Customer Reviews:
Great book!!!.......2006-12-27
I found this book to be fantastic!!!! The green pages at the back give many great ideas for teachers of literacy.
Very useful.......2006-03-11
I needed to order this book for a class. It is well written and easy to read. As a reading teacher I can say that I will keep this book as a reference long after the class has ended. This edition comes with a CD (or DVD) which I have not previewed yet, but the instructor of my class raves about it.
A must have!!.......2003-03-08
I was first introduced to this book in one of my graduate literacy courses and I have been hooked every since. The teachers at my school pass it around constantly looking for ideas. My favorite aspect of this book is the fact that there are real teachers giving real examples of what works in their classrooms. There are no strategies that seem too hard implement in your classroom, because the layout is right there!! You know it can be done and it words because the examples in the book are proof! You don't feel like you are reading about some ideal or Utopia of a classroom. You are reading about REAL classrooms. I absolutely love it!
Excellent resource for teachers.......2002-11-17
This is an excellent resource. It is concise and contains a wealth of information. I teach second grade and am working on a Master's degree in literacy. I am finding this book to be invaluable. Much of the information is sorted into charts for easy referencing. So many of the books I have read lately seem to ramble on and on. This book makes it's point and moves on to other salient information. I get rid of so many of the professional books I purchase after I read them. This one is a keeper. It is very pertinent to the current trend in improving the literacy of our children.
Chock-full of good information!.......2001-09-27
We dived right into this book in our Teaching Reading credential course. This book is worth the price just for the internet resources (web sites, discussion boards, etc.) alone! Includes a great appendix which defines key terms, such as book talks, word webs, readers' theatre, etc. These are the "buzzwords" that are important for the RICA examination. A wonderful resource!
Book Description
Get ready to transform "ho-hum" intermediate-grade writers into mature writers who love to write -- and perform well on assessments.
Razzle Dazzle Writing shows you how to teach narrative and informational writing through mastery of 50 key, target writing skills.
Your students succeed because Razzle Dazzle Writing:
- organizes writing craft teaching into standards-based single-lesson chunks for easy modeling practice, and mastery.
- addresses different learning styles, preferences, and interests with a variety of student-friendly formats to teach writing strategies.
- makes learning easy and fun wtih student-oriented writing craft lessons, checklists, models, student exercises, and graphic organizers.
Move your students to the next level with Razzle Dazzle Writing!
Customer Reviews:
Truly full of Razzle Dazzle!.......2007-10-13
I am using this as my guide for writing instruction in my classroom. This book is full of fun activities that involve the students, while delivering the message.
good job breaking down the steps of writing.......2007-07-19
Great ideas for beginning writers in terms of organization. Breaks down the steps simply. Explains what makes interesting writing.
GREAT resource!.......2007-05-09
I have used this book with my own lessons and bought it for all the 2-5 teachers in my building. Very user friendly. Has great ideas for mini-lessons and wonderful resources to copy for students to keep in their wirters' notebooks. I highly recommend this book!
Makes writing seem easy!.......2007-01-16
This book is aimed toward older students, grades 3-8, but I have 2nd graders. Another teacher at my school recommended it, so I gave it a try. While not every lesson is appropriate for my grade level, a lot of it is. I especially like how there is a mini-play (2 or 3 minutes) to go along with the lessons. My students love the section of word choice, where there is a play of Strong Verb vs Weak Verb (like a boxing match). It has reproducible reference sheets for the students to use for transition words, color words, strong verbs, etc. These are great to add to a writing folder. I can't imagine how great this would be for the intermediate grades. Great resource! Especially when you aren't given much of a guideline on how to teach writing!
The Best for teaching writing.......2007-01-14
I work in a sixth grade classroom with second-language learners. This book is the best. I showed it to my fifth grade colleague, and he bought it. What is great about this book is that it has lists of words you can give to the kids such as strong verbs or sight words or transition words. It has wonderful teacher sheets to copy for teaching mini lessons. I used many of her ideas such as show/don't tell, or teaching similes or teaching dialogue. Seriously was not a book that I put on the shelf and rarely looked at. It's hard buying a book and not being able to thumb through it, but I tell you that you won't be disappointed with this one!
Customer Reviews:
great resource.......2007-09-19
Appreciate getting this product so fast and contiue to use it as a resource in my classroom for teaching reading.
