Imagine that you have been asked to do a workshop on literacy in the 21st century. You have been asked to focus on key features of reading instruction that make up a balanced and effective literacy program at the early childhood level. Your audience will likely include current teachers, new teachers, librarians, paraprofessionals, and possibly high school students who plan to pursue early childhood education after graduation. 

Create a 10- to 12-slide presentation for the workshop, using Microsoft® PowerPoint® or another medium, such as Prezi®, Powtoon, Wideo, etc. Consult the College of Education’s Technology Resources Library for additional information on presentation media you may use.

Research and discuss the following in your presentation:

• A brief explanation of learning theories that currently influence reading instruction (behaviorism, constructivism, sociolinguistics, and information processing) and how these can all be incorporated into a balanced literacy program
• A description of the 4 cueing systems (phonological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) and their importance in the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills
• A description of ways to support early childhood students in developing their skills within each of the cueing systems
• A chart in which you compare the process of first-language acquisition with that of second-language acquisition and describe 2–3 strategies to support English learners at each of the 6 stages of language acquisition (total of 12–18 strategies)
• A description of instructional approaches that can make up a balanced literacy program, including guided reading lessons, basal reading programs, literature focus units, literature circles, and reading/writing workshops
• Include a reference page or slide in APA format with all resources used in your presentation.