Angela Ehmer will deliver 'Practical Strategies for Teaching Comprehension' to Teachers' Aides on 22 March 2023
Would you agree that a love of reading is developed, not innate? If so, you are likely to actively nurture a love and appreciation of literature, knowing that it is advantageous to the learner and an integral part of successful literacy instruction.
Have you ever observed students as they listen to a practiced author or storyteller read aloud, ever engaging the audience, beckoning active engagement by …
Big kids too old for picture books?
What can picture book authors offer older students … more experienced writers, still developing crafting skills and learning the tricks of the writing trade?
Last week I shared, ‘Fancy Nancy’ by Jane O’Connor, with some Year 5 students, to highlight how cleverly the author used words, seemingly too complex for the intended audience, to paint the canvas of her …
Is our purpose clear?
A secondary student recently asked me why he needed to read novels at school, as he had no plans to ever read another one once he left.
I acknowledged his feelings, but explained that he’d probably view lots of narratives as films, plays or television shows. Therefore, it’s important to build knowledge of different ways ideas can be presented and may be …
Writing games provide skills practice with authentic texts …
Simple games can provide opportunities for language experience, explicit teaching, coaching and collaboration. Here’s a simple one I was playing recently. You need 45 minutes for crafting, reviewing, revising, sharing and feedback.
Start with two sentences:
Jack went up the hill. He found Jill.
What to do
Organise students into pairs or groups of three and explain:
Your task is to work …
Reading Strategy bookmark for younger readers.
Thank you for your comments and emails about the recent prompt card and bookmark. In response to early years’ teachers, we are happy to offer the Reading Strategy bookmarks for younger readers (PDF 342 kB). To limit the quantity of text, two different bookmarks have been created; one bookmark supports word solving, the other comprehension. Both bookmarks have prompts …
It is vital that students apply before, during and after reading strategies with confidence and independence. As students develop better understandings about what proficient readers do and think, it can be helpful to provide them with supports or scaffolds to prompt for the thinking required.
To assist students to “warm up” for reading, we are happy to provide you with a “Warm Up for reading” …
A new tool is now available for Teachers.
The Reciprocal Teaching Prompt Card assists with the active involvement of students in reading discussion.
Learn more about how to implement the Reciprocal Teaching Prompt Card and access the download.
We know that the more one reads the better at reading one becomes. We also know that reading that is intrinsically motivated produces better outcomes than the same quantity of mandated reading activity. Therefore, finding material that interests and engages students is critical.
A periodic reading interview is one way of gathering information about reading habits, attitudes and interests, which are then used to inform classroom …
Reading wall posters available for download
I wrote a blog last year about the importance of highlighting problem solving activity to assist students to know what proficient readers do and how proficient readers think. Many of you expressed great interest in some wall charts to support this idea and we have, at last, developed some posters to support you and your students.
The poster set comprises …
Welcome to another school year. With new students and a renewed vigour, this is the perfect time to establish routines and procedures which will facilitate the smooth running of the classroom literacy program.
We all appreciate how difficult it can be to fit quality instruction, differentiated learning and the independent practice of skills and knowledge into a busy timetable.
Be flexible and strategic when planning for literacy …
