The Learning Line: An Alternative to Literacy Centers
Recently, I posted on social media about a strategy I use in my classroom called the Learning Line and several educators requested more information about my process.
The Learning Line developed over my 14 years of teaching half-day kindergarten in some of my district's Title I schools. I didn’t have the time or budget to create elaborate themed centers—especially when many of my students struggled to stay on task during center time. At the same time, I knew they needed more practice with foundational skills, so I adapted a fast-finisher strategy by adding simple ways to provide extra practice.
After receiving targeted, whole-group instruction, students work through our Learning Line. I post a blue card on the whiteboard for each Learning Line activity, and students complete them in order. These cards form the “line,” hence the name Learning Line. It's similar to the must-do/may-do format used in other classrooms, but with no reading required, making it fully accessible for kindergarten students. My goal for these activities is to target the fluency level of the instructional hierarchy.
The Learning Line activities start out very simple and evolve as students progress. They include tasks like name writing, cutting and gluing, number writing, one-to-one correspondence, and a cover, copy, and compare activity with high-frequency words. Any skill that benefits from repeated practice to build automaticity can be included. This gives my students valuable retrieval practice, provides a visual schedule, and helps establish a predictable routine, allowing them to stay on task and build confidence as learners. The activities change throughout the year, and I structure the line by prioritizing the most important skills first.
All activities are designed to be quickly checked by a teacher or to allow for targeted feedback. Some activities receive a quick smiley face, while others get a thumbs-up. These quick checks create accountability. Students who master a particular activity can pass it off and skip it for the remainder of its time in the line. This is highly motivating for them, and they can see their progress in real time.
Once students complete the Learning Line, they can choose from classroom play centers that require minimal adult setup or supervision. These centers include dramatic play, art, reading, and more. This provides students time for free play and allows me a few extra minutes to work with students who need additional support.
Using the Learning Line has helped me streamline my instruction, reduce time spent creating resources, and improve my students’ academic outcomes. Visitors to my classroom often remark on how focused and independent my students are, and I believe the Learning Line plays a big role in that success.