literacypartners

Inspiring Engaged Learners Through Innovative Teaching. Your partners in literacy.

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Are you still having your students dress up in Pilgrim and American-Indian costumes made from construction paper for Thanksgiving?

This perpetuates harmful stereotypes & gives an inaccurate history of the relationship between the English colonists and the Wampanoag.

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

In 2020, we swapped the turkey for a crab boil.

It was the BEST Thanksgiving ever!

Choosing to leave old traditions in the past can feel a little scary at first but can help all students feel seen, heard, and understood.

Head to the blog for some new ideas!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

–Laurie Farrell, Marquez Charter Elementary School

Thank you for the kind words, Laurie!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

In 2020, when we couldn’t safely gather with family for Thanksgiving, we decided to break with tradition & have a crab boil instead & it was one of the best holidays ever. We may never go back!

Head on over to this week’s new blog, where we explore a few alternatives!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Once you’ve internalized your new reading assessment data we suggest creating a document listing your students, their current reading level, and what strategies would benefit them.

For more details on effective reading assessments — visit the https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Noting your reader's ability to read at a steady rate with phrasing and expression is essential. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add intonation, such as changing their voice to fit punctuation.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq for more tips!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Noting your reader's ability to read at a steady rate with phrasing and expression is essential. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add intonation, such as changing their voice to fit punctuation.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq for more tips!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

To get a complete snapshot of your reader, use your gut & think beyond accuracy.

Assess your reader in a quiet space, so you can hear their fluency & how they’re word-solving. Recording audio of them can be helpful if you need time to go back and review it post-assessment.

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

During immersion, doing shared writing will be one of the most powerful ways you support your writers.

Gather your students and create a shared piece of writing in the genre you’ll be writing.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmRdgY for more tips!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

To help build your students’ confidence in writing, try a read-aloud with a mentor text in the genre you’ll be studying.

If you’re studying opinion/persuasive writing, look for books that clearly state an opinion and elaborate on different reasons.

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Here are 2 ways to build your writers’ confidence:

🌠Kids could also write in a previously taught genre.

🌠If you’re comfortable, give students more choice and let them do any type of writing they choose.

Tell us, what’s your favorite way to build confidence in your students?

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

This week on the blog, find 5 ways you can immerse your students in a writing genre.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Something to keep in mind for upper grades when working on writing toolkits:

1️⃣ Drafting Folder
You’ll want to assemble a drafting folder with pieces you can use to demonstrate revising and editing when meeting with students.

More tips only at https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

We love a good writing toolkit!

They help teachers keep their writing tools corralled all in one place when conferring in small groups and one-on-one.

Scroll through all the slides for a list of writing toolkit materials for the primary grades!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

What is a writing toolkit, and why should we have one?

✏️Writing toolkits allow teachers to keep their writing tools organized all in one place when conferring in small groups or one-on-one.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq for more tips!

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Kids should be reading books that are their independent reading level.

They may have a few that are easier as warm-ups or one level up (if you’re transitioning them to the next level or have introduced those books in guided reading).

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

📚 How often will kids shop for books in your classroom?

We recommend once a week!

Dedicate one group per day to book shop and dedicate one day as a make-up day.

Emerging readers will do lots of rereading, but more sophisticated readers will not.

📚📚📚

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Book shopping…

Will it happen first thing in the morning, at the end of the day, or during snack time?

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmRdgY and what to avoid doing during independent reading as it distracts other kids.

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Before you start book shopping with your class, there are 3 things you’ll need to set up in your classroom.

If you haven’t set all of these up yet (not to worry), you can do them now.

Head to https://t.co/9GuyGmQFrq & read our 5 Simple Tips to Help You With Book Shopping

[literacypartners @litpartnersca]

Community Building Practice: Start a Gratitude Jar

Introduce the expectations of your gratitude jar by modeling how to think of a piece of gratitude for someone in the class, writing it down on a piece of paper, and putting it in the jar.