Teaching+Resources+and+Books

Here are a few of the books and teaching resources that I love. Please feel free to add your own to the list.

=__ Reading __=

Do I really Have to Teach Reading: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12 - Cris Tovani

 * ISBN 978-1-571-10376-5
 * Uses content area examples to teach reading skills
 * As the name implies, targeted for grades 6-12

** Grand Conversations, Thoughtful Responses: A Unique Approach to Literature Circles - Faye Brownlie **

 * ISBN 978-1-55379-054-9
 * A great book for those intersted in a fluid apporach to literature circles
 * Eamples are from elementary and middle school, but the concepts can be used for any level

Guiding Readers Through Non-Fiction: Effective strategies for Small-Group Instruction - Dave Leochko and Tom Rossi

 * ISBN 978-1-55379-124-9
 * Provides a series of mini-lessons
 * Targets middle school teachers, although it could be adapted for older students

Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles - Harvey Daniels and Nancy Steineke

 * ISBN 978-0-325-00702-1
 * Provides a series of mini-lessons to prepare students for participating in literature circles
 * Uses examples from both middle and secondary classrooms

Moving Forward with Literature Circles - Jeni Pollack Day, Dixie Le Spiegel, Janet McLellan, Valerie B. Brown

 * ISBN 978-0-439-17668-2
 * Follows a fifth grade class through set-up, practice, and assessment of literature circles
 * Although the book targets elementary teachers, it provides a good basis for anyone interested in exploring literature circles

Nonfiction Reading Power - Adrienne Gear

 * ISBN 978-1-551-38229-9
 * Focuses on teaching students the skills they need to master non-fiction reading; Zooming-in (text features), questioning / inferring, determining importance, connecting, transforming
 * Although the book targets elementary teachers, I use the skills on a regular basis in my secondary classroom. See ideas for adaptations under the lesson plans page

Reading Power - Adrienne Gear

 * ISBN 978-1-551-38203-6
 * Focuses on teaching students the skills they need to master fiction reading: Connecting, visualizing, questioning, inferring, transforming
 * Although the book targets elementary teachers, I use the skills on a regular basis in my secondary classroom. See ideas for adaptations under the lesson plans page

When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do - Kylene Beers

 * ISBN 978-0-867-09519-7
 * Focuses on how to help middle and high schoolers who can't read or having reading difficulties
 * Great ideas for supporting students in regular classes
 * Targets middle and secondary school teachers

=__ Writing __=

Teaching Adolescent Writers - Kelly Gallagher

 * ISBN 978-1-571-10422-9
 * Focuses on the importance the teacher model when teaching writing
 * Targets middle school teachers, although it could be adapted for older students

The Middle School Writing Toolkit: Differentiated Instruction Across the Content Areas - Tim Clifford

 * ISBN 978-0-929895-75-8
 * Uses mini-lesson format to teach writing across a variety of subject areas
 * Topics include report writing, persuasive essays, procedural essays, narratives, and literary response
 * Targets middle school teachers, although it could be adapted for older students

Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School - Ruth Culham

 * ISBN 978-0-545-01363-5
 * Uses the the 6+1 traits of writing model: Ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation
 * Targets grades 6-8, I use it on a regular basis in all of my English classes

Writing Power - Adrienne Gear

 * ISBN 978-1-55138-263-0
 * Uses the five skills discussed in Reading Power as a base for teaching writers to think about their readers
 * I would use it with middle school writiers; a few ideas could be used in older grades

= __Good teaching, is good teaching, is good teaching - General Teaching__ =

It's all about thinking: Collaborating to Support All Learners - Faye Brownlie and Leyton Schnellert

 * ISBN 978-1-55379-221-5
 * Uses examples from a variety of subject areas to illustrate insightful ways to teach diversel learners
 * Targets grades 5-12

Student Diversity: Classroom Strategies to Meet the Learning Needs of All Students - Faye Brownlie, Catherine Feniak, Leyton Schnellert

 * ISBN 978-1-55138-198-5
 * Uses examples from a variety of subject areas to illustrate insightful ways to teach diversel learners
 * Targets middle school, with a few examples from grade 10

Pulling Together: Integrating Inquiry, Assessment, and Instruction in Today's English Classroom - Leyton Schnellert, Mehjabeen Datoo, Krista Ediger, Joanne Panas

 * ISBN 978-1-55138-237-1
 * Explains and provides examples for using inquiry based learning with a literacy focus
 * Targets middle and secondary, examples from grades 8-12

=__ Websites __=

Regina Public Schools []
 * a wide selection of assessment rubrics for all subject areas and topics - most are in word documents so it is easy to make changes