Reading development is complex and is not a natural process. Humans are not born to read. Instead, every brain must be taught to read as there is no genetic code passed down from one generation to the next. This has significant implications on the interactions
The goal of reading is the active construction of meaning. Each reader is a unique individual who brings a collection of information, a personal vocabulary, a set of experiences, biases, and personal identities to every text they encounter. When we read with the text, we
I recently sat down with a reader to discuss the “clarifying” reading strategy with a student. We’d just started learning about the strategy and variations thereof in mini-lessons and shared reading. I noticed she was not fond of identifying new, unfamiliar, or interesting words in
Spend a bit of time with young children and you’ll almost certainly hear questions like this: Why? Why not? How come? They are curious about the world around them. Their questions help them to locate a logic in what they experience and see. That’s verbal
If you haven’t read Jacqueline Woodson’s The Year We Learned to Fly yet, I suggest you order it from your library or independent bookstore. Once it is in your hands, find a quiet place to savor Woodson’s words illuminated by Rafael López’s vibrant illustrations. Hear
Listen to authors Debbie Zacarian, Margarita Calderon, and Margo Gottlieb talking about re-engaging multilingual learners on the Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast with Peter DeWitt: We Have to Change Anyway! What a great opportunity to invent and innovate! Since we can no longer operate the same way we did in previous years,
Poverty is complicated. It is a compilation of many issues, many of which have broad-reaching impact. Perhaps most critical for our education system is that research finds that many of the risk factors associated with low socioeconomic status (SES) impede brain development and functioning. And in cases of generational poverty, the impact is even greater. One of the most consistent findings is that
Throughout my career as a middle school principal, teachers have expressed frustration over finding appropriate reading materials for older students who read below grade level. They want students to be excited about what they’re reading – not embarrassed that they’re reading a book written for a younger child – and they want students to
At Corwin, we believe that education is a basic human right—that we have a moral imperative to ensure every child has the opportunity to fully participate in a democratic society and lead a meaningful life. In support of this belief, we acknowledge the need to
“A good beginning makes a good ending” goes the old English proverb. And likewise: “Work well begun is work half done.” The most effective teachers don’t take student engagement for granted. Yet in our work in classrooms, we see that not enough attention is paid to good beginnings; this lack