Bridging Literacy: Shared Strategies From Preschool to High School

For the past six years, as an Educational Programs Specialist at the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning, I’ve had the privilege of supporting educators from preschool to 12th grade in enhancing their literacy instruction. My work typically involves guiding elementary and preschool teachers in implementing our Artful Reading program. At the same time, at the middle and high school levels, the focus shifts to integrating literacy strategies within content area classrooms through our Adolescent Literacy Model (ALM).

A fascinating aspect of my work with Artful Reading, particularly with preschool teachers, has been the opportunity to extend beyond the program’s core components. We’ve explored how literacy strategies, often introduced at the middle and high school levels through ALM, can be effectively adapted and implemented in early childhood settings. Through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and classroom observations, I’ve witnessed remarkable ingenuity as preschool teachers tailor these strategies to meet the unique developmental needs of their younger learners, fostering a rich learning environment brimming with writing-to-learn opportunities, robust reading comprehension support, and engaging academic conversations.

This experience has highlighted the powerful potential of a shared strategic approach to literacy development. In this post, I’ll unpack four specific strategies – List-Group-Label, See-Think-Wonder, Interactive Word Wall, and Café Conversation – and explore their application across different grade levels, from early childhood through secondary education. By examining these strategies, we can appreciate how a consistent approach to literacy, adapted appropriately for developmental stages, can create a cohesive and supportive learning experience for students.

List-Group-Label: This versatile strategy encourages students to brainstorm terms related to a topic, categorize them based on shared attributes, and label each category. While high school students might use this to analyze complex themes in literature or historical events, preschool children can apply it to explore concepts like animals or colors. The core process of identifying, classifying, and naming remains consistent, fostering critical thinking skills at any age. Here’s the process: 

1. Select a reading selection, vocabulary list, or other artifact related to the current unit of study (text, picture, quote, cartoon, map, etc.).
2. Divide students into groups of two or three. Provide each group with materials such as paper, sticky notes, or index cards for their List-Group-Label.
3. Students work together to brainstorm and record a list of words related to the content. In earlier grades, the teacher might need to provide these words, ideally with a picture for each word.
4. Students work together to group the words into categories based on their understanding of or connections to the content. Note that there are no right or wrong answers here as long as students can justify their groupings. Students should determine a label for each group of words.
5. Have each group of students share their List-Group-Label work while explaining their justification for the words selected, how they grouped them, and the labels they provided.
6. Engage the whole class in a discussion about the similarities and differences found in the group work. Ask students, “In what ways was the thinking alike? In what ways was the thinking different? What changes might you make to your work after considering the work of your peers?”

See-Think-Wonder: Designed to promote inquiry and observation, See-Think-Wonder prompts students to describe what they observe, formulate thoughts based on those observations, and then generate questions. A high school science class might use this strategy to dissect a complex scientific phenomenon, while a preschool class could explore a natural object like a leaf. The framework of observation, reflection, and questioning provides a structured approach to learning across all levels. Here’s the process: 

1. Begin by providing students with the desired content (art, photograph, video clip, political cartoon, visual media, cover of a picture book, etc.) that is accessible for all students and lends itself to deep analysis.
2. Provide the students with the three-column organizer or simply have students draw three columns on paper, labeling them See, Think, and Wonder. In earlier grades, the teacher could provide one sketched on a piece of chart paper for the whole class to see and share.
3. Display or pass out copies of the content to students and pose the three questions in order. Be sure to pause after each question, giving students time to reflect, process, and respond.

• What do you see? This is limited to observations, not interpretation of what students see. Have students write down everything they see.
• What do you think about what you see? This is what students think is going on and their rationale. Probe students to look closer and deeper at the content.
• What do you wonder about what you see? This is where students can go much deeper with the content by asking high-level questions and things they wonder about.

Note: A single observation should be taken across all three columns of the See-Think-Wonder organizer. In the “think” column, students will create a thought about what they identified in the “see” column. In the “wonder” column, students will create a wonder statement about their curiosity about what they identified in the same “see” column. The process is linear.

