Phonics: Practice, Research and Policy unravels the controversy surrounding phonics which currently characterises much of the discussion about reading standards and teaching reading. Bringing some much-needed balance to the debate - the book offers genuinely focused advice on how to make sense of the various theories and on their applications in practice, helping teachers to find the right practical solutions to suit the children in their settings. The book includes chapters on: - How children learn to read and how phonics helps - The role of early phonics teaching - Classroom approaches to phonics teaching - Involving parents and carers - Speaking and phonological awareness - Spelling links - Staff development - Responses to the Rose Review on Early Reading. It will be essential reading for student teachers on initial training courses, and for more experienced staff in a range of school settings.
Raising literacy levels in secondary schools has taken on a new urgency. Recognized author, Elaine K. McEwan, focuses her revised second edition on broadening and enhancing the "five big ideas" for winning the battle against illiteracy, with reflection and discussion questions for reinforcement. With new research and programmes designed for adolescent learners, this update provides suggestions and developmental tools for administrators to effectively strengthen reading curriculum and teaching. Reading specialists, special education teachers, literacy coaches, intervention specialists, and central office administrators can also use this essential tool for evaluating middle and high school reading programs and formulating school and district improvement goals. McEwan has enhanced the five strategies of the first edition with seven cognitive strategies of highly effective readers and more than 20 "teaching for learning" tips to infuse into daily content instruction. This indispensable guide helps educators: / Understand the current state of reading achievement / Alter the instructional planning and delivery system / Motivate all students to read, and teach them how to read to learn / Create reading cultures in schools An invaluable resource for site-based literacy and improvement teams, and for educators without a reading curriculum background, this comprehensive book encourages leadership and creativity to achieve high levels of literacy in today's classroom.
'We often hear middle and high school teachers are frustrated because their students can't understand the textbooks or can't write effectively about their particular content. This book will provide both the framework for solving this dilemma and the specific, practical classroom practices that teachers can use each day to help students become more competent readers and writers' - Douglas Johnson, Assistant Superintendent, Kane County Regional Office of Education, IL 'Every middle school and secondary teacher should have a copy of this book. It not only provides the theoretical basis for each strategy, but it also effective instructions for use of the strategies in the classroom' - Dorothy Giroux, Program Director, Initial Teacher Preparation Program, School of Education, Loyola University Chicago Using a step-by-step approach that makes the strategies easy to understand and implement, the authors provide updated research-based strategies that will help increase students' reading comprehension, strengthen their writing skills, and build vocabulary across content areas. Expanded coverage of content literacy, additional reading and writing strategies for exploring content, and suggestions for working with struggling readers are included in this revised edition. This rich resource also offers: / Tips for using trade books in the classroom / Graphic organizers to help students recognize text structures / Assessment tools / Technology activities in every chapter / Real classroom examples of how the strategies have been implemented / More ways to evaluate the "readability" of textbooks / Over 40 ready-to-use photocopiables Whether you are getting ready to begin teaching or are an experienced teacher, this accessible, invaluable handbook will give you the tools you need to help your students become lifelong learners!
A Reflective Tool for Advancing Students' Literacy
"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire." -William Butler Yeats These quotes will inspire reflection on your teaching and provide tools to inspire your students, too! Teachers will find a year's worth of thought-provoking quotations by thinkers from in and out of education, from across centuries and cultures. Tied to themes of best teaching practice and reading domains, including goal setting, comprehension, vocabulary building, assessment, and collaboration, these quotes give you a daily way to deepen your reflection and critical thinking. The book also shows how to use the quotes in the classroom to directly foster improvement of your students' literacy, metacognitive skills, and goal setting, and at the same time introduce them to some of the greatest names in history and literature. Following each quote, this inspirational guide includes: Three reflective questions relating the core idea of the quote to teaching practices Lesson prompts that provide ways to use the quote with your students Literature links that identify books for K through 2, 3 through 8, and 9 through 12 and how to use them to extend student learning and thinking related to the quote The authors have created a unique resource to help you deepen your thinking. It can be used alone or as a companion book to Reading First and Beyond (Block & Israel, 2005), which offers research-based practices for reading instruction. Don't miss this great opportunity to enrich your teaching practices as well as your students' literacy!