Fabulous resource!.......2003-09-25
This book is an outstanding resource for all teachers of reading. It addresses a wide range of aspects of reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension, to name just a few. For each area, the book includes several key sections: WHAT is ...?; WHY is ... important?; and HOW do you teach ...?
The layout is simple to follow, and it is packed with excellent activities. It is truly amazing how much information is included in this one book. Most importantly, the content of the book is soundly based in current research that is presented in a very accessible way. The activities are well-designed and realistic, and all the necessary information is included to be able to implement the activity in your classroom. Every teacher should have a copy of this book!
CORE Teaching Reading Resourcebook.......2000-10-02
CORE Teaching Reading Resourcebook is a superior book to use as a reference in the classroom. It supports all areas of reading in grades K-8. Also it has wonderful advice about ELL students. Not only does this book have information about teaching reading, but it has hands on teaching methods that are proven practices. Some of the larger areas of the book are word structure, sound/print connection, decoding, spelling, vocabulary development, comprehension, reading and responding, and differentiated instruction. CORE Teaching Reading Resourcebook greatly compliments Words Their Way, another must have book. One downfall about this book is the page numbering system, but as you work from the book it becomes less difficult.
My first book was given to me from the California Reading and Literature Project and I'm buying another copy for my son, who is also a teacher. I would recommend this book to any teacher interested in improving their knowledge of teaching reading. I often review my teaching strategies with this book before finalizing my lesson plans.
Customer Reviews:
Must read for beginning teachers.......2007-08-23
Mrs. Collins gives you a classroom teachers perspective on guiding yourself and your students down a path to discovering reading, readers and the step readers undergo to comprehend what they read. This is an easy read because Mrs. Collins narratives transforms you from the pages of the book to front and center in your classroom, working with your students.
Practical, minute by minute of how to teach Reading Workshop.......2007-08-10
This is an excellent source to guide teachers on how to teach Reading Workshop. It gives dialogue on mini lessons and ideas of how to set up your room. It is a must read for Reading Workshop teachers. It is a down to the minutes guide of what to do.
Seems great--on paper.......2006-07-02
This book is one that may seem to have great ideas--in theory! In practice? Well, that's another thing. There are a number of things I agree with wholeheartedly: think-pair-share, conferencing in which you meet with the child rather than vice versa, opportunities to immediately apply the concepts and strategies of a lesson, time to "debrief".... BUT, my teaching cannot be via a multitude of mini lessons--the scope of what must be covered in a school year does not allow for this. I also felt that the author's approach was a bit "me, me, me" with the children; she recommends the teacher making the summation in order to control time. In this vein she also mentions the importance of student participation yet she wants to strongly control this. When children share, it is good for the whole group to be included rather than just one partner--yes, this takes some time and it is an art to keep things moving smoothly but many ideas can be shared. This is a great opportunity to have children exposed to thinking outside the box or, perhaps, outside their comfort zone. I agree with the author that young children appreciate a routine but to do the same thing day in and day out can encourage the children to begin to perform like automatons. With today's demands for differentiation, this would create a lot of extra work for teachers.
I felt that this book presented concepts that looked wonderful on paper but would leave holes in practice. Now, I am NOT bashing the book. I look at it as I do when attending professional teaching conferences--if I can walk away with one or two useful ideas to implement in my classroom, I am satisfied. I did get a few ideas to try out in my own classroom. The book did not prove to be what I had expected but I have not come away empty-handed. It would be futile to expect to fit someone else's classroom management, procedures, and scheduling into your classroom and I did not embrace this book expecting that to happen. I am not a new teacher but I am always looking for new ideas. I did get just that; however, it required a lot of time spent reading on my part so if I knew the content of this book a bit better I would not have purchased it. (It was one of the books Amazon recommended to me.)
Excellent for teachers launching Reader's Workshop!.......2006-07-01
This book is excellent for any teacher who is launching reader's workshop in their classroom. I will be teaching first grade this coming school year and have been reading this book to help me prepare. What I really love about the book is that it gives you a scope and sequence for what units of study you could teach throughout the school year, provides examples of mini-lessons you can teach, as well as being very explicit about what a reader's workshop mini-lesson should look like and what reader's workshop should look like in general. Kathy Collins writes in a way that all teacher can relate and includes some funny anecdotes about her own teaching-this is a must have!
