Choice Lit Topic: 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.
Results
Supporting Young Writers with Opinion Texts
I believe that effective teaching is about hearing all the voices -- making sure that every student is valued, heard and respected and knows that his or her voice can...
Chronology in Nonfiction (Common Core Booklist)
As I try to choose books that will help my students meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards, I find myself needing to look across grade level expectations...
Enlisting a Student as Coteacher
In this second video in a two-part series, Sean Moore invites second grader Isaiah to present his learning to the class.
Expanding Definitions of “Just Right” Books
Tammy Mulligan works with two seven-year-olds to teach them strategies for building reading stamina. After discussing the “take a break” strategy, she introduces them to the “make a plan” strategy and has them practice.
Do They Care? Empathy Book Clubs
Students are sitting in circles, heads close together, excitedly talking about books, and using the words “I felt empathy when . . .” over and over again. The murmurs of...
Conferring to Coteaching
In this first video in a two-part series, Sean Moore confers with second grader Isaiah. Sean prepares Isaiah to share what he is learning later in the writing workshop.
The Joys and Challenges of Co-Teaching
As I began working on my schedule for this year, it seemed like I was missing something. Looking it over and thinking about each class, specials, and planning time, I...
Appealing Book Displays for Boys
As I write this, it’s about three weeks before school starts. I walk into my freshly painted room. The smell is a little overwhelming and the walls look bright. My...
Enhancing Read Aloud and Eliminating Notebook Clutter
I’m not sure when big purses became the fad, but I can tell you I jumped right on the bandwagon. Little purses just weren’t cutting it. I never had enough space...
Interactive Read Alouds to Support Struggling Readers
Do you remember using a kickboard when you were learning how to swim? The kickboard kept you afloat and allowed you to concentrate on your kicking. You didn’t have to...
More Conferring and Fewer Groups in Kindergarten
My teaching life was missing something. I couldn’t put my finger on it for two years. I kept asking myself, What is missing that I have always done in my...
Helping Middle School Readers Set Goals
The nagging numbness in my left hand continued to bother me on longer runs, and it was working its way down to the first mile of my workouts. Mile after...
Field Experience: Craft Moves for Elementary Writers
This field experience invites us to consider a handful of craft moves to teach young writers in minilessons, conferences and share sessions. Topic: Teaching Writers Grade Level: Elementary Catchy Leads...
Field Experience: Classroom Tours
Classroom design is more than a trendy space. Spend time noticing the details that reflect beliefs and influence instruction. Topic: Opening the Year Grade Level: Elementary Kindergarten and Grade 1...
Field Experience: Small Group Reading Instruction
Small group reading instruction is an important part of elementary literacy. This field experience is a sampling of a variety of examples. Topic: Teaching Readers Grade Level: Elementary English Learner...
Field Experience: General Workshop Routines
This field experience invites us to consider the routines of opening the day, workshop norms, meeting areas and transitions to make workshop run smoothly. Topic: Routines and Celebrations Grade Level:...
Running and Middle School Reading Goals
“Mrs. TAYLOR!” “What was that from?” ”Wow -- you are SWEAT-YYYY!” I hear lots of giggles. “Last weekend,” I started, “I ran a half marathon in Oxford, which is where...
Engaging Boy Readers: Beginning with Teacher Behaviors
Was the problem that Ron and boys like him were not as literate as the as the girls in the class? Or was the problem that Ron was not as...
Reaching Evan with Read Alouds in the Intermediate Grades
Evan’s face is intent, full of excitement and engagement. We are in the middle of reading aloud the book Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt as a class, and...
Never Say Never: Motivation to Read from an Unlikely Source
Second grader Joe struts into my intervention room wearing a football jersey and a bored look. The only spark I get is when he talks about Michael Vick and the...
Conferring for Engagement: First Steps
Aimee Buckner confers with a fourth grader who is learning how to choose books for independent reading. In this video, she gives advice in the first conference and then returns...
