Actively listening for information is an essential skill for all students and is one that needs to be developed and practised - it doesn't just happen. The exercises in this two-book series require the listener to actively listen for information in each story. The student shows that they have understood and processed this information by adding information onto the picture that accompanies each story. Students may need to add colour to the picture or they may need to add into the picture an item that is referred to in the story but not included in the picture. For each picture (24 per book) there are two stories or a story and a set of instructions at two levels of difficulty so each picture can be used twice.

With so many discussions and theories on reading and how children learn to read, it can be very confusing for parents to know the best way to get their kids to read. In Raising a Reader, Bonnie Schwartz lays out simple, researched and practice proven approaches that a parent can do to promote literacy in the home and encourage children to explore the great adventures to be found in books. The first step in fostering literacy and good reading strategies in the home is to learn a little bit about how language is acquired and how this affects the development of reading. The purpose of this book is to expose parents to these processes and build a knowledge base of basic games, activities, and strategies parents can easily use at home to foster reading development.

A critical question in social studies education is not whether teachers develop and teach units of study, but what is in the units of study teachers develop and teach. Curricular planning and instruction must focus on what we teach in the social studies classroom. It is not uncommon for students to experience fine units about the westward movement and exit the fifth grade with little or no geographic literacy. Most students leave middle school grades unable to name even one person who made a difference in the history of Indian people in the United States. After three to five years of history classes, high school students routinely self-report that history is boring. And it is the rare middle school graduate who knows how to use a free enterprise economy for his or her benefit. This book explains the content of nine areas in social studies. If teachers know what history, biographical studies, and the United States Constitution mean for instruction, they can increase the probability of better-focused content in their social studies instruction.

Young learners will love these super-fun activities they can do all by themselves! Kids read, sort, and write words with short vowels, long vowels, blends, digraphs, and more. Along the way, they boost a network of essential literacy skills. These playful reproducible pages are no-prep and perfect for seatwork, centers, or send-home.

This Phonics Targeted Practice (Book 5) from CGP is unbeatable for practice in Reception. We've packed it full of engaging activities and colourful characters to help pupils improve their phonics skills. It's perfectly matched to the 'Letters and Sounds' programme and covers the first half of Phase 4, including consonant clusters and tricky words.

In the course of any given day in an early-elementary classroom, a variety of situations present themselves through which a thoughtful teacher could develop teachable moments. This book provides teachers with the tools to consider those teachable opportunities as literacy moments: brief, authentic, joyful encounters with texts in all forms. Here, teachers learn to nurture joyful readers by infusing their classrooms' daily lives with authentic literacy moments every day. The book is organized into three sections, each section containing three chapters. The first section's chapters focus on creating a "literacy moments" learning environment, addressing both the affective and physical domains, as well as the need for teachers to undergo a mindset shift in cultivating their personal reading habits. The second section's chapters emphasize literacy moments for the foundational skills of word recognition and vocabulary development. Here, readers explore the integration of popular culture and the arts into their physical domain, as well as methods for creating and effectively using a print-rich environment. The last section's chapters target literacy moments for developing critical thinking through comprehension processes. The chapters focus on intentionally incorporating literacy moments in each stage of the reading process: pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading.

The central unifying theme of this state-of-the-art contribution to research on literacy is its rethinking and reconceptualization of individual differences in reading. Previous research, focused on cognitive components of reading, signaled the need for ongoing work to identify relevant individual differences in reading, to determine the relationship(s) of individual differences to reading development, and to account for interactions among individual differences. Addressing developments in each of these areas, this volume also describes affective individual differences, and the environments in which individual differences in reading may emerge, operate, interact, and change. The scant comprehensive accounting of individual differences in reading is reflected in the nature of reading instruction programs today, the outcomes that are expected from successful teaching and learning, and the manner in which reading development is assessed. An important contribution of this volume is to provide prima facie evidence of the benefits of broad conceptualization of the ways in which readers differ. The Handbook of Individual Differences in Reading moves the field forward by encompassing cognitive, non-cognitive, contextual, and methodological concerns. Its breadth of coverage serves as both a useful summary of the current state of knowledge and a guide for future work in this area.

