Ages 7-12
Still Learning to Read
Franki Sibberson & Kathy Szymisiak
The saying goes that ‘children learn to read in years one and two, and read to learn in thereafter’. However, teachers are discovering this conventional wisdom is wrong—their classes have to deal with an increasingly sophisticated range of texts that require additional reading skills. Teachers in years 3 to 6 face the difficult task of trying to offer appropriate reading instruction just as many of their pupils have their first experiences with textbooks, tests, and complex reading in new genres.
In Still Learning to Read, the authors provide guidance on how to devote more time to reading instruction, without neglecting the other demands of the curriculum. As teachers themselves, the authors have first-hand experience of building reading instruction into the packed school day, and matching instruction and texts to the specific needs of older readers.
This practical book presents many sample lessons, descriptions of classroom routines, and stories taken from the authors' reading workshops. Teachers will be inspired and reassured that reading in the upper primary schools can be purposeful, thoughtful, and effective. Among the practical resources are:
- Planning forms for whole class, small group and individual instruction;
- Assessment and one-to-one coaching strategies;
- Detailed descriptions of how to use readers' workbooks flexibly;
- Sample lessons for specific skills instruction;
- Annotated bibliographies of children's books to use in lesson design;
- Activities to extend and deepen reading aloud and whole group conversations;
- Tips for designing lessons using non-fiction texts and class magazines;
- Ways to organise the classroom and library to promote pupil independence;
- Alternatives to levels for matching pupils, books and skills instruction.
Are students in years 3–6 still learning to read? Of course! And teachers who are still learning how to balance reading instruction with the other curriculum demands at this level will find a wealth of helpful ideas in this book.
Contents
Teaching Reading in the Upper Elementary Classroom; Part One: Making the Most of Time and Space; Organizing the Classroom Library; Preparing for Thoughtful Instruction; Slowing Down During the First Six Weeks; Grouping Beyond Levels; Threads of Learning Throughout the Year; Conversations and Writing to Clarify Thinking; Browsing and Book Choice All Year Long; Reading Difficult Texts With Persistence and Stamina; Supporting Thinking With Evidence from the Text; Epilogue; Appendix: Some Useful Forms; References
2003 168pp paperback
978-157110-359-8
£19.99
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