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Building Bridges From Early to Intermediate Literacy, Grades 2-4
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Building Bridges From Early to Intermediate Literacy, Grades 2-4

Foreword by Margaret Mooney


May 2007 | 128 pages | Corwin

"Gives us an inside view of what children should experience in the primary grades and shows us how we can build them up to new experiences in the intermediate grades. A great resource for vertical team collaborations, teachers who are transitioning from teaching primary to intermediate grades or vice versa, teachers in multiage classrooms, and teacher education classes."
—Helena Stevens, Intermediate Literacy Coach
Ricardo Richards Elementary School, Kingshill, Virgin Islands

"Full of practical, everyday ideas to implement immediately. Offers true student examples that teachers see and experience daily."
—Scott Kovatch, Principal
Horizon Elementary School, Granger, IN

How can teachers help their primary students become competent intermediate readers and writers?

Supporting students as they advance from beginning to intermediate literacy levels poses a unique challenge for teachers. In Building Bridges From Early to Intermediate Literacy, Grades 2–4, Sarah F. Mahurt, Ruth E. Metcalfe, and Margaret A. Gwyther show how teachers can meet the instructional needs of students in transition from one level to the next. The authors offer practical guidance and classroom-tested strategies that demonstrate how thoughtful instruction can help each student reach new levels of competency in reading and writing.

This invaluable resource shows teachers how to examine and refine their instructional practices to more effectively meet the needs of all the students in their classrooms, whether they are struggling readers or advanced learners. Educators will find:

  • Specialized assessment tools and instructional strategies for word study, reading, and writing
  • Detailed examples of reading and writing instruction
  • Methods for integrating language arts with science and social studies
  • Charts to track students' progress
  • A teacher's reflection section at the end of each chapter

Written by experienced literacy educators, this accessible text helps ensure that all students confidently cross the bridge from the primary to the intermediate grades.


 
List of Figures
 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
1. Introduction
Teaching for Independence

 
Teaching for Strategic Action

 
Struggling Readers and English Language Learners

 
How Children Grow as Readers and Writers

 
Literacy Instruction During Transition

 
Reflection

 
 
2. Assessment
Getting Started

 
Word Study

 
Reading

 
Writing

 
Anecdotal Notes

 
Running Records

 
Conference Notes

 
Using Assessment

 
Finding Time

 
Reflection

 
 
3. Word Study
Learning About Words

 
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness

 
Phonics

 
Structural Analysis

 
High-Frequency Words

 
Vocabulary

 
Word Walls and Charts

 
Linking to the Real Work of Reading and Writing

 
Reflection

 
 
4. Reading
Getting to Know a Reader in Transition

 
Developing Stamina

 
Changes in Work Stations

 
Gradually Decreasing Small-Group Guided Reading

 
Using Reading Mini Lessons

 
Teaching Children How to Choose Books

 
Literature Circles

 
Strengthening Comprehension

 
Shared Reading for Comprehension and Fluency

 
Shifting Responses to Text

 
Writing More Developed Responses to Reading

 
Sharing Time

 
Reflections

 
 
5. Writing
Making Instructional Decisions

 
Modeled Writing

 
Shared Writing

 
Interactive Writing

 
Writing Workshop

 
Mini Lessons

 
Independent Writing and Conferring

 
Sharing

 
Reflection

 
 
6. Pulling It All Together
Integrating Within the Language Arts

 
Integrating Language Arts With Science and Social Studies

 
Planning the Nonfiction Project

 
Preparing for the Nonfiction Project

 
Literacy Lessons on Nonfiction

 
Reflection

 
 
Afterword
 
References
 
Index

"Full of practical, everyday ideas that can be implemented immediately. The examples in the book were something that teachers see and experience daily—true student examples."

Scott Kovatch, Principal
Horizon Elementary School, Granger, IN

"Keeps the essential questions and a clear road map in front of teachers and administrators as they strive to implement balanced literacy in their schools. By outlining critical questions and critical observations of elementary readers, the authors prepare teachers to make the necessary shifts in their teaching to help students transition to independent reading and writing."

Denise Wilburn, Director of Federal Projects
Anderson County Board of Education, TN

"This book is easy to read and full of practical ideas that I can use as a literacy coach and as a classroom teacher."

Chris Hartnagel, Primary Literacy Coach/Second-Grade Teacher
Stephen Decatur Elementary, Indianapolis, IN

"This book gives us an inside view of what children should experience in the primary grades and shows us how we can build them up to new experiences in the intermediate grades. This book would be a great resource for vertical team collaborations, teachers who are transitioning from teaching primary to intermediate grades or vice versa, teachers in multi-age classrooms, and teacher education classes."

Helena Stevens, Intermediate Literacy Coach
Ricardo Richards Elementary School, Kingshill, Virgin Islands

"Hits the nail on the head. A quick and comfortable read, this book addresses the issues of transitional learners who are often stuck in the middle on their journey from needing high levels of teacher support to independent learning. With explicit language and examples, this book gives us a window into what a transitional classroom looks and feels like.”

Marcia Hall, Second-Grade Teacher and Literacy Coordinator
Goshen Community Schools, IN

"Chapters have been tested by experienced literacy educators and offer a fine synthesis of techniques that work."

California Bookwatch, August 2007
Key features
  • Provides primary and intermediate teachers with a repertoire of strategies to help students progress from beginning to intermediate literacy levels
  • Shows classroom scenarios of reading and writing instruction in progress
  • Supports transition from Reading First to next-stage readers
  • Provides charts to track students' growth in reading, writing and word study.
  • Helps teachers meet the needs of NCLB subgroups while advancing successful readers
  • Includes assessment tools specialized for this important stage of reading

For instructors

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