Teachers' writing groups have a significantly positive impact on pupils and their writing. This timely text explains the importance of teachers' writing groups and how they have evolved. It outlines clearly and accessibly how teachers can set up their own highly effective writing groups. In this practical and informative book, the authors: share the thinking and practice that is embodied by teachers' writing groups provide practical support for teachers running a group or wishing to write for themselves in order to inform their practice cover major themes such as: the relationship between writing teachers and the teaching of writing; writing as process and pleasure; writing and reflective practice; writing journals and the writing workshop. The authors provide a rationale for the development of writing groups for teachers and for ways of approaching writing that support adult and child writers and this rationale informs the ideas for writing throughout the book. All writing and teaching suggestions have been extensively tried and tested by class teachers, and will be of enormous interest to any teacher or student teacher wishing to run their own successful writing group.

With the signature wit and humor that have garnered him legions of fans, award-winning author Jack Gantos instructs young writers on using their "writing radar" to find story ideas in their own lives. Charting his own misadventures as an adolescent writer, Gantos inspires readers to build confidence and establish good writing habits as they create, revise, and perfect their stories. Pop-out text boxes highlight key tips, alongside dozens of Gantos's own hilarious illustrations and original stories. More than just a how-to guide, Writing Radar is a celebration of the power of storytelling and an ode to the characters who - many unwittingly - inspired Gantos's own writing career.

The central unifying theme of this state-of-the-art contribution to research on literacy is its rethinking and reconceptualization of individual differences in reading. Previous research, focused on cognitive components of reading, signaled the need for ongoing work to identify relevant individual differences in reading, to determine the relationship(s) of individual differences to reading development, and to account for interactions among individual differences. Addressing developments in each of these areas, this volume also describes affective individual differences, and the environments in which individual differences in reading may emerge, operate, interact, and change. The scant comprehensive accounting of individual differences in reading is reflected in the nature of reading instruction programs today, the outcomes that are expected from successful teaching and learning, and the manner in which reading development is assessed. An important contribution of this volume is to provide prima facie evidence of the benefits of broad conceptualization of the ways in which readers differ. The Handbook of Individual Differences in Reading moves the field forward by encompassing cognitive, non-cognitive, contextual, and methodological concerns. Its breadth of coverage serves as both a useful summary of the current state of knowledge and a guide for future work in this area.

Stimulating Emerging Story Writing! Inspiring Children aged 3-7 offers innovative and exciting ways to inspire young children to want to create stories and develop their emerging story writing skills. This practical guide offers comprehensive and informed support for professionals to effectively engage 'child authors' in stimulating story writing activities. Packed full of story ideas, resource suggestions and practical activities, the book explores the various ways professionals can help young children to develop the six key elements of story, these being character, setting, plot, conflict, resolution and ending. All of the ideas in the book are designed to support a setting's daily writing provision such as mark making opportunities, role play and using simple open ended play resources. Separated into two sections and with reference to the EYFS and Key Stage 1 curricula, this timely new text provides practitioners with tried and tested strategies and ideas that can be used with immediate effect. Chapters include: Creating Characters The Plot Thickens Inspired Ideas Resourcing the Story Stimulation This timely new text is the perfect guide for inspiring young children aged 3-7 in the classroom and will be an essential resource for practitioners, teachers and students on both early years and teacher training courses.

Practice reading comprehension with this activity sticker book, perfect for learning at home! Let's Do Comprehension 5-6 supports the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and is ideal for boosting English literacy skills at home. The workbook contains a variety of stimulating fiction and non-fiction texts, accompanied by comprehension questions of varying difficulty and over 100 colourful stickers to encourage and reward children. This comprehension practice book includes: - Tips and clues from Alice the Alligator to support children - Extra challenges in Brodie's Brain Boosters to stretch and challenge - Answers at the back of the book - Exciting, colourful illustrations and stickers For more in the popular Let's Do series by Andrew Brodie, see: Let's Do Handwriting, Let's Do Spelling, Let's Do Punctuation, Let's Do Grammar, Let's Do Times Tables, Let's Do Mental Maths, Let's Do Addition and Subtraction and Let's Do Arithmetic

This is the ultimate all-in-one guide for teaching writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar in the primary classroom. Providing practical advice on teaching grammar and writing techniques through the use of non-fiction texts, Grammarsaurus is closely aligned to the National Curriculum and ensures teachers are addressing the right topics at the right time. Each chapter focuses on a non-fiction text type: instructions, explanations, non-chronological reports, diary entries, newspaper reports and persuasive texts. There are photocopiable model texts for each year group, along with annotated versions guiding teachers through language features, grammar, spelling and punctuation opportunities, saving hours of lesson planning. Mitch Hudson and Anna Richards, expert teachers and creators of the popular Grammarsaurus website, answer common questions from teachers: 'When should I teach this punctuation mark?', or 'Which spellings should I be teaching my Year 3 class?'. With model texts covering a range of subject areas and up-to-date content using the latest curriculum framework, teachers can feel confident in tackling writing and SPaG across all the key areas of non-fiction. Please note that the PDF eBook version of this book cannot be printed or saved in any other format. It is intended for use on interactive whiteboards and projectors only.