Wonderful Book.......2006-05-29
This was a great and useful book. It helps readers think about how to apply the reading workshop to the clasroom of young children filled with emerging readers. Collins writes in a conversational way with important suggestions and backround. She shares openly and intelligently how to do the work and relays how the plans worked in her classes. Very helpful and readable!
Book Description
This book provides teachers with concept sorting ideas followed by picture sorts for developing phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, letter recognition and concept of words in print.
This companion volume augments that content with numerous reproducible sorts that specifically address the needs of the syllables and affixes speller. Accompanying the sorts are step-by-step directions for guiding pupils through the sorting lessons, as well as follow-up activities and tips for using the sorts to their best advantage.
Designed for elementary educators' use as part of a reading curriculum where emergent spelling is covered.
Customer Reviews:
A "must have" for anyone implementing Words Their Way........2007-07-28
Sorts 1-5 are concept sorts, 6-11 are picture sorts for phonological awareness, 12-14 are alphabet knowledge sorts, and 15-27 are sorts for beginning consonant sounds. Assessments are included for each group of sorts. Instructions for introducing/demonstrating the sorts are given, as well as notes for the teacher, literature links for read-aloud, extension activities and my favorite - shared reading texts. I think that this is a fabulous resource and after teaching first grade for 5 years, I plan on implementing Words Their Way in my kindergarten classroom in September. I also think that this is a must have for anyone planning on implementing the program. I don't think that the WTW textbook offers the range of resources in this book.
Reading Specialist.......2005-10-24
This is a very helpful book for ESL Kindergarteners! I have all the Words Their Way books and have used them at every grade level in my elementary school.
A MUST for K-2 teachers........2005-02-21
Like the other Words their Way materials, this volume continues the wonderful tradition of combining excellent teaching ideas with the black line masters so you can use the strategies immediately. This level is especially appropriate for students learning letter/sound relationships. It gives dozens of poems and stories which have sorts to support teaching them. There are old faithfuls such as "It's raining, it's pouring" to new poems that teach phonemic awareness, rhyming, visual discrimination and sight words. My favorite is the alphabet printed in several different fonts so students can learn all the ways 'A' might look. I wish I had this 21 years ago when I started teaching. I use it daily now.
Book Description
What Really Matters for Struggling Readers offers a clear blend of research and practice that teachers can use to develop better methods for helping children with reading difficulties.
- Includes clear, non-technical summaries of research on the subject of children as proficient readers.
- Research section on reading fluency that provides instructional models and methods for fostering fluency, including pause-prompt-praise, partner reading, taped read -alongs, impress method, choral reading, and fluency charting.
- Research section that studies the effects of enhancing access to appropriate books and offers suggestions for designing schools where all children have books that are appropriate.
In What Really Matters for Struggling Readers, nationally recognized scholar Dick Allington offers easy-to-understand interpretations of research that support three important principles: Children need to read a great deal to become proficient readers, offering summaries of research on the subject, the text shows how to monitor the amount of reading and create interventions that expand reading activity. Children need access to appropriate books, exploring the research on the subject, the text contains suggestions for designing schools where books are available and appropriate for all children. Children need to develop fluent reading to become proficient readers, reviewing the research on reading fluency, the text provides instructional models and methods for fostering fluency.
Richard L. Allington is the Fien Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Florida, Gainesville. He was a co-recipient of the Albert J. Harris Award from the International Reading Association for his "contributions to the better understanding of reading and learning disabilities". Dick is also a past president of the National Reading Conference and has been elected to membership in the Reading Hall of Fame.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read.......2007-03-13
This an excellent book for reading specialist, Literacy Coaches or Title I teachers. It really explains how to detect the early signs of reading difficulties. GREAT BOOK!!
from a teacher.......2006-07-01
This book has helped me tremendously in redesigning my reading program. As a special education teacher I am always looking for new concepts when it comes to my struggling readers.
Excellent, research-based, trustworthy........2006-01-30
Dr. Richard Allington continues to provide a research-based perspective that goes beyond the quick fixes, commercial-for-profit programs, and the political rhetoric of the day. If you really want to understand reading and learn a variety of research-based strategies that can be used to enhance reading, this is the book for you. There are plenty of practical strategies for teachers as well as parents. However, if you are looking for simplistic fixes (more phonics, more tests, more homework), I would advise you to go to your conservative "think" tanks and listen to politicians who have never read a research study.
