What’s one of the best things a school day can offer? Exposure to newly learned words – provided that exposure is in context, well-timed, multisensory, and question-based. Literacy expert Amy Benjamin suggests five ways to achieve these “durable learning” goals.
In the valuable book Infusing Grammar into the Writer’s Workshop, Amy Benjamin and Barbara Golub make an effective team, says special ed teacher Marci Warboys. Benjamin focuses on research and pedagogy and Golub provides detailed lesson plans and resources.
Reading Workshop 2.0: Supporting Readers in the Digital Age by Frank Serafini is a useful tool for helping teachers move toward integrating technology into their reading instruction, including plenty of reviewed online resources, says reviewer Laura Von Staden.
Reading Linda Rief’s Read Write Teach is like sharing coffee with a master teacher. Her experience, advice and inspiration make it feel like a very helpful conversation. Reviewer Tyler McBride tries one of her activities and shares the successful results.
Donalyn Miller’s Reading in the Wild is a great workshop-focused resource for any ELA teacher who wants to cultivate lifelong reading habits and is “looking for a viable alternative to traditional instruction,” says teacher-reviewer Tyler McBride.
Reading teachers, rejoice! Laura Robb answers every question about teaching reading in middle school, says reviewer Laura Von Staden. And there’s a great CD.
Kids on the Cusp / Summer Activities
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 08/04/2013 · Last modified 05/20/2024
4th grade teacher Mary Tarashuk’s summer activities include a 1-week book club with six former students, done workshop style with a brown-bag supper.
Reviewer Ellen Berg finds 2009’s The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller to be a refreshing glint of sunshine in the gathering CCSS storm – with ways teachers can support students’ journeys to love affairs with books.
