The Book of Reading and Writing

Ideas, Tips, and Lists for the Elementary Classroom

Sandra E. Anderson

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781629148793
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Teaching Methods

Are You Getting the Results You Want From Your Reading and Writing Instruction? This outstanding resource book provides research-based, practical ideas for creating a complete balanced reading and writing program that will make a difference for your students. There is a wealth of information including the following: • Descriptions and implementation ideas for each component of a balanced reading and writing program
• Checklists for reviewing your own literacy program
• Effective strategies for teaching word study, fluency, and comprehension
• Vocabulary instructional strategies that expand students' comprehension and word knowledge
• Specific pre-reading, during-reading, and after-reading strategies that increase students' comprehension of fiction and nonfiction text
• Practical ideas for teaching writing skills in context
• Innovative ways of meeting the needs of struggling readers
• 50 tips any educator can use to positively impact students' reading performance
• 101 ideas for involving families in your literacy program
• Extensive lists of outstanding instructional materials
• Suggestions for ensuring that effective school practices are in place to positively impact your students' literacy performanceIf you are looking for ideas and tips that can impact your students' reading and writing, this book provides hundreds of classroom-proven suggestions designed for new teachers, experienced teachers, and administrators.

Chapter 1
A Practical Look at Literacy and Effective School Practices

Success Story

A large, low-performing elementary school focused on effective school practices and literacy for 3 years. This included extensive staff development, teacher observations during literacy instruction, and purchasing literacy materials. At the end of the third year, students demonstrated significant gains in reading and writing when assessed on several different measures. Book sets that had been read by fifth graders were given to the third-grade classrooms.

Effective school practices are critical to enhancing students’ reading and writing performance. Implementing effective literacy practices without addressing effective school practices will not provide maximum results. The key characteristics of schools that have successful literacy programs include the following.

EFFECTIVE PRACTICE 1

STUDENT-CENTERED SCHOOLS

The school is student centered and has high expectations for all students.

Schools that are achieving outstanding results in reading and writing are focused on the literacy needs of students.

A. Students have a strong sense of belonging.

• All students are known by name.

• Adults have strong, positive relationships with students.

• There is a positive, safe, and orderly environment with mutual respect, trust, and equity.

• There is a procedure for welcoming new students.

TIP 1: Photographs of new students can be placed on a photo wall in a staff area with the student’s name, teacher, and an interest. This is an easy way for all staff members to get to know new students and also ensures that new students feel welcome.

TIP 2: New students can be given a coupon book. Each coupon is taken to different staff members, such as the librarian, secretary, and special teachers, and traded for a welcoming item. This provides an opportunity for new students to meet staff members.

B. All students are expected to reach their individual potential.

C. The school focuses on students’ cognitive and affective needs.

EXAMPLE: One school found it was insightful to ask parents to identify the student’s academic strengths and areas of concern. Teachers found the parent surveys to be incredibly valuable.

EFFECTIVE PRACTICE 2

SHARED PURPOSE AND VISION

There is a shared purpose and vision.

There are clear goals and high expectations focusing on improving students’ reading and writing.

A. The school’s goals are obvious to everyone. The focus is on improving as well as inspiring students’ reading and writing through research-based, quality instruction. There is a passion for literacy that is reflected in the school’s goals.

TIP1: Goals can be enlarged to poster size and posted around school.

TIP 2: Literacy goals can be printed on business cards and handed out to parents and community members.

B. Staff development focuses on literacy development.

TIP: Staff development can be provided in many different formats including staff meetings, book study groups, workshops, and brown bag lunch discussions.

C. There is a focus on reading and writing.

TIP 1: Students can be highly involved in literacy activities including writing book reviews that are published in newsletters, videotaping book commercials, and making recommendations for book purchases.

TIP 2: Recommended at-home reading lists can be developed for each instructional level and sent to families. Numerous examples of leveled book lists can be found at www.argotlibrary.com.

D. Students’ reading and writing are showcased.

TIP: Student work can be displayed with goal or objective identified. Another option is to display the student work with the objective covered so parents can guess which goal is being worked on. Parents could then self-check to see if they correctly identified the literacy goal. This keeps students, staff, and parents focused on the school’s literacy goals.

E. Every child’s progress in reading and writing is seen as everyone’s responsibility.

TIP: Documentation can be kept on each child showing progress or growth over time. One possibility is having students tape record their reading three times during each school year. Students and parents can hear the improvement.

EFFECTIVE PRACTICE 3

STRONG INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

There is strong instructional leadership with frequent monitoring of teaching and learning.

Exemplary instructional leaders are master teachers with expert knowledge of teaching strategies, curriculum content, classroom management, and child development. The principal is one of the instructional leaders, but others may also serve as instructional leaders.

A. The principal can have great impact. He or she can link teacher observations and evaluations to the school’s instructional goals.

TIP: Frequent formal and informal classroom observations can be followed up with short discussions, coaching sessions, or notes.

EXAMPLE: Walk-throughs or brief classroom visits occurred weekly during literacy instruction and were followed with the question, “How does what you’re doing help achieve our literacy goals?” This kept the leader aware of what was happening in the classroom and kept teachers and students focused on literacy goals.

B. The instructional leader creates a climate of high expectations, trust, and open communication where collaboration is present and valued. Teachers are encouraged to express their ideas and take risks.

TIP: To free up staff development time at staff meetings, weekly feedback bulletins can be sent to staff asking for their input. This minimizes the...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Dedication
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• About the Author
• Introduction
• 1. A Practical Look at Literacy and Effective School Practices
• 2. Components of an Effective, Complete Reading Program
• 3. Essential Elements of Reading Instruction
• 4. Components of an Effective, Complete Writing Program
• 5. Teaching Writing Skills in Context
• 6. Other Instructional Factors Impacting the Success of Reading and Writing Programs
• 7. Meeting the Needs of Struggling Readers
• 8. Information Gathering and Data Collection
• 9. Staff Training Ideas
• 10. Fifty 10-Minute Tips for “Leaders” to Use to Impact the Reading and Writing Performance of Students
• 11. 101 Parent Tips to Enhance Literacy
• Conclusion
• References and Suggested Readings
• Index