Young Meaning Makers—Teaching Comprehension, Grades K–2


Book Description

One of the most critical elements in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the effective teaching of reading comprehension in the early years. This timely resource provides evidence-based practices for teachers to use as they work to meet standards associated with comprehending complex literature and informational texts. The authors offer a practical model, with classroom applications drawing on the Construction-Integration (CI) model of text comprehension. Illustrating why comprehension is so important in the CCSS framework, the book distills six key principles for meeting CCSS and other high-challenge standards. Chapters show teachers how to build oral language and text comprehension skills with young readers, including selecting texts, organizing materials, scheduling time, and assessing the acquisition of knowledge. Book Features: A practitioner-friendly model for teaching comprehension of informational and narrative texts in the early grades.Guidance for how to create a classroom environment that supports oral language acquisition.Instructional strategies, including teaching children to understand text structures, key details, and main ideas of a story or information text.A standards-based series of formative comprehension assessments. “Read it with the gusto it provides and deserves, and go out into your classrooms and make texts come to life through the magic of understanding!” —From the Foreword by P. David Pearson, University of California, Berkeley “This is a must-read for teachers and educators as they strive to meet the new literacy standards and improve reading comprehension outcomes for their students.” —Linda B. Gambrell, Reading Research Quarterly “The authors start with the most respected theory, add an insightful analysis of relevant Common Core standards, and combine the two with solid, practical instructional ideas. Bravo!” —James W. Cunningham, professor emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill




Teaching Skills for Complex Text


Book Description

Tired of hearing about “complex text”? Bothered by the pushy messages about “challenge”? This book is for you! Unlike the many other materials on text complexity, this one focuses on specific comprehension skills that students need in order to really engage with text. This book will help elementary school teachers equip their students with practical tools and understandings of the structures and conventions that allow them to excel, including concrete tools, passages, games, lessons, and examples to teach anaphora, connectives, paragraph structure, gathering evidence (fiction and nonfiction), and text challenge. A final chapter specifies how to stretch students in texts while attending to their stamina, executive skills, and interests. Book Features: Text-based lessons for grades 3–5.Opening vignettes which provide classroom context for each skill.Key objectives and Common Core Standards. Think-aloud language to guide strategy development.Research-based strategies and games. “Real-life scenarios of comprehension breakdowns all teachers will recognize are followed by detailed guidelines for best practice and step-by-step directions for activities to combat and remedy these pitfalls. This book is a valuable resource for all teachers supporting intermediate graders’ reading comprehension.” —Tisha Hayes, University of Virginia “I highly recommend this book for classroom teachers, reading specialists, and interventionists who are looking for ways to deepen students’ comprehension. Additionally, this book provides a rich toolkit for supporting professional development in schools.” —Kelly B. Cartwright, Christopher Newport University “This book is a must-have for any teacher who strives to meet the standards in meaningful, engaging ways.” —Jennifer Powell, Radford University




Literacy Success for Emergent Bilinguals


Book Description

This practical book will help early childhood teachers (preK–2) understand and respond to the multiple influences (school, home, and societal) that affect emergent bilingual children’s academic achievement. The author explains the foundations of first- and second-language development and then provides teaching and curriculum practices specific to reading and English language arts. Chapters address incorporating first-language strengths, acquiring a second language, learning to read, building vocabulary, comprehending and thinking with text and language, helping children persevere, and more. Approaches for collaborating with families accompany each chapter. This book is designed to help teachers understand the underlying principles so they can modify, develop, and adjust their practice to be most effective for the emergent bilingual children they teach. It is a valuable resource for developing bilingual programs, teacher preparation, and professional development. Book Features: Teaching practices aligned with Preschool Learning Frameworks and the Common Core and other state standards. Summaries of teaching strategies and educational principles for easy reference. Broad coverage that includes language, literacy, motivation, and family collaboration. Key concepts illustrated with detailed lesson examples. Seamless integration of research findings and practical applications. “Apply Your Knowledge” sections to support ongoing dialogue for courses, coaching, and professional development.




