Search (15-20 min.)
2. Guided Reading and Daily 5 (20-30 min.) (see schedule above)
3. Writing lesson and student activity (45-65 min.)

Total Time – 100 min.

Friday

1. Grammar Search (10-15 min.)
2. Guided Reading and Daily 5 (20-30 min.)(see schedule above)
3. Spelling test (10 min.)
4. Review Reading Strategy of the week with additional activity or share independent
5. reading response. (15 min.)
6. Lesson and activity for Media (30 min.)

Total Time – 100 min.

I schedule a 30 minute period in the afternoon for individual book talks and read aloud. This is described in my Teachers Pay Teachers unit, Four Corners Reading Book Talk.

At the end of the day, once the students have placed their homework in their agendas and are packed up ready for home, I like to spend at least 10 minutes on a shared reading (usually a novel).

Please visit my TpT store, Laurie’s Classroom, to check out all of my teaching products and free materials.

I hope you find this Language Block Blog helpful in planning your own schedule.

Happy teaching.

Laurie