Descriptosaurus: Ghost Stories builds on the vocabulary and descriptive phrases introduced in the original bestselling Descriptosaurus and, within the context of ghost stories, develops the structure and use of the words and phrases to promote colourful cinematic writing. This essential guide will enable children to take their writing to the next level, combine their descriptions of setting and character and show how the two interact. Children can then experiment with their own ghost stories, armed with the skills, techniques and vocabulary necessary to describe their ghostly scenes in a way that allows the reader to feel the characters' fear and visualise the source of their terror within the setting. This new system also provides a contextualised alternative to grammar textbooks and will assist children in acquiring, understanding and applying the grammar they will need to improve their writing, both creative and technical.

Focused on the teaching and learning argumentative writing in grades 9-12, this important contribution to literacy education research and classroom practice offers a new perspective, a set of principled practices, and case studies of excellent teaching. The case studies illustrate teaching and learning argumentative writing as the construction of knowledge and new understandings about experiences, ideas, and texts. Six themes key to teaching argumentative writing as a thoughtful, multi-leveled practice for deep learning and expression are presented: teaching and learning argumentative writing as social practice, teachers' epistemological beliefs about argumentative writing, variations in instructional chains, instructional conversations in support of argumentative writing as deep learning and appreciation of multiple perspectives, contextualized analysis of argumentative writing, and the teaching and learning of argumentative writing and the construction of rationalities.

The nation's demographic of public schools are more ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse than ever before (Strauss, 2014). However, there are still educational policies and practices that call to question whether traditionally marginalized students receive an equitable education. This is demonstrated in national achievement trends, which highlight disproportionality ratings among minoritized student groups. Also when examining school discipline policies, expulsion ratings, special education services, and school choice movements, all seem to handicap educational opportunity for low-income Black and Brown students. As American schools become more and more diverse, it is imperative that the literacy practices used to teach young students of color reflect the nation's changing demographic. This book provides practical insights guided by conceptual and contextual knowledge in understanding how to teach urban African American and Hispanic/Latino(a) students by discussing issues associated with critical pedagogies, literacy, and culturally appropriate instructional strategies that have demonstrated success for traditionally marginalized student populations. This book examines culturally affirming literacy practices from three main components: (1) scholarship, (2) the field of practice, and (3) teacher education models. Each of these three are significant in understanding how to teach minoritized populations. As such, chapters have been organized into three main sections that address scholarship and research, trends in the field, and implications for teacher education models - all in order to advance the literacy achievement of African American and Hispanic/Latino(a) students.

Focused on the teaching and learning argumentative writing in grades 9-12, this important contribution to literacy education research and classroom practice offers a new perspective, a set of principled practices, and case studies of excellent teaching. The case studies illustrate teaching and learning argumentative writing as the construction of knowledge and new understandings about experiences, ideas, and texts. Six themes key to teaching argumentative writing as a thoughtful, multi-leveled practice for deep learning and expression are presented: teaching and learning argumentative writing as social practice, teachers' epistemological beliefs about argumentative writing, variations in instructional chains, instructional conversations in support of argumentative writing as deep learning and appreciation of multiple perspectives, contextualized analysis of argumentative writing, and the teaching and learning of argumentative writing and the construction of rationalities.

"Spell Now" is a list-based spelling journal that provides a comprehensive (4,000 words covered) spelling programme at 9 levels including extension levels, suitable for age 4 through to 11+. Each Read more...of the nine books has spelling lists at the appropriate level and activities to reinforce and consolidate the learning of the list words, spelling rules and key phonetic and grammar skills. On each list page extension words based on the list words are also given so students at any level can be extended and challenged. Space is also provided for interest words so words from students' writing or a class topic can be included. Students use the workbook at the appropriate level for them so their individual spelling needs are met.

"Spell Now" is a list-based spelling journal that provides a comprehensive (4,000 words covered) spelling programme at 9 levels including extension levels, suitable for age 4 through to 11+. Each Read more...of the nine books has spelling lists at the appropriate level and activities to reinforce and consolidate the learning of the list words, spelling rules and key phonetic and grammar skills. On each list page extension words based on the list words are also given so students at any level can be extended and challenged. Space is also provided for interest words so words from students' writing or a class topic can be included. Students use the workbook at the appropriate level for them so their individual spelling needs are met.

