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Choice Literacy Articles & Videos
The Choice Literacy library contains over 3,000 articles and 900 videos from 150+ contributors. Classic Classroom and Literacy Leadership subscribers have access to the entire library. Content is updated continuously, with five to six new features published each week.
Latest Content
Who Rules?: Creating a Classroom Code of Conduct with Students
Heather Rader works with a young teacher to establish a better management system.
Using Series Books to Model Comprehension and Anchor Thinking
Katie DiCesare shares some of her favorite texts for a primary study on series books. This is Part 2 in a series.
Uncovering Reading Behaviors
Teachers value the assessment of student skills and needs that come from close observation in classrooms, but may not know how to focus those observations. Ruth Shagoury documents some of those behaviors that put students on the path of becoming accomplished independent readers in a middle school classroom.
Bookroom Makeover in the Midst
In this video tour, Jessica Ardela and Josie Stewart talk about the renovations in progress in bookrooms at their school in Dublin, Ohio. The goal is to make it easier for students and teachers to access the texts they need, as well as create spaces for professional conversations among teachers.
Along Saplines
A poem and reflection to lift your spirits if you have the late-winter blues.
Portable Anchor Charts for Literacy Coaches
Jennifer Allen explains the many uses of portable lightweight anchor charts in her work as a literacy coach.
“The Wrath of Guess Jeans”: Response and Read Around
In this second video in a three-part series, Katie Doherty leads her 6th graders through a response activity. In this installment, the students respond orally and share some of their writing, making links to pop culture and other books from reading workshop.
Tips for Conducting Demonstration Lessons, or How to Avoid the “Am I Doing This Right?” Question
Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan have advice for teachers and literacy coaches leading demonstration lessons.
Reflections on a Year of Read Alouds
Karen Terlecky mulls over a year of read alouds in her 5th grade classroom as she makes plans for the coming year.
Parent Contributions Beyond Instructional Support
Parents want to contribute, but not all contributions are welcome or even helpful when it comes to teaching children how to read and write. Trish Prentice has suggestions for making the most of family skills and willingness to help.
Guiding Readers in Kindergarten: A Planning and Assessment Template
If you’re considering guided reading groups in your kindergarten classroom, you’ll want to read Mandy Robek’s advice for getting started and keeping track with a simple planning and assessment form.
Still Revising After 10 Years: Sorting Through Pitfalls of Study Groups
Jennifer Allen considers how her study groups have changed over the past decade as she continues to balance district demands with teacher choice.
Books and Activities from Around the World to Celebrate the Holiday Season
People around the world celebrate the holidays in different ways, and that diversity provides wonderful learning opportunities this time of year. Stella Villalba shares literary holiday projects and a booklist around the themes of “peace” and “wishes” that might help students find common ground in family traditions.
Math, Writing, and Coaching to Learn
Heather Rader works with a 5th grade teacher to infuse more writing into her math curriculum.
Closing Out the Library: Cleaning Up and Thinking Ahead
Franki Sibberson provides a series of questions to help you focus on what students need in classroom and school libraries, as well as how those needs might be changing.
“The Wrath of Guess Jeans”: Debrief
In this third video in a three-part series, Katie Doherty leads her 6th graders through a response activity. The text they are reading was written by a middle school student over a decade ago, and its themes of popularity and belonging still ring true for students. In this installment, Katie debriefs with students about the value of the writing activity.
Keeping “House” in a Literacy-Rich Classroom
Ann Williams has a terrific idea for keeping materials organized in literacy workshops and building student independence at the same time.
Quick Take: Time Constraints in Conferences
In this two-minute video, Aimee Buckner explains how she deals with time constraints when she is conferring with students.
Redesigning a Classroom: Putting Students First (and Technology in Its Place)
Mandy Robek faces the challenge of creating a warm and inviting classroom environment that still includes some cold, hard computers for student use.
Unexpected Gifts: Technology and Community in the First Days of School
Andrea Smith is surprised and delighted at what technology adds to her classroom in the early days of school.
A District Film Festival: Giving Kids An Authentic Audience for Their Work
Lights, cameras, and even a red carpet! Bill Bass documents how a film festival brought high school teachers and students together, with a strong focus on connecting district goals and standards to the fun projects.
Connecting Students, Wall Charts, and Reading
In this conference with third-grade student Jeffrey, Beth Lawson helps this young reader think through the importance of developing stamina to get through the first 50 pages of a book.
Science Workshop Whole Class Debrief
In this final video in a three-part series, Jennifer Morgan discusses what was learned during a science observation and writing activity in her grades 3 and 4 classroom.
Preparing for Book Talks
In this first video in a two-part series, Katie Doherty meets with her sixth-grade students who will be sharing their book recommendations with the class.
Injecting Writing into . . . Everything: Ellipsis Stories
"DOT DOT DOT" – a phrase made famous in Mama Mia, it's also the spark for some writing instruction linked to read alouds from Heather Rader.
When to Group?
Reading groups are such an ingrained element of our teaching culture that teachers can feel guilty if they choose other instructional methods. In this conversation with fourth-grade teacher Rachel, Joan Moser and Gail Boushey (“The Sisters”) talk about when it makes sense to group students.
Book Matchmaker: Helping a Struggling Reader in 5th Grade
In this installment of Book Matchmaker, Franki Sibberson shares books and genres a struggling 5th grader might enjoy.
Draft Stamps: Moving Learners at All Levels Forward
The draft stamp is a simple tool for tracking and accountability, no matter the age of the learner.
Injecting Writing into Everything: Bringing the Outside In
Heather Rader helps a 3rd grade teacher break through the resistance of some student writers. The magic tool? A dirty onion from the garden.
Starting a Newbery Club with Students
If you want to re-energize teen and tween readers in your school, start a Newbery Club. These voluntary groups read, discuss, and take their best guess of which book will win the coveted award in mid-January.
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