[eBook Code] The Literacy Cookbook (eBook Code, 1st)

About the Author vii

Acknowledgments ix

Preface xv

Introduction 1

PART ONE Basic Ingredients

ONE Comprehension 7

What Is Comprehension, and Why Is It Important? 7

My Theory of Comprehension 7

Why Background Knowledge Is So Important 11

Key Critical Reading Skill 1: Paraphrasing 13

How Can You Teach Students How to Paraphrase? 14

Key Critical Reading Skill 2: Inference 22

Key Critical Reading Skill 3: Vocabulary in Context (and Vocabulary Instruction) 28

Key Critical Reading Skill 4: Inferring Main Idea or Argument (AKA Summarizing) 37

TLC Download Zone for Comprehension Process 43

TWO Reading 45

Decoding + Fluency and Comprehension = Reading 45

Nonfiction Versus Everything Else 47

Different Types of Readers 50

Independent and Guided Reading 52

Introduction to Reading Strategically 54

Before-Reading Strategies 54

During-Reading Strategies 59

Textbook Reading: How to Make Life Less Painful for Everyone Involved 70

How to Use the Teachers’ Manual 72

The Truth About Textbook ‘‘Reading’’ Tests 74

After-Reading Strategies 74

Reading Workshop: Something to Consider 78

TLC Download Zone for Reading 79

THREE Writing 81

ReadWell toWriteWell 81

WhyWeWrite (and Read) 82

Punchy Insights, or How to Avoid Writing Like a Robot 84

A Simple Recipe forWriting Instruction 86

What Students StruggleWith the Most When They Write 88

Thesis Brainstorming and Organizing 92

Teaching with Mentor Texts 95

Writing Workshop 101 98

Motivational Grammar 102

Rubrics and How to Spend Less Time Grading 105

TLC Download Zone forWriting 112

FOUR Speaking and Listening 115

Why Oral Fluency Matters 115

How to Train Students to Listen and Speak Effectively 117

More Thoughts on Effective Speaking 121

Class Discussion Logistics 123

Socratic Seminars Made Easy 125

Book Talk Projects 136

TLC Downloads for Speaking and Listening 142

PART TWO Entrées

FIVE Tasty Persuasive Writing 145

The Concept of Persuasion 145

How to Prepare Students for PersuasiveWriting Tasks 146

SIX Reading, Writing, and Test Prep ‘‘Stew’’ 149

An Argument for Stew 149

Connecting Key Critical Reading Skills to Test Prep Instruction 150

Test Prep Tips 155

Connecting Writing to Reading Through Genre Study 159

Open-Ended Responses 161

SEVEN The Document-Based Question Approach 165

What Are DBQs, and Why Should Everyone Use Them? 165

Designing DBQs Across the Curriculum 166

EIGHT Research Paper Guide 169

Reading and the Research Paper 169

How to Avoid RPT (Research Paper Torture) 170

Two Sample Research Paper Assignments 171

Research Paper Teachers’ Guide 177

NINE Teaching with Novels 191

Novels in English Language Arts: Literary Response PaperWriting Guide 191

Using Novels in History, Social Studies, and Science 202

PART THREE Desserts

TEN Recommended Reading 207

On Reading and Vocabulary 207

On Writing 208

On Curriculum and Instruction 209

On HowWe Think About Teaching, Learning, and Change 209

ELEVEN Appendix 211

Notes 219

Index 231