Do you want your students to take ownership of and become more independent during reading discussions? Are you looking to enhance your teaching of higher-order thinking and 21st century skills? Do you want to ensure that all students develop strong speaking and listening skills? In Student-Led Discussions, author Sandi Novak offers you the resources you need to develop meaningful student-led conversations about text and media across the content areas. In addition to providing a discussion framework that requires students to think deeply and communicate effectively, she includes advice for how to: Introduce and cultivate student-led discussions about literary and informational material at any grade. Establish core instructional elements that students need to engage in rich discussions about content. Recognize and evaluate effective student-led discussions. Understand your role as the teacher when students are leading their own discussions. The skills that students acquire through discussions that they themselves facilitate-speaking and listening abilities, reading comprehension, and competency with text-based questions among them-align with established state and national standards and are necessary for all students to succeed in school and life.

In Literacy Unleashed, Bonnie D. Houck and Sandi Novak explain why ensuring high-quality reading instruction is one of school leaders' most important jobs and introduce their Literacy Classroom Visit (LCV) Model. Meticulously researched and refined through years of application in the field, the LCV Model enables administrators to evaluate and improve literacy instruction in their school or district. The authors-both seasoned literacy and leadership experts-share processes and practices to help you: Identify the elements of effective literacy instruction and establish common beliefs, practices, and language within the education community. Convene a team to conduct classroom observations and pinpoint common patterns that indicate your school or district's areas of strength and need. Provide targeted professional development and resources that reduce unnecessary budget expenditures. Implement the LCV Model across your entire school<-icluding all grade levels and content areas-or district. Ensure that all students are mastering grade-level standards and expectations. This comprehensive guide includes a repertoire of tools, checklists, and templates to support you on the LCV journey, along with scenarios and videos of real schools and practitioners to illustrate what the model looks like in action.With both academic standards and 21st century jobs requiring higher-level literacy skills, quality reading instruction is more important than ever. This book provides everything you need to create a culture of literacy, reflective practice, and continual learning among staff and students alike.