Middle school readers: helping them read widely, helping them read well

Foreword / Laura Robb

Acknowledgments

1. The Teacher on the Sidelines of Independent Reading

A Call to Change

Parting Ways with the Whole-Class Novel

Choice: A Critical Factor in Engagement

Texts That Spur Growth

How Not to Squander Independent Reading Time

Handing Over Responsibility to Students

Dovetailing Independent Reading in the Balanced Literacy Classroom

The Difference a Change Can Make

Questions for Reflection

2. Planning for Engagement: Coloring and Contouring Students' Expectations

Students' Prior Experiences

Shaping Students' Concept of Reader

Do All Readers Lug Heavy Tote Bags? Modeling the Behavior of a Reader

Windows on Their World: Reading Autobiographies

Inviting Students into the Reader's World

Book Talks: Plot Teaser Moments That Motivate

Daily Exchanges: Sustaining Engagement, Confirming Membership

Engaging Students Through Small-Group Sharing

The Difference Engagement Can Make

Questions for Reflection

3. Clever Matchmaking Between Students and Books

Building a Robust Classroom Library

Making the Classroom Library Accessible

Planning for Student Choice

Creating Excitement About Fiction

Launch a Shopping Spree for a Perfect Match

Book Talking Nonfiction

Book Shopping Record Sheets: Early in the Year Assessment Tools

The Benefit of Time Well Spent

Making Good Choices in the Library

Teaching a Readers Expectations for Books

Easing the Hunt for Books

Questions for Reflection

4. Direct Instruction and Routines in the Independent Reading Classroom

Teaching Through Minilessotis

Breaking Down a Complex Task: Three Types of Knowledge

Anchoring the Lesson in Common Texts

Using Anchor Charts to Hold Shared Thinking

Anchor Charts in Action: Lesson on Inferences

Reading Responses That Link Instruction and Practice

Teaching the Routine of Supported independent Reading Time

The Difference Seamless Instruction Can Make

Questions for Reflection

5. Teaching Through Deskside Conferences

Deskside Conferences as Vehicles for Teaching

The Purpose and Structure of a Conference

Preparing for the Conference

Initiating the Conference

Focusing the Conference

Checking for Understanding

Keeping a Record of Deskside Conferences

The Difference a Conference Can Make

Questions for Reflection

6. Capturing the Attention of Our Disengaged Readers

Dealing with Boring Texts: The Abandonment Conference

Understanding What Keeps Readers Reading

Dealing with Distractions

Assessing the Comprehension of Disengaged Students

Using Questions to Engage Readers

Questioning the Author's Intent

Questions as a Response to Engage Readers

A Conference Focused on Questioning

Questions for Reflection

7. Differentiating Instruction Through Deskside Conferences

Today's Reality

Differentiating Instruction for Independent Readers

Delayed Readers

On-Level Readers

Gifted Readers

The Rewards of Supporting Independent Readers

Questions for Reflection

8. Teaching Comprehension in Fiction Texts

Redirecting Growing Readers

Story Structure: The Basis of Questions About Fiction

Detecting Point of View

Supporting Readers of Fiction

Questions for Reflection

9. Teaching Comprehension in Nonfiction Texts

Bridging to Informational Texts

Understanding the Purpose of Nonfiction Texts

The Power of Pictures

Reading Informational Texts

Nonfiction Conferences

The True Meaning of K-W-L

Expecting New Learning

Deepening Knowledge: The Basis of Questions About Nonfiction

Broadening the Vision of Reading

Questions for Reflection

10. Assessing Independent Readers

Reading Response

Assessing Reading Responses

Reading Log

Assessing Reading Logs

Final Thoughts: The Power of Change

Study Guide

References