"Spell Now" is a list-based spelling journal that provides a comprehensive (4,000 words covered) spelling programme at 9 levels including extension levels, suitable for age 4 through to 11+. Each Read more...of the nine books has spelling lists at the appropriate level and activities to reinforce and consolidate the learning of the list words, spelling rules and key phonetic and grammar skills. On each list page extension words based on the list words are also given so students at any level can be extended and challenged. Space is also provided for interest words so words from students' writing or a class topic can be included. Students use the workbook at the appropriate level for them so their individual spelling needs are met.

An important part of the role of developing and reinforcing early reading skills is to ensure that children practise the key skill - taking the meaning from the print. Rhyme is an important support in assisting emerging and developing readers as it adds a contextual and rhythmic structure to the text that children love. "Reading/Listening Comprehension Skills" includes 28 modern rhymes, each followed by a comprehension and word study page so that the poems are used for teaching specific skills as well as providing reading practise. As children get to know and love the poems they naturally enjoy reading them over and over again. Teaching notes give ideas on ways to share poems as a class or in groups so the poems as part of the Literacy Hour is something that students look forward to. Book includes CD of all worksheets.

First published in 1967, Reading and Remedial Reading describes the normal reading programme in the school where the author taught and the diagnosis and treatment of acute difficulties in learning to read. The work deals mainly with so-called educationally maladjusted children, many of whom showed signs of possible damage to the central nervous system, but Mr Tansley believes that the methods and techniques given are applicable to all children, irrespective of levels of intelligence, who are experiencing difficulties to learn. The results achieved are most encouraging and have been tested by numerous expert visitors from this country and abroad. This is a helpful guide to a large number of people- staffs and students in University Education Departments, educational psychologists, remedial teachers, special-school teachers, primary school teachers, and medical officers in the School Health Service.

Learn the ten keys to effective writing instruction! In this dynamic book, bestselling author Lori G. Wilfong takes you through today's best practices for teaching writing and how to implement them in the classroom. She also points out practices that should be avoided, helping you figure out how to update your teaching so that all students can reach success. You'll discover how to... Make sure students have enough work in a genre before you assign writing Develop thoughtful, short writing prompts that are "infinite" and not finite Have students read and learn from master authors in the genre they are writing Create a writing community so that writing is not an isolated activity Use anchor charts and minilessons, along with rubrics and checklists Implement revising strategies, not just editing strategies, taught in context Use conferencing to grow students as thoughtful, reflective writers Let narratives be personal and creative, focusing on details and imagery Let informational writing explore a topic creatively and in depth Let argument writing be situated in real-world application and not be limited to one-sided, "what-if" debates Every chapter begins with an engaging scenario, includes the "why" behind the practice and how it connects to the Common Core, and clearly describes how implement the strategy. The book also contains tons of handy templates that you can reproduce and use in your own classroom. You can photocopy these templates or download them from our website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138812444.

A critical question in social studies education is not whether teachers develop and teach units of study, but what is in the units of study teachers develop and teach. Curricular planning and instruction must focus on what we teach in the social studies classroom. It is not uncommon for students to experience fine units about the westward movement and exit the fifth grade with little or no geographic literacy. Most students leave middle school grades unable to name even one person who made a difference in the history of Indian people in the United States. After three to five years of history classes, high school students routinely self-report that history is boring. And it is the rare middle school graduate who knows how to use a free enterprise economy for his or her benefit. This book explains the content of nine areas in social studies. If teachers know what history, biographical studies, and the United States Constitution mean for instruction, they can increase the probability of better-focused content in their social studies instruction.

Recent media stories about education have featured the "Science of Reading", whose proponents typically present the systematic teaching of phonics as a one-size-fits-all method that guarantees reading success for all students. But as literacy scholars Patricia Paugh and Deborah MacPhee demonstrate, the decoding of words is only one of many skills that are central to an effective early literacy education. In Learning to Be Literate, they present a four-part framework for active literacy learning that eschews oppositional arguments about different approaches and instead situates children as meaning makers: the whole point of being literate. There is no single or simple solution that will fit every child. But by using the ALL framework to inform instruction, educators can help young learners think deeply about ideas and language at the same time as they learn to work out the sounds and symbol systems of language.