Planning for Independent Reading

Are you thinking about some ways to differentiate teaching that supports students in developing reading proficiency?  This is something that I have struggled with over the years.  A highly active classroom often gets the better of me and my independent reading practice goes by the wayside.  The suggestions I provide are not foolproof but they are practical enough for anyone to implement.  Once independent reading is established, the goal is to use this time to work on small group guided reading with your students.  Begin by setting a time for uninterrupted reading.  I usually do this for 20 minutes each day.  Your students will thank you for it!  The "I don't know what to read" will diminish if you give students some choice.  During the first week, we gather with a few read alouds.  As I read aloud, I talk about ways I'm reading the book.  This includes how I hold it, how I read the book jacket, looking for the copyright date, the author, the illustrator and even where it was published.  Students love when we can find out "how old the book is."

I then ask students to select books they may be interested in reading from the classroom library.  The library is filled with bins and labelled genres.

Students are asked to choose 5 books to read at the beginning of the week.  They are then placed in labelled magazine box holders with students' names on them.  Choosing 5 books allows them to not travel back and forth to the classroom library.  They have chosen 5 books just incase one is not appropriate.  Books range from graphic novels, reading series, sports, hobbies, science, math etc. I often keep double copies of my read aloud so that one goes back in the classroom library.  Sticky fingers off my own read aloud selection!

We create an anchor chart for what Independent Reading looks like, sounds like and feel like.  I model Independent Reading time.  I often invite another teacher in to demonstrate or a student I taught from the previous year.  Once students "see" the process, they are able to co-construct an anchor chart.  

Over the next few days, during independent reading time, I interview each student.  I can usually get through 5 a day. This involves taking a reading interest inventory.  

This practice allows me to know what the students might be interested in reading.  Often they have repeatedly said "I don't know what to read" or "I don't like reading."  They slowly realize that they do have an interest in some genre.  When I know what that is, I make an effort to stock my classroom library with things they will like.

Once independent reading time routines are in place, I can begin working on exploring reading levels through running records. This usually happens during the second or third week of school.  Within the first month, reading interests are discovered as well as reading levels.  I am then able to focus on my guided reading groups during independent reading time.  

So Many Resources, So Little Time!

We are back into back to school preparation where I live.  Once July comes to a close, teachers begin thinking about the first few weeks of school.  To be honest, I'm always thinking about school. I've been working on a summer course for teaching English language learners.  This is where I began my career and this is where it will unwind.  I always thought I'd concentrate on Math but I've always had the desire to return to my roots of watching language acquisition unfold.  To be honest, I love Literacy!  It embeds every aspect of the curriculum.

When it comes to Literacy, I 've accumulated quite a stock of resources.  From Debbie Diller to Tony Stead, I have it all.  The problem is finding enough time to sit down and read one from cover to cover. Now, with this new position, I've begun to accumulate new resources.  I love this new one from Fenner and Snyder:  Unlocking English Learners' Potential

It's the why and how to access English language learner's potential.  There are tips for scaffolding, promotion of oral language development and academic language, analyzing text through close reading and text-dependent questions, building background knowledge and designing formative assessments.

The strategies in this book are perfect for any teacher of English language learners.  Whether it is in a mainstream program or sheltered class, this resource will support instruction.  Now, off to reading the next book. 

Guest Post on Minds in Bloom

Hi everyone,

I'm thrilled to be a guest on the blog, "Minds in Bloom", where  I write about encouraging writing skills. To find useful tips and a free download, click on the link below:

http://minds-in-bloom.com/encouraging-kids-write-write-about-ideas/

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Back to School Giveaway

I've teamed up with some fabulous TpT authors to host a giveaway.  The entry dates are from July 23rd to 25th.  

Just click on the link below to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Build a Positive Classroom Community

This is a repost about one of my favourite ways to build a classroom community:

Two years ago, I decided to implement something in my classroom that changed the classroom community.  We had kindness week and things just didn't resonate with the students like I thought they would.  So, I brought in my Blessings Jar: It was a simple empty jar decorated with a label and glued on buttons.  It was what was inside that became the thing that my classroom needed:  validation of students from one another and to each other.  

Students were asked to notice things during the day that made them feel blessed.  They would then write them down and place them in the jar.  At the end of the week during our class meetings, we would open the jar and read the blessings.   

We then gathered the blessings and placed them into categories.  This was a great way to incorporate math into our lesson as well.  Just click on the image to download your own copy of the blessings jar templates. All you need is a jar!

Blessings Jar

Back to School Mega Giveaway!

Fancy winning some extra spending money to help you purchase everything you need for your 2017-18 classroom? I have teamed up with a group of amazing teachers for a giveaway pack:

PRIZES INCLUDE 1 x $200 TPT Giftcard. 1 x $200 Amazon Giftcard, 1 x $25 Starbucks Giftcard, and 1 x $15 Starbucks Giftcard!

Starts: Friday 14th July 2017 12am

Ends: Saturday 21st July 2017 12am

Just enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Resources

My district has another month of school.  Here's a fun way to think about Summer with these fun resources:

Summer Poetry Writing

This is a resource designed to assist students in writing their own Summer poems. You will find helpful vocabulary associated with summer terminology, templates for writing poetry, some samples to help students get started and task cards to add to your poetry station. Summer templates include the following poetry forms: ABC Poem, Acrostic, Cinquain, Concrete, Couplet, Diamante, Free Verse, Haiku and Quatrain Poetry. A student-friendly rubric is also included. 

Summer Themed Writing Paper

This package includes summer letter writing paper and lined paper for emergent and established writers. Art work created includes an ant, sun, ice cream cone, fish, kite, pail & shovel. Bonus gift tags included.

Summer Silly Sentences for Fluent Readers

Silly sentences have always been a fun way to explore sentence building and recognizing parts of speech. Students in grades 3 through 6 will have the opportunity to use subject, verb and complement cards to build and simplify silly sentences. Challenging verb cards are included with this unit as well as nouns associated with the Summer theme, a blank sentence building template, display and label cards and a synonym chart. This is a perfect activity to use in your Word Work Stations or as an extra project for early finishers. 

Summer Math Stations

This Math Stations pack includes 5 games with a summer theme. Students from grades 3 to 6 will practice their addition, multiplication and place value facts. A description of each game is listed below:

1) SUMS & DOUBLE SCOOPS: Students will generate sums and then double them. The student who covers three answers in a row is declared the winner.2) SUMS THEN DOUBLE + 1: Students will generate sums, double them and then add 1. This game is in a bump game format.3) RACE TO THE SUN: Numbers will be added and then multiplied by 10. The first person to reach the sun is declared the winner.4) RACE TO THE FISHBOWL: Using a game board format, students will generate products based on cubes or cards numbered 1 through 10. How a student moves on the board depends on his or her product.5) ODD & EVEN PLACE VALUE RACE: This game is played using place value from 0 to 99. Players move on the game board depending on whether or not the number generated is odd or even. A variation may be played by dividing the number by 2.

Summer Roll a Story

Students will be prompted to tell or write story with a summer theme. This unit includes a story prompt sheet, graphic organizers, word lists (summer & transition words), rubric and specialty writing paper with full and half lined pages.