Reading Reconsidered

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ WITH PRECISION AND INSIGHT

The world we are preparing our students to succeed in is one bound together by words and phrases. Our students learn their literature, history, math, science, or art via a firm foundation of strong reading skills. When we teach students to read with precision, rigor, and insight, we are truly handing over the key to the kingdom. Of all the subjects we teach reading is first among equals.

Grounded in advice from effective classrooms nationwide, enhanced with more than 40 video clips, Reading Reconsidered takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This 'Core of the Core' comprises the first half of the book and instructs educators on how to teach students to: read harder texts, 'closely read' texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts.

The second half of Reading Reconsidered reinforces these principles, coupling them with the 'fundamentals' of reading instruction—a host of techniques and subject specific tools to reconsider how teachers approach such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. Reading Reconsidered breaks an overly broad issue into clear, easy-to-implement approaches. Filled with practical tools, including:  

• 44 video clips of exemplar teachers demonstrating the techniques and principles in their classrooms (note: for online access of this content, please visit my.teachlikeachampion.com)
• Recommended book lists
• Downloadable tips and templates on key topics like reading nonfiction, vocabulary instruction, and literary terms and definitions.

Reading Reconsidered provides the framework necessary for teachers to ensure that students forge futures as lifelong readers.

DOUG LEMOV is a managing director of Uncommon Schools and leads its Teach Like a Champion team, designing and implementing teacher training based on the study of high-performing teachers. He is the author of Teach Like a Champion 2.0 and coauthor of Practice Perfect.

COLLEEN DRIGGS is a director of professional development for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. Prior to joining the Teach Like a Champion team she was a middle school science and literacy teacher.

ERICA WOOLWAY is the chief academic officer for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. She is a coauthor of Practice Perfect. Erica began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher and then worked as a school counselor and dean.

About the Authors xvii

About Uncommon Schools xix

Acknowledgments xxi

Introduction 1

PART 1 The Core of the Core 11

1 Text Selection 13

Module 1.1: The Decline of the Canon 18

Module 1.2: Text Attributes and Leveling Systems 23

Module 1.3: The Five Plagues of the Developing Reader 29

Module 1.4: Book Choice 45

Module 1.5: Managing Selection 52

2 Close Reading 57

Module 2.1: Layered Reading 63

Module 2.2: Establish Meaning via Text-Dependent Questions 71

Module 2.3: Close Reading to Analyze Meaning 83

Module 2.4: Processing Ideas and Insights in Writing, and the Power of Clear Focus 97

Module 2.5: Close Reading Bursts 102

3 Reading Nonfiction, and the Challenge of Background Knowledge 113

Module 3.1: The Key Challenge: Background Knowledge 117

Module 3.2: Absorption Rate 120

Module 3.3: Embedding Texts to Increase Absorption Rate and Build Background Knowledge 123

Module 3.4: OtherWays to Build Background Knowledge 137

Module 3.5: Some Unique Challenges of Nonfiction 143

4 Writing for Reading 155

Module 4.1: Reading Class Cycles 161

Module 4.2:Writing Is Revising 178

Module 4.3: Art of the Sentence 186

Module 4.4: Building Stamina 195

Module 4.5: Monitoring and Assessment via the Stack Audit 200

PART 2 The Fundamentals 205

5 Approaches to Reading: Reading More, Reading Better 207

Module 5.1: Approaches to Reading 211

Module 5.2: Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) 216

Module 5.3: Control the Game 225

Module 5.4: Read-Aloud 239

6 Vocabulary Instruction: Breadth and Depth 249

Module 6.1: Explicit and Implicit Vocabulary Instruction Compared 253

Module 6.2: Explicit Vocabulary Instruction:The Daily Word Rollout to Achieve Deep Word Knowledge 256

Module 6.3: Implicit Instruction: Building Vocabulary During Reading 270

Module 6.4: Maintenance and Extension 281

7 Reading Systems 287

Module 7.1: Interactive Reading: An Overview 290

Module 7.2: Phases of Implementation: Rollout, Modeling, Prompting, Autonomy 293

Module 7.3: Interactive Reading System: How to Mark Up a Text (and What to Mark) 299

Module 7.4: Discussion Systems: Laying the Groundwork for Habits of Discussion 307

Module 7.5: Discussion Systems: Beyond the Groundwork 314

8 Toward Intellectual Autonomy 323

Module 8.1: Frameworks for Interpretation 327

Module 8.2: Technical Vocabulary 338

Module 8.3: Phases of Development 342

Module 8.4: Autonomous Writing Structures 352

Module 8.5: Autonomous Discussion Structures 355

Appendix: Useful Tools 365

Index 387

How to Access the Online Contents 411

How to Use the DVD 413

More Ways to Engage and Learn with Teach Like a Champion 415

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