Explains concepts in an easy to understand manner.......2005-11-11
How beneficial you will find this book depends on your background. If you are a parent, teacher, or college student trying to learn about basic research on reading, then this book is for you. This book gave me a nice review, but if you are familiar with the original research, you may want to skip this as something you already know.
Allington presents education and cognitive psychology research in a way that is informative and makes it easy for anyone to understand. Due to my background in cognitive psychology, I've read a lot of the original research on which this book is based. I think Allington gives a good overview of other people's research, while still giving his own take on the information. He does not discredit research, but makes you aware of the limitations of some experimental designs. Reading research is a relatively new field, most of which has occurred in the last fifteen to twenty years. Some results may seem obvious now, but may not have been a decade ago. Also, even if you think something is true, you always have to test it using a good experimental design. Allington's summaries allow you to decide for yourself if you accept the experimental conclusions.
I also think Allington did a good job of making practical suggestions that incorporates the research, so you can use it in the classroom or at least make informed decisions. That is probably most people's purpose for reading this book-practical applications. I like that there is more and more of a collaboration between teachers and researchers. This book is a good steping stone to that end.
I hope Allington continues to upgrade this book and write more like it.
Immediately Useful in my Classroom.......2005-09-10
This book has helped me so much with the struggling readers in my 2nd grade classroom. It is user-friendly, and based on real-life teaching situations. Ideas for comprehension have improved my students understanding of the story by leaps and bounds. My classroom library is now organized and leveled, and much easier for the students to enjoy, and to find books at their levels. It also helped me realize which books needed to be removed for now. Some books look like they're an easy read, but the word usage can be up to 9th grade! This is the best teaching resource I have read in the last year!
Customer Reviews:
old book!.......2007-04-13
This book had been through the ringer! It was faded and worn on all edges. The packaging did little to prtect it, as well.
slow delivery.......2007-03-10
This book arrived new in excellent condition, but it took forever to arrive at my house. I started to wonder if I had done something wrong in the ordering process or if it was lost!
Good resource tool........2006-03-15
This item was very helpful, full of pertinent information and will remain in my professional book collection for continuing reference.
Customer Reviews:
A Must-Have for Intermediate Grade Teachers.......2007-08-12
This book, like Diller's companion book for K-2 teachers, is a wealth of information for those teachers who recognize the importance of differentiating instruction, engaging the learner, and losing mindless worksheets that only serve the purpose of occupying the student's time while the teacher teaches small groups. Whether you are experienced with managing literacy workstations or a new convert, you will get an in-depth look at management of stations, keeping the stations meaningful and engaging throughout the year, and assessing the students' work. This book is the best I have seen for practical, easy to implement, true literacy activities. I highly recommend it for teachers and administrators of students in grades 3-6.
Literacy Work stations for Grades 3-6.......2007-07-29
I went for this book as soon as I saw it on line - there is little out there for grades 5&6 when it comes to centers. While I got some good ideas, I was disappointed overall. The examples seem to focus on the lower grades, 3rd and 4th, and it left me wanting more information and examples for older kids. I am also unclear on how the novel we might be using in class fits into this concept. One area I did find especially helpful was how to organize and get started at the beginning of the year. It eased some fears for this first time work station user.
Literacy Work Stations.......2007-06-28
Better than the "Literacy Work Stations for K-2"! Excellent and practical strategies for teaching, especially for the new teacher trying to figure it all out. A book worth having in the classroom professional library.
A Must Have for Guided Reading.......2007-06-27
This book has answered all of the questions I have had about organizing centers during my literacy block. During my reading groups, I have wanted to have centers going at the intermediate level, but have been intimidated by the amount of work involved in setting them up. The author has shared ideas in creating centers that are logical, smart, efficient, necessary and don't involve staying up until midnight each night. Too bad I didn't have this 10 years ago!
fantastic!!!.......2007-03-30
This book is full of wonderful ideas that are easy to implement. It is a great continuation of Literacy Stations for Sk to grade 2. I will use this book for a long time.
