A typical independent reading task in my classroom consists of reading and a response to reading. A response to reading usually is done in the reading journal. It helps students to confidently and independently respond to texts if, over the year, you help them build up a bank of reading journal entry types that they … Continue reading 9 Types of Reading Journal Entries
Reading
Google Slides for Collaborative Literature Circles
My students are participating in Literature Circles this term. This has been introduced in response to a need - it is a way for students to analyse and discuss texts with the support of others, and to encourage accountability for deep comprehension and critical thinking about literature. The focus is not on the book, but on the … Continue reading Google Slides for Collaborative Literature Circles
Gender in the Classroom: Books about Girls
Often when I read a picture story book to my students they will identify characters as male, regardless of the character's gender. They will use 'he' and 'him' to describe a character that has just been called 'she' or 'her' only seconds before when I read aloud from the book. I thought this was a strange … Continue reading Gender in the Classroom: Books about Girls
Integrating the Class Blog into Literacy
Something I have been working on this term is making stronger and more efficient links between reading and writing, and authentically including the class blog into those sessions so we don't need a whole session allocated to blogging each week. Here is an example of what I have done this week. My students are learning about … Continue reading Integrating the Class Blog into Literacy