Jeff Wilhelm & Michael W. Smith’s findings in “Reading Unbound: Why Kids Need to Read What They Want and Why We Should Let Them” should convince educators to reconsider traditional assigned reading lists and open classroom doors to genre fiction, says reviewer Anne Anderson.
Education consultant Mike Fisher invites readers to be active participants in a Curriculum Brainstorm, using popular music and a song’s associated music video as a way to engage close reading of text, comparative analysis & use of digital tools.
Book Reviews / ELA & Literacy / Math & Literacy
by MiddleWeb · Published 02/26/2014 · Last modified 11/25/2019
The new edition of The Daily Five by the Two Sisters (Boushey and Moser) refines a popular ELA & math literacy program and offers powerful strategies that can lead to student independence. Start reading now for next year, says reviewer Linda Biondi.
Good writing instruction doesn’t have to be complicated, says literacy consultant Sarah Tantillo. No matter what genre you’re teaching – a paragraph, a timed essay or a full-blown research paper – she recommends these basic steps. Rubric included!
In Causes & Cures in the Classroom, author Margaret Searle provides detailed exemplars for getting to the root of students’ academic and behavioral problems. To reduce feelings of inadequacy, read the last chapter first, says reviewer Sarah Grieb.
Every art teacher could benefit by having The Art Teacher’s Survival Guide for Elementary and Middle Schools by Helen Hume in their personal libraries, says reviewer Carrie Manders. It may not be one you use every day, but it is one to reference on a regular basis.
Falling in Love with Close Reading by Lehman & Roberts has cured the close reading fatigue of reading coach Katie Gordon. “I’m learning about the invisible processes I use as a reader so I can reveal them to students for whom they are not automatic.”
Introducing the concept of product placement, using pop culture images and sporting events, is a great way to jump-start students’ critical viewing and grow their media literacy skills, says expert Frank Baker. Key questions for analysis included.
Students with learning disabilities can meet high expectations and thrive in Common Core classrooms with the right teacher supports, say “rigor” experts Barbara Blackburn and Bradley Witzel. They recommend several proven scaffolding strategies.
Many teachers are frustrated by Common Core directions to ignore prior knowledge when teaching students to analyze texts, says literacy coach Laura Robb. She recommends a proactive approach: show students how to do it for themselves. Tips included!
