Various Reading and Writing Resources

Leveled Text
Leveled text gradually increase in difficulty. Difficulty and length of text are carefully controlled so that students gradually grow into reading. Advantage Great for beginning readers Disadvantage

Does not reinforce decoding skills

Independent Reading & Book Clubs

Independent reading fosters engagement and self-selection. During independent reading students read alone or possibly in small groups such as book clubs.

Literature Appropriate for

Literature Appropriate for Independent Reading & Book Clubs (cont.)

Selecting appropriate literature for independent is a collaborative effort to decide which books are offered. Students abilities must be taken into consideration. Advantages Meets students needs and interests Promotes independence

Disadvantage
Teaching opportunities may be missed

Basal Series
Basal readers are the main approach to teaching reading in the United States (Gunning, 2010, p.474). A comprehensive program for teaching reading that gradually increases in difficulty. Advantages Preplanned Integration Disadvantages Does not meet Interest/ Abilities Rigid Pacing

Package contains teacher manual, resources, and assessments great for novice teachers. Integrates language arts with components of spelling, grammar, oral language, and vocabulary. Does not provide for diverse interests or background knowledge.

Language Experience
Students experiences are expressed, then written in story form by the teacher to be used as reading material. Advantages

Integrates both reading and writing

Effective for diverse students Builds on students language/background Disadvantage Lack of exposure of new experiences

Web Programs
Web programs such as Kid Biz 3000 uses non-fiction text differentiated by students' Lexile/reading levels to build reading comprehension of informational text (Achieve 3000, 2014). Advantages Diverse instruction Integrates reading and writing Digital progress monitoring Disadvantages Only nonfiction texts Requires extensive background knowledge Issues of safety

Newspapers & Magazines

Advantages Increases vocabulary using current events Builds background knowledge Disadvantages Inability to predetermine assignments

Duplicates for entire class

References
Achieve 3000 (2014). Retrieved from http://www.achieve3000.com/literacy-solutions/grades-212/elementary-school-grades2-5 Cobb, J. (2011). Historical, Theoretical, and Sociological Foundations of Reading in the United States. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Gunning, T.G. (2010). Creating literacy instruction for all students (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.