Angela Ehmer will deliver 'Practical Strategies for Teaching Comprehension' to Teachers' Aides on 22 March 2023
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 …
Many students choose to listen rather than actively participate in learning conversations. Yet to achieve the best possible outcomes, teachers must expect that students OPT IN to literacy learning; opting out should not be an option. It must be our clear expectation to students that we expect full and active participation.
I’ve recently been talking up the importance of active engagement by students to build proficiency …
What is a Friendship Box
The Friendship Box is a box containing a name card for each student. Students are assigned short writing tasks which prompt them to write for a variety of purposes. By drawing a name from the box students have an audience for the task. Note: Students enjoy decorating the name cards so that they are reflective of their personalities. A profile of …
When does the teacher stop?
The simple answer is that we don’t. The aim of modelled writing is use the “think aloud strategy” to model what goes on in the head of the writer. Not only does this give the teacher opportunities to explicitly talk about elements of the writing process, but also allows students to observe the way a writer crafts and records a text. …
Angela Ehmer & Marisa Battiglini meet Professor P. David Pearson
It’s been a busy month, but I finally have a moment to reflect on the World Congress on Reading held last month at the SKYCITY Convention Centre, Auckland.
What a wonderful opportunity for literacy educators, the world over, to come together for this world class event.
Marisa (Battiglini) and I were scheduled to present a session for secondary …
Writing is a tricky business for many students. Many dislike writing and some students experience feelings of anxiety from the words, “Take out your writing folder”. So what do proficient writers know and understand about designing literary and non-literary texts, that others do not?
Highly effective young writers know that:
Writing is about purpose and audience. These writers write with a sense of purpose and understand the …
My recent post, “Round Robin Reading/Guided Reading – Is there a difference?” prompted great interest and many queries. Some of the more frequently asked questions about Guided Reading are outlined below.
Q: What can the students who finish early do whilst waiting for other students to finish?
A: There are no hard and fast rules and we must respond according to our knowledge of …