Book Description
This book offers prospective teachers all of the information they need in order to pass the written version of California's Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) examination.
This book offers a comprehensive review of all thirteen of the content areas that the RICA tests along with a sample test, with answers for practice. The introduction includes an overview of the test, plus tips and clues for pre-test study, pointers for how to structure essay answers, hints for how to “think like the test preparers,” and more.
For prospective educators working to pass California's Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) examination.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Way to Prepare for RICA.......2007-06-27
I took a class that had chapters from this book for some of the assigned reading. Other than practicing a case study, we did little more with it. When I took the RICA, without any additional studying, I passed it the first time. I have a friend whom I consider genius who is on his third attempt. I told him about this book (I'd loaned it to another friend already) and this time he passed it.
Pay particular attention to the "case study" preparation section. It's invaluable for the test!
EXCELLENT RICA Review Book.......2007-02-05
I thought this book was a GREAT way to review for the RICA. I am sad to say that I think I learned more about teaching reading from this thin review text book than I did throughout my whole teacher education program (I won't say which University I am at!)!
To get the most use out of this book here is what you should do. Set up a grid like the one I am going to try and explain to you how to make (see below) and then fill it out as you read. This book totally saved me and I passed the RICA and did very well on it (I got 4 pluses on the first two domains, and the case studies, and 3 pluses on the 3rd and 4th domains).
GRID MAKING DIRECTIONS:
1) Your grid will have three columns and twelve rows.
2) The first row will be labeled like so (I will show each cell in between lines like this |xxxx|xxxxx|xxxx|):
Area | How to teach it | How to test it
3) The different "areas" are listed below. Put each area name in a different row.
- Phonemic Awareness (PH)
- Concepts About Print (CAP)
- Phonics and Word Identification (PHON & WRD)
- Spelling (SPL)
- Comprehension (COMP)
- Literary Response (LIT RESP)
- Content Area Literacty (CONT LIT)
- Independent Reading (IND RDG)
- Writing (WR)
- Vocabulary (VOCAB)
- Structure of English (STRUC ENG)
4) Now your grid will have each area listed but how to teach that area and how to test that area are blank. As you read the book fill in those two blank spots for each area and you will be all set.
TRUST ME. THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT REVIEW FOR THE RICA. AND NOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO SPECIALLY USE THIS BOOK TO STUDY FOR IT YOU ARE ALL SET! GOOD LUCK!!
Too general and not ideal for a single review source.......2006-10-10
I just took the RICA exam and used this book as well as course material to prepare for the exam. I found "Ready for RICA" lacking in its depth and context. It provides a consice overview of the content areas but lacks in its review of strategies. I also noticed it focused too much on elementary compentency and not enough on higher grades or ELD.
I don't know if I passed the RICA yet, but I did not feel this book prepared me enough for the actual exam.
Big Help.......2006-07-31
I found this book to be very well-organized, clear and concise. I read it cover to cover and passed the RICA on my first attempt. I looked at several other review books and found the style and framework of this book most helpful. It certainly doesn't replace a knowledge of basic reading instruction, but it will help you organize your thoughts, develop a strategy for the exam, and be successful.
It worked.......2006-03-22
It had been years between the time I took a reading course and the time I took the Rica test.
This book was very helpful. It was clear and concise. I thought I was just going to brush up but I actually learned a lot that I hadn't learned in my credential program. To my surprise I enjoyed reading it.
I would definitely recommend this book if you are going to take the Rica. In my case it paid off and I passed the test.
Books:
- Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups
- Little, Brown Essential Handbook, The (5th Edition)
- Longman Dictionary of American English with Thesaurus and CD-ROM (New Edition)
- Looking Out, Looking In (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) (Wadsworth Series in Communication Studies)
- Mexican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
- MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Sixth Edition
- Official Scrabble Players Dictionary
- On Becoming a Novelist
- Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
- Painless Writing (Painless Series)
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Road
- The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
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- The Anthropology of Globalization: Cultural Anthropology Enters the 21st Century
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General
| Language Arts
| Reference & Nonfiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing (4th Edition)
Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally (6th Edition)
Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th Edition) (Words Their Way Series)
Ready for RICA: A Test Preparation Guide for California's Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (2nd Edition)
50 Literacy Strategies: Step By Step, Second Edition
