Teaching Reading
Our contributors lead reading workshops in classrooms with creative flair. Over the past 12 years, we've filled our site with loads of suggestions, tools, and tips for using engaging books throughout the curriculum to hook kids on reading. Here is where you will find many stories of successful and not-so-successful workshop days, and what we learned from them. We bring these stories to life through hundreds of video examples.
Latest Content
Keeping the M
Melissa Kolb confers with three-year-old Daniela and explains why approximations are crucial for young literacy learners.
Teaching Rereading Strategies Through Read Aloud Day 2
Aimee Buckner uses rereading as a strategy to deepen student understanding during read alouds.
5th Grade Sentence Observation
Karen Terlecky explains the sentence observation routine in her 5th grade classroom, and provides a video example of students in action analyzing sentences.
Picture Reading in First Grade
In this read-aloud lesson from Katie DiCesare's first-grade classroom, Katie demonstrates the importance of picture reading using the wordless picture book The Zoo by Suzy Lee.
From Questions to Drafts
Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students. Aimee explains how questions are a springboard to interesting writing topics, and models connections she makes to the text.
Book Matchmaker: Texts for “Outdoorsy” Boys
Those “outdoorsy” boys who love to fish and four-wheel all summer long can be a challenge to hook with books when they return to classrooms in the fall. This Book Matchmaker feature presents a video preview of new titles to entice these intermediate readers, as well as a print supplement of additional suggestions.
Narrative Nonfiction in Fifth Grade, Part 1
In this lesson from a fifth-grade classroom, Aimee Buckner guides students in a notetaking process to help them understand the qualities of nonfiction narrative writing.
From Cross Checking and Retelling to Main Ideas: Helping Advanced Readers Develop Skills
In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey confers with Amanda, a second-grade student reading at a fourth-grade level early in the school year.
Moving into “Big Fat Chapter Books”: Conferring with Elyse
In this conference with seven-year-old Elyse, Joan Moser helps her set a reading goal that will help her move into “big fat chapter books.”
Hooked on Series: Great Series Books for Transitional Readers
Finding the right series for a transitional reader is a gift. Franki Sibberson shares her favorite finds.
Planning for K-3 Author Studies (eGUIDE)
Gayle Brand knows the power of author studies and shares her activities, unit plans and year-long glances to support students identification as readers and writers.
Designing Comprehension Constructors: Helping Adolescent Learners Develop Reading Strategies (E-GUIDE)
Comprehension constructors are a terrific tool for helping teens record their understanding.
Moving Beyond the Basics: Teaching Inferring to a Fluent Young Reader
In this conference, Gail Boushey (of “The Sisters”) confers with Brandon and helps him understand the concept of inferring.
My Son Clark Kent
Lisa Koch shares a parent's perspective of the damage too much emphasis on reading levels in the classroom does to her young son.
Learning to Cross-Check: Conferring with Hailey
Joan Moser confers with five-year-old Hailey and helps her set a reading goal.
Comprehending Graphic Novels: A Primer for Teachers
Mary Lee Hahn provides a quick primer for teachers new to graphic novels, as well as suggestions for using these novels to teach comprehension.
Understanding the “Silent Period” with English Language Learners
Ruth Shagoury and Andie Cunningham explain how to support an English Language Learner who is not speaking with verbal and nonverbal communication strategies.
The Read-Around: Raising Writers
If there was a centerpiece to teaching writing that also brought students closer together, wouldn't you want to know about it? Read on about the Read-Around.
Chapter Book Read Alouds in the Primary Classroom
Shari Frost considers selection, preparation, and pacing in choosing books that work well as read alouds in the primary classroom.
Small Group Instruction: Inferring Focus
In this example of reading instruction with a small group, Gail Boushey of “The Sisters” leads a discussion of inference, using Peter Rabbit as a focus text. All of the children in the group are reading at different levels independently, but they share a goal of learning more about inferring.
Shopping With Ana: Expanding Our Definition of “Just Right” Books in Grades K-2
Franki Sibberson learns from her daughter about emerging readers and book choice.
Noticing Words to Expand Vocabulary: Conferring with Mariah
In this conference with six-year-old Mariah, Joan Moser of “The Sisters” has chosen to focus on expanding vocabulary.
Flexible Groups: Moving Beyond Levels to Assess Reading Needs
Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (“The Sisters”) discuss how their thinking has evolved when it comes to flexible groups. The article includes a video excerpt of Joan working with a group of kindergartners.
Whole-Class Vocabulary Lesson, Grades K-2
In this five-minute video, Joan Moser of “The Sisters” teaches a whole-class vocabulary lesson. The focus is on helping students notice interesting words, and make connections between daily read-alouds and word learning.
Inviting Students to Organize Books and Materials
Debbie Miller advocates for involving children in the organization of materials for readers and writers in the classroom.
Introducing Bull’s-Eye and Waves Written Responses in Synthesis Work
Andie Cunningham explains the bull’s-eye and wave responses her kindergartners complete to demonstrate their understanding of synthesis. A video introducing the activity is included.
Time for Reading
Shari Frost describes how literacy coaches shadowed children to get a sense of how much reading students were doing.
Concepts of Print: Conferring with a Kindergartner
In this conference with five-year-old Mariano, Joan Moser (of “The Sisters”) assesses his understanding of reading, print, and books at the start of the school year.
Minilessons to Start Conversations with Students About Books
In leadership positions, the first conversations with students about who you are and what you believe can set the tone for the year. Franki Sibberson has helpful advice for talking with readers — big and small.
Noticing Interesting Words: Small-Group Vocabulary Lesson
In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey leads a short small-group lesson on vocabulary.
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