A Reflective Tool for Advancing Students' Literacy
"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire." -William Butler Yeats These quotes will inspire reflection on your teaching and provide tools to inspire your students, too! Teachers will find a year's worth of thought-provoking quotations by thinkers from in and out of education, from across centuries and cultures. Tied to themes of best teaching practice and reading domains, including goal setting, comprehension, vocabulary building, assessment, and collaboration, these quotes give you a daily way to deepen your reflection and critical thinking. The book also shows how to use the quotes in the classroom to directly foster improvement of your students' literacy, metacognitive skills, and goal setting, and at the same time introduce them to some of the greatest names in history and literature. Following each quote, this inspirational guide includes: Three reflective questions relating the core idea of the quote to teaching practices Lesson prompts that provide ways to use the quote with your students Literature links that identify books for K through 2, 3 through 8, and 9 through 12 and how to use them to extend student learning and thinking related to the quote The authors have created a unique resource to help you deepen your thinking. It can be used alone or as a companion book to Reading First and Beyond (Block & Israel, 2005), which offers research-based practices for reading instruction. Don't miss this great opportunity to enrich your teaching practices as well as your students' literacy!
"Purposeful, realistic . . . and clearly written....the book renews my excitement for teaching writing, and for new teachers, the text offers suggestions from a voice of experience-all within the framework of NCLB legislation for differentiating teaching based on learners' needs." -Julia Weinberg, Instructor University of Nevada, Reno Give students the power to express their thinking in writing and to use writing as a process for learning! How can we improve students' ability to write "constructed response" to high stakes content area test items? How can we open for them the writing pathway to exploring and understanding informational texts? How can we help them develop the essential traits of proficient writing? Nationally recognized experts in literacy with experience in elementary, middle school, and university classrooms as well as consulting expertise, Barone and Taylor meld theoretical and practical considerations about writing instruction to explain how to teach each child to: Self-monitor to improve writing skills Grow in ability to write successful constructed response Use writing to process and stretch their own thinking Prepare for high stakes writing assessment Improving Students' Writing, K-8 brings together real-life examples, rubrics, reproducible aids and how-to's for getting the most out of your writers.
"Purposeful, realistic . . . and clearly written....the book renews my excitement for teaching writing, and for new teachers, the text offers suggestions from a voice of experience-all within the framework of NCLB legislation for differentiating teaching based on learners' needs." -Julia Weinberg, Instructor University of Nevada, Reno Give students the power to express their thinking in writing and to use writing as a process for learning! How can we improve students' ability to write "constructed response" to high stakes content area test items? How can we open for them the writing pathway to exploring and understanding informational texts? How can we help them develop the essential traits of proficient writing? Nationally recognized experts in literacy with experience in elementary, middle school, and university classrooms as well as consulting expertise, Barone and Taylor meld theoretical and practical considerations about writing instruction to explain how to teach each child to: Self-monitor to improve writing skills Grow in ability to write successful constructed response Use writing to process and stretch their own thinking Prepare for high stakes writing assessment Improving Students' Writing, K-8 brings together real-life examples, rubrics, reproducible aids and how-to's for getting the most out of your writers.
Now at ninety-three volumes, this popular MLA series addresses a broad range of literary texts. Each volume surveys teaching aids and critical material and brings together essays that apply a variety of perspectives to teaching the text. In these essays, experienced teachers discuss approaches and methods they have found effective in keeping ......
The Complete Guide for Teachers and Literacy Coaches
Reading First and Beyond anticipates the proposed additions to core elements of reading instruction from the National Reading Panel. It combines clear explanations and teaching directions with explicit, step-by-step guidelines. Take-to-the-classroom and differentiated lesson examples for mandated and other core elements for reading success are included, as well as adaptations for special learners.
