Last spring, we presented Building a Reading Culture at the MCTE annual conference because we wanted to share our passion for fostering a love of reading with our students and because we felt like we had a few tips, tricks, and ideas that might come in handy for other teachers. However, we learned just as … Continue reading Building A Reading Culture: A Labor of Love and a Shared Passion for All Things Literacy by Katie Laugen and Kelsey Didrikson
Integrating Social Studies Through the Read-Aloud by Hiawatha Smith and McKenzie Rabenn
Before reading this article, we encourage readers to think and reflect openly and honestly on the two questions presented below. Introduction Knowledge of social studies and the world is crucial for every citizen and thus should be an essential component within schools. In recent years, there has been a notable decline in elementary content area … Continue reading Integrating Social Studies Through the Read-Aloud by Hiawatha Smith and McKenzie Rabenn
Story Train: A Strategy for Retelling, Summarizing, and Sequencing by Jongsun Wee
Reading is not an easy task for young readers. Children need to practice various reading strategies to become skillful readers. A lot of reading strategies have been shared with educators through professional books and websites.[1] Simple keywords searches on the internet will also bring many resources for teachers, including how-to videos and downloadable worksheets. Indeed, … Continue reading Story Train: A Strategy for Retelling, Summarizing, and Sequencing by Jongsun Wee
#ReadingWars and Equity by Allison Sirovy
Following the #ReadingWars on social media? If you are, you may feel like me—lost and confused. Although I teach middle school English, reading instruction is near and dear to my heart because I teach in a school where many of our readers are considered striving readers. (Please note the phrase "striving readers." It is intentional: … Continue reading #ReadingWars and Equity by Allison Sirovy
From Café to Class: Bringing Book Clubs Into Your Classroom by Hayley Vetsch
It’s easy to discuss books if you like to read. Hobby reading comes easily to most of us English teachers, but I’d wager that it is one of the hardest things to teach in the classroom. In a time where longform is not the popular choice and 140-character essays reign, you can almost hear the … Continue reading From Café to Class: Bringing Book Clubs Into Your Classroom by Hayley Vetsch
Internalizing the Message by Kay J. Walter
I had a few extra minutes that day when I entered the classroom in which I was teaching composition to second-semester freshmen at my university. I teach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, a public university in rural Arkansas attended mostly by first-generation students of higher education. I try to start each of my … Continue reading Internalizing the Message by Kay J. Walter
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