Choice Lit Topic: Reading Strategies
Are your students buried in post-its? Oversharing with those text-to-self connections? Parroting back comprehension tips but rarely applying them when they are actually reading? Our contributors sort through what works with strategy instruction, and have wise advice for avoiding superficial approaches to developing comprehension skills.
Results
Working Hard and Reading Carefully: On Theme and Rereading
I can accept failure—everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying. Michael Jordan How long do you have to watch Michael Jordan playing basketball before you realize...
Supporting Readers with Nonfiction Text
In a recent meeting a teacher spoke about her frustration in trying to find nonfiction resources that work with the standards she is teaching. As the conversation continued, we agreed...
Redefining Just-Right Books
Recently a friend, Clara, who is a retired literacy coach, told us a story about a visit to her first-grade grandson Trevor’s classroom. With a long face, she explained that...
Setting Goals with Students
As an adult learner, I always have a set of evolving goals. Some of these goals I have to put on my annual professional growth plan, others I write down...
Percy Jackson Read-Aloud in Fourth Grade
Tony Keefer demonstrates how he makes his read-alouds interactive, and explains why he selected Percy Jackson to use with this group of fourth graders.
Intervening with Read Aloud
Recent research indicates that increasing student engagement by 1 percent is correlated with a 6 percent increase in student performance on literacy assessments. We are not at all surprised, as...
Catching Up with Anna
Because reading workshop and book clubs are such a big part of my reading curriculum, it is crucial that kids keep up with the work. To do that, they need...
Notebook Sketching: Conferring with Sarah
Aimee Buckner confers with Sarah about sketching in her notebook.
Using Google Earth to Support Readers
Reading is supposed to take us places we’ve never been and show us things we’ve never seen. But does the image we create in our mind match what the author...
Using Lord of the Flies to Teach Argument
The Common Core’s push for greater focus on argumentative writing has made me reexamine how and why I use certain texts in the classroom. I have, like many other high...
Picture Books or Beginning Readers?
A few weeks ago, Kim and Lily were snuggled in a beanbag chair with their heads together. They were trying to decipher some troublesome words in a book. “Sat? Seat?”...
Conferring About Characters in First Grade
Katie DiCesare confers with Vidhi about the main character in her independent reading book.
Inform, Inspire, Instruct: Essays as Mentor Texts in High School
“We are really quite concerned,” stressed the school counselor as she handed me the essay a student of mine had submitted for the state writing test. I smiled and even...
Whole Class Partner Share Session in First Grade
Katie DiCesare leads her first graders in a reading share session during a character traits unit.
Using Close Reading to Analyze Propaganda
Dystopian literature was wildly popular in my sixth-grade classroom last year, and I anticipate it will continue to be, so I decided to capture that enthusiasm and build a unit...
“Lift a Line” Boys Reading Group
Franki Sibberson gives a group of boys a "lift a line" assignment to build their close reading skills.
Fluency and Comprehension Conference
In this brief conference, Aimee Buckner confers with Amanda about her fluency and comprehension.
Second-Grade Reading Share
Sean Moore leads his second graders in a reading share, teaching them about social norms and classroom expectations as they talk about their reading in this brief video.
Fourth-Grade Reading Conference: Focusing While Reading
Aimee Buckner helps fourth grader Isaiah focus his reading early in the year in this quick conference. Isaiah is reading Morning Girl by Michael Dorris.
Sticky Notes Small Group
Sean Moore meets with a group of second graders to remind them of the value of using sticky notes during reading in this quick video.
Nonfiction Book Blitz
The end of school is nearing, and my sixth graders are thinking of new opportunities awaiting them in a new school next year. Baseball and softball take priority on crisp...