Interactive Word Wall: More than just a display of vocabulary, Interactive Word Walls become dynamic tools for language development. In a high school setting, this might involve categorizing terms related to a specific subject or exploring etymological connections. In preschool, the focus might be on building sight word recognition or exploring parts of the human body as pictured. The interactive nature of the word wall allows students to actively engage with language, regardless of age. Here’s the process: 

1. Brainstorm vocabulary at the beginning of new learning by drawing on and discussing prior knowledge and have students add their words to the IWW.
2. Have students skim/scan the text (e.g., textbook, picture book, article) for unfamiliar words.
3. Students (or the teacher, as might be needed in early childhood) add words, drawings, or other visual representations to help exhibit their understanding. 
4. The teacher provides a base set of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary they know is critical to success with this content.
5. The teacher adds ‘terms/numbers/symbols’ that students will encounter as part of the study (i.e., AWOL in a social studies classroom, the Greek letter  Δ in mathematics/science, the square root symbol √, different musical notes 𝅘𝅥, 𝇤, 𝅗𝅥 )
6. Add new words as students encounter them and/or make connections between them during their learning.

Be sure to engage students in routine interactions with the words on the IWW to help students make connections between terms, extend their understanding, and connect to new learning. Here are a few options:

1. Group Connections:

• Student 1 starts the process by going to the IWW and taking a term off that connects to some prompt (e.g., Which term connects to something we learned today?).
• Student 2 chooses another item that connects to student 1’s term.
• Student 3 chooses another item that connects to student 2’s term, and so on, until all students have chosen a term and made a connection.

1. Stringing Words Together: Small groups of students use string or yarn to connect terms together around a prompt for the day’s learning (i.e., “We are learning about how to construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis. What words can you connect with this concept and how?”).
2. The teacher projects a diagram onto the whiteboard, and students work in pairs or small groups to identify key characteristics/concepts from the IWW.
3. Students work individually or collaboratively to organize vocabulary into webs, flow charts, phrases, or any other organizational structure, bringing vocabulary understanding to a higher level by making connections between big ideas.
4. Students record thoughts about new learning using a preselected set of words that students have used during the lesson.
5. As an Exit Slip, students sort words into three categories: “I got it,” “I need more time,” or “Really not sure.” (This provides the teacher with a snapshot of student thinking and allows for intentional interaction with terms/concepts in next-step learning.)
6. Students identify words they think are most important to their understanding so far. This provides a piece for students to revisit as the unit of study progresses so they can keep track of their thinking and see how things have progressed. This models continuous learning and a growth mindset.

Café Conversation: This strategy fosters structured discussions, providing a framework for students to share their ideas, listen respectfully, and respond thoughtfully to their peers. While high school students might engage in complex debates about current events or literary interpretations, preschool children can use this format to discuss their favorite books or share their observations about a classroom activity. The emphasis on respectful dialogue and active listening remains constant, promoting valuable communication skills. Here’s the process: 

1. Design guiding questions that promote critical thinking, content and/or personal connections, and deep reflection on key concepts. The guiding questions should be related to critical content, open-ended, and independent of each other while broad enough to elicit meaningful conversation. Close-ended questions with a specific answer will not work with Café Conversation. Place one question with chart paper and basic art materials (markers, crayons, colored pencils) at each station. 
2. Divide students into groups of 3-4. Note: If more than 4 guiding questions are needed to maintain smaller groups, create a second set of the same guiding questions for additional groups. Students will spend 5-7 minutes at each station working to answer each question. In early childhood, it is recommended that you provide one or two guiding questions to maintain student interest and focus. 
3. Within their small groups, students should engage in dialogue around the guiding question, tracking their thinking and discussion using chart paper and drawing utensils. Students use pictures, diagrams, and symbols to represent their thinking. All students should have a drawing utensil to paper the entire time. Words, sentences, and paragraphs should be avoided, as making meaning from pictures, diagrams, and symbols encourages greater critical thinking. 
4. At the end of each round of thinking, students leave each piece of chart paper at its designated location and rotate to a new piece of paper/guiding question. Groups should begin their conversation discussing the pictures, diagrams, and symbols left behind by the previous group. Students then work to extend the thinking of the last group and add their own thinking, again through pictures, diagrams, and symbols. Repeat this process until all groups have worked with all questions. 
5. When all rotations are complete, each group returns to its original guiding question. Students discuss the ideas other groups added to theirs, synthesizing the whole group’s response to the guiding question. Each group should record their synthesis on a sentence strip to share with the entire group. Debriefing the process afterward provides key insights into the decisions students had to make when interpreting other people’s drawings and how they connected the different representations. In early childhood, this last step should be teacher-guided. 

Students in schools and districts benefiting from our professional learning support, spanning both Artful Reading and the Adolescent Literacy Model, gain a significant advantage. They learn a core set of strategies that improve their literacy skills and equip them with learning tools they can utilize throughout their academic careers. By bridging the gap between early childhood and secondary education with shared strategies, we create a more seamless and effective pathway to literacy success for all learners.