In Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals (2016), Marie Clay writes that teachers do not need to know how to teach students independence and that we in fact cannot teach a child independence (p. 41). Instead, through less teacher talk, more observing, and careful book selections we can set students up for independently initiating their own …
Today marks my second day at home after schools in New York closed on Tuesday due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). I am still in disbelief about what is going on in our world. I have decided to provide a little self-care by catching up on some writing that has been in the works. I hope …
Continue reading Sticking to a 30 minute Reading Recovery Lesson
Throughout the years, educators have wondered whether students should be taught to read first or to write first. In the past, some educators have viewed writing as something that is taught to students after they learn letter sounds and after they learn words. Currently, many educators take the stance that the biggest impact on literacy can …
Continue reading The Power of Using Writing to Enhance Reading
I have been very excited to write this post because I have seen a significant difference in the effectiveness of my teaching by analyzing my students' Tolds. I have recently read and looked at resources regarding giving students a Told during their running record. I have been taking running records for 20+ years and know …
As interventionists, we have to advocate for what we know will help our students attain the most progress in the little time that we have to work with them. Research has shown correlations between the following key factors and successful interventions. 1. Small group size When considering the intervention group size it is important that …
"Within the complex view of reading, decoding and processing text for understanding are taught simultaneously because authentic text does not exist without meaning, structure and visual information. "
Supporting our students with becoming fluent readers is vital to improving their comprehension of texts. Our job is to help our readers use appropriate intonation, pay attention to punctuation marks, and read words together in meaning phases. We do not want our readers to sound like reading is a lot of laborious work. Fluency will …
A while back we posted on the importance of making professional learning a priority. Sometimes we have to seek our own worthwhile professional learning opportunities. We would like to take a quick minute to share about a conference coming up this month that we feel provides professional learning that you won't want to pass up. …
Continue reading Worthwhile Professional Learning Opportunity
As Reading Recovery teachers, we work with students who have a wide range of writing abilities. Some of our students may be using pictures or symbols to record their messages while other students are able to say words slowly and record some of the sounds they hear. No matter where our students start, we work …
Continue reading Helping Our Students Become Efficient, Capable, and Competent Writers
Starting from Kindergarten we can teach students how to think deeply about books and record their thinking. In Kindergarten and first grade students begin by recording their thinking with pictures. Talking and writing about reading though pictures eventually leads to conventional writing about reading. Fountas and Pinnell (2006) write that "writing increases readers' engagement with …
