KASL

How to Create Nonreaders

If you want people to perform better, you reward them. Right? Bonuses, commissions, their own reality show. Incentivize them. That's how business works. But that's not happening here. You've got an incentive designed to sharpen thinking and accelerate creativity. And it does just the opposite. It dulls thinking and blocks creativity. Daniel Pink

Doug Johnson interprets what Pink has to say and applies it to reading program incentives.

Letters About Literature Winners

In Kansas, almost 1,000 students submitted letters to an author for the 2009 Letters About Literature project. Nationally, 54,000 students participated. Three Kansas Students have taken top honors in the reading and writing initiative. Their winning letters have been advanced for national competition and will be posted at the Kansas Center for the Book website.

Sixth grader Lauren Marie Hart, from Holy Spirit Catholic School, won at the Level 1 elementary school level for her letter to Janet Lee Carey, author of "Wenny Has Wings." Hannah Billings, a seventh grader at Monticello Trails Middle School, won in Level 2 for her letter to Cynthia Lord, author of "Rules." Olathe South High School sophomore Jordan Schaper was selected at Level 3 for his letter to Pete Rose, who wrote "My Prison Without Bars."

The state winners will receive a cash award through a Target and Library of Congress Center for the Book grant, a $50 Target gift card and a certificate of achievement at assemblies at their schools so that they will be recognized before their peers. 

Assessing student information literacy

While we all work diligently to improve students’ information literacy, it’s not always easy to assess students’ knowledge and retention. TRAILS (Tool for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) provides one possible solution. Created by Kent State University with funding from the Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education, this free online tool uses multiple choice questions based on both Information Power and Ohio’s 6th- and 9th-grade standards.... AASL Blog, Jan. 20

Information Literacy

AASL’s Information Literacy page offers resources for the development of dynamic, student-centered school library media programs. These programs help ensure that students master the information literacy skills needed to be discerning consumers and creative producers of information and ideas.

Improving Adolescent Literacy

The US Department of Education has just published an extremely practical-looking document called Improving Adolescent Literacy:  Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices.

Download ImprovingAdolescentLiteracy.pdf.

Literacy Coach Resources

BOOKS & RESOURCES

Systems for Change in Literacy Education , by Lyons & Pinnell.  Coaching strategies, observation strategies, etc. 

 

Strategies That Work, Harvey/Goudvis  

Improving Reading Strategies & Resources by Johns/Lenski  

The Administration and Supervision of Reading Programs  by Wepner/Strickland/Feeley.

 

Teaching Reading in the Content Areas and Content Area Reading.  

 "What really matters for struggling readers: Designing research-based programs" second edition by Richard Allington ISBN 0-205-44324-9

"I read it, but I don't get it: Comprehension strategies for adolescent readers" by Cris Tovani ISBN 157110089X

"Do I really have to teach reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12" by Cris Tovani ISBN 1 56110 376 7

***"When kids can't read: What teachers can do, a guide for teachers 6-12" by Kylene Beers ISBN0-86709-519-9 Buy this one if you can only buy one. This is an outstanding resource-a lot of how-tos and reassurances.*****

 

Toll’s The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide: Essential Questions and Practical Answers.

There is also a good article in the February 2006 The Reading Teacher. If you are a member of the International Reading Assoc., go to their website to see if there is anything else to help at your level.

Download litcoaching_standards.pdf

Download reading_specialist_job_description.doc

Download wsu_reading_specialist_checklist.doc

Website for Adolescent Literacy- AdLit.org

AdLit.org is a national multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers.