To Mary Dovey, We've used materials from Glencoe and are considering adopting their new series for our grades 6-8. We really like their division into Reading and Writing Workshops (based on 6+1 Traits) . . . and you do get authentic text . . . not modified or "simplified." There's quite a range of reading materials, and the teacher can choose a variety of ways to work with the text: theme, genre, reading strategy, etc. Also, all publishers are providing enormous technological resources. Next year, they'll provide a complimentary English series called Writer's Choice--which provides lots of writing and grammar materials. Indiana adopts every six years; it takes almost that time to decide which resources can actually be the most useful!! Most companies divide their reading series 1-6 and redundantly 6-8, so finding any series 4-8 would be difficult or impossible, as far as I know. I have used DAYBOOK . . . and I LOVE it!! This is a very interactive workbook which allows the students to comment on the page with thoughts, understanding (or misunderstanding!), and questions. However, from what I've seen of the new series, several companies are coming out with something similar. Students obviously can't write in textbooks . . . but here, with teacher encouragement of course, students can show their personal reactions to what's on the printed page. Authors and selections are carefully chosen; the brief reading and responding sections, I think, appeal to the non-readers in middle school . . . yet the valuable lesson of mentally reacting to the text is paramount. Patti Gurnak St. Thomas More School Munster, IN 46321 [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org
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