Suggested Texts/Articles

Suggested Texts/Articles to Enhance Literacy Instruction and Learning

Books

The Next Step in Guided Reading
Richardson, J. (2009). The next step in guided reading: Focused assessments and targeted lessons for helping every student become a better reader. New York: Scholastic Inc.

• “Teachers facing the challenge of meeting the diverse reading needs of students will find the structure and tools …”
• “Provides detailed lessons for readers at all grade levels and at all reading stages from emergent through proficient practice”

An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement
Clay, M. M. (2013). An observation survey of early literacy achievement (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

• “A class teacher needs to be aware of the individual progress of each learner over time in a particular programme, especially when the learners are young and when a new subject is being introduced to novice learners.”
• “For learning to occur it is very important to ensure that the difficulty level of the reading material presents challenges from which the child can learn and not difficulties that disorganise what he already knows.”
• “As children move up a gradient of difficulty in texts they develop ways of extending their own competencies so that the more they read or write, the better they get at reading harder texts of increasingly diverse types. The teacher lifts the motivation and challenge and designs rich opportunities for students to explore increasingly complex texts, but the reader or writer begins to shape his own progress.”

The Book Whisperer
Miller, Donalyn. The Book Whisperer. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009 . Print.

• “Miller’s unconventional approach dispenses with drills and worksheets that make reading a chore. Instead, she helps students navigate the world of literature and gives them time to read books they pick out themselves.”
• “The book includes a dynamite list of recommended “kid lit” that helps parents and teachers find the books that students really like to read.”

Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide
Fletcher, R. (2001). Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide. N.p.: Heinemann.

• “… Writing Workshop is a practical book, providing everything a teacher needs to get the writing workshop up and running.”
• “… reveals what a potent tool the writing workshop can be for empowering young writers.”

What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs
Allington, R. L. (2011). What Really Matters to Struggling Readers (3rd ed.). N.p.: Pearson.

• “… delivers a concise and balanced introduction to reading remediation and intervention programs; showing teachers how to use a variety of best practices with children who are struggling readers in order to transform them into proficient readers.”

Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6: Teaching Comprehension, Genre and Content Literacy 
Fountas, I. C., & Pinell, G. S. (2000). Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6: Teaching Comprehension, Genre and Content Literacy. N.p.: Heinemann

• “… supports teachers on the next leg of the literacy journey, addressing the unique challenges of teaching upper elementary students.”

Articles 

Phonological Awareness Is Child’s Play
Yopp, H., & Yopp, R. (2009, January). Phonological Awareness Is Child’s Play
The article discusses the importance of phonological awareness in a child’s development and suggests several games and techniques to enhance it among toddlers.

Words are wonderful Interactive, time-efficient strategies to teach meaning vocabulary
Richek, M. (2005). Words are wonderful: Interactive, time-efficient strategies to teach meaning vocabulary. Reading Teacher, 58(5), 414-423. doi:10.1598/RT.58.5.1
Presents strategies for introducing and practicing meaning vocabulary. Importance of meaning vocabulary; Ways to introduce words

Putting fluency on a fitness plan
Marcell, B. (2011). Putting Fluency on a Fitness Plan : Building Fluency’s Meaning-Making Muscles. Reading Teacher, 65(4), 242-249. doi:10.1002/TRTR.01034
” … align reading rate and accuracy, alongside expression and comprehension, with the goal of developing ‘real’ readers.”

Read aloud books for developing phonemic awareness
Yopp, H. (1995). Read-aloud books for developing phonemic awareness: An annotated bibliography. Reading Teacher, 48(6), 538.
“… children’s literature that draw attention to language sounds and are useful for developing phonemic awareness.”

Developing phonemic awareness in young children
Yopp, H. K. (1992). Developing phonemic awareness in young children. Reading Teacher, 45(9), 696.
“Talks about the relationship between phonemic awareness and reading and contains examples of phonemic awareness activities.”