Professional Learning in Action


Book Description

Nothing provided







Revitalizing Read Alouds


Book Description

How can educators and other professionals caring for children extend the learning potential of read alouds? This book is designed to help teachers, special education specialists, and speech-language pathologists achieve two objectives: 1) how to interact with children around books in ways that are instructive in nature but also responsive to children’s verbal contributions; and 2) how to use literature, informational texts, and poetry to achieve the goals of the Common Core State Standards. The authors provide specific recommendations for structuring read aloud routines in the early childhood classroom, making the read aloud interactive, using instructional strategies that enhance children’s vocabulary and content knowledge, and supporting and extending children’s verbal contributions through scaffolding during the activity. This practitioner?friendly text also includes methods for supporting children with special needs, as well as English language learners. Book Features: Recommendations for how to choose quality books in each of the three genres—informational, literature, and poetry. The most useful interactive?instructional strategies. The types of visual supports and props that can augment the read aloud. Methods for extended learning opportunities. Examples and excerpts from actual read alouds to illustrate the methods. Read aloud activities that align with the Common Core State Standards. The benefits and challenges of using digital texts “This book is a great read, filled with raise-the-bar opportunities for teaching and learning with literature, information text, poetry, and ebooks. If you choose to teach like this, children won’t say they didn’t learn anything in school today.” —Sharon Walpole, Ph.D., professor, University of Delaware “Offers exceptionally comprehensive and clear guidance about developing young children's oral language and thinking through conversations during read alouds.” —Judith A. Schickedanz, Boston University “The teaching examples, particularly for supporting children’s thinking, will be useful for new and seasoned teachers alike!” —Tanya Christ, Oakland University




Improving Reading Comprehension through Metacognitive Reading Strategies Instruction


Book Description

This book addresses the need to help all students, including English learners, improve their ability to read with understanding so that they can succeed not just in their language and literacy classes, but also in their subject area classrooms. The book brings together a group of experts representing the fields of first and second language reading, whose chapters contribute in different yet complementary ways to the goal of this book: Improve students’ reading for understanding across languages with metacognitive awareness and use of reading strategies instruction.




Helping English Learners to Write


Book Description

Using a rich array of research-based practices, this book will help teachers improve the academic writing of English learners. It provides specific teaching strategies, activities, and extended lessons to develop EL students’ narrative, informational, and argumentative writing, emphasized in the Common Core State Standards. It also explores the challenges each of these genres pose for ELs and suggests ways to scaffold instruction to help students become confident and competent academic writers. Showcasing the work of exemplary school teachers who have devoted time and expertise to creating rich learning environments for the secondary classroom, Helping English Learners to Write includes artifacts and written work produced by students with varying levels of language proficiency as models of what students can accomplish. Each chapter begins with a brief overview and ends with a short summary of the key points. “These authors are at the very forefront of scientifically testing and validating instructional practices for improving the writing and reading of adolescents who are English learners. Why is their research so good? It is informed by years of experience in the classroom and working with hundreds of teachers across California. What a powerful combination. My advice: ingest, consider, and employ the strategies described here. Your students will become better writers if you do.” —From the Foreword by Steve Graham, Warner Professor of Educational Leadership & Innovation, Arizona State University “This book is a tour de force. It’s up-to-the-minute in offering what teachers and administrators need, and what parents want. With examples of classrooms in action, it incorporates what research tells us about effective teaching and learning, and what the Common Core Standards and related policy are demanding, into successful and engaging activities that the authors' extensive research shows works. Helping English Learners to Write is a must-read. You will dog ear many pages for future use.” —Judith A. Langer, Vincent O’Leary Distinguished Research Professor, Director, Center on English Learning & Achievement, University at Albany




Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts


Book Description

Now in its fifth edition, the Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts--sponsored by the International Literacy Association and the National Council of Teachers of English--remains at the forefront in bringing together prominent scholars, researchers, and professional leaders to offer an integrated perspective on teaching the English language arts and a comprehensive overview of research in the field. Reflecting important developments since the publication of the fourth edition in 2017, this new edition is streamlined and completely restructured around "big ideas" in the field related to theoretical and research foundations, learners in context, and new literacies. Addressing all the language arts within a holistic perspective (speaking/listening, viewing, language, writing, reading), it covers new and important topics, such as online learning, multimodalities, culturally responsive learning, and more.




Best Practices in Literacy Instruction


Book Description

This book has been replaced by Best Practices in Literacy Instruction, Seventh Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-5223-8.