Wouldn't it be great if we could just let kids pick their own books based on interest, readability, and then have them apply active reading strategies to their reading in a reading journal. Our kids are so burnt out right now. We are really turning kids off to reading and learning in our district IMHO.
Alice in CT -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of May Dartez Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 5:13 PM To: A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades. Subject: Re: [LIT] Materials for balanced literacy 4 to 8? The biggest problem with a series is that research shows that students need to be reading materials at their reading level in order to improve in their reading ability. Wouldn't it be nice if your district would instead agree to purchase guided reading sets (which generally come with teaching guides) instead? Maybe you could show them the research about students needing to read texts at their level? May On Feb 12, 2007, at 6:01 PM, Heather Poland wrote: > I've used the daybook before w/ middle schoolers, but I never used the > "lessons" only the selections out of them. > > For purchasing a series, I would look for one that has good > selections. I > never use any of the "teaching guides" that come with anything I'm > given. > > Newbridge has good nonfiction, but I'm not sure how low a level it > goes to. > I've used it w/ middle schoolers. > > On 2/12/07, Mary Dovey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> Please forgive the cross post, but my supervisor seems interested >> suddenly >> in purchasing a reading series for grades 4 to 8. I'm >> flabbergasted--to >> me, >> authentic trade books are the basis for teaching reading. (We use a >> variety >> of sources for teaching writing.) >> >> This may be a done deal, but I'm going to try to do my best to guide >> the >> purchase as best I can--if I can. Any and all comments on materials >> you >> like, things you hate, etc., would be appreciated. One specific I'm >> interested in is what materials you've found that best help teach >> grammar >> and punctuation, particularly in the context of writer's workshop. >> >> Thanks for all your help, in advance. If our teachers get stuck with >> some >> lame "series" it'll make my job as instructional coach for literacy a >> nightmare... >> >> Mary D. >> >> P.S. I have samples of Great Source's Sourcebook and Daybook for each >> grade >> but I'm not certain how helpful they'd be. Anyone use them? >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org >> >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive >> > > > > -- > - Heather > > "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of > man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments > fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; > new races build others. But in the world of books are > volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet > live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were > written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men > centuries dead." --Clarence Day > > "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little > good evidence exists that there's any educational substance > behind the accountability and testing movement." > -Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds > > "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose > funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase > funding. " > -Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
