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Recipes for Effective Literacy Instruction

MS Literacy Instruction Handbook

This page presents an outline for a middle school literacy instruction handbook (PS, you can use it as a model for elementary literacy, as well, with some additions for phonics, etc.).  The process of creating a handbook that your teachers can agree on is just as important as the product itself: in fact, it’s an important step toward ensuring that your school provides high-quality literacy instruction to EVERY student.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions (or materials to donate to the cause!), please contact me at literacycookbook@gmail.com


POLICIES, PROCEDURES, PRACTICES:

Generally Accepted Policies, Procedures, and Practices for Teachers

  • Lesson Plans (See sample templates in “Templates for Lessons & Units.”)
  • Unit Plans (See sample template, sample overview, and sample unit in “Templates for Lessons & Units.”)
  • Sample Classroom Management Plan
  • Humanities Dept. Grading Policies (An opportunity to meet and come to consensus)
  • Sample Introduction Letter to Parents re: class rules and policies (in the Download Zone below.)
  • The “Visible Curriculum”: suggestions for use of wall space, e.g., word walls, student work with rubrics and descriptions of assessments, class rules, inspirational quotes….


CURRICULUM:

Grades 5-8 Scope and Sequence for Literacy (2-3 pages per grade, including essential questions, key unit topics, texts, objectives, assessments, and grammar points emphasized)

Information on Common Core Standards (See "Standards" for "K-12 ELA CCS Tracking Sheet" and "Trajectory Analysis Sheets.")

See the MS English Lessons & Units page for practical resources.


HOW WE TEACH READING:

Provide an overview with reference to “Analyzing Literature, “Comprehension 101,” and Connecting Reading, Writing, Test Prep.  See also this TLC Blog post, "Essential Literacy Work Before You Begin Test Prep."

How We Teach Annotation: See “Analyzing Literature” and Nonfiction Reading Strategies.”

  • Sample Rubrics
  • Sample Annotated Texts

How We Teach Vocabulary

Guided Reading (See Guided Reading.”)

Independent Reading (See "Independent Reading.")

  • Rationale 
  • Explanation of Logistics (e.g., HW, Strategic Reading Time, etc.)
  • Sample Reading Log

Recommended Reading--See Recommended Reading” for the following:

Summer Reading (See "Independent Reading.")

  • Rationale
  • Explanation of Logistics
  • Summer Reading Lists
  • Sample Summer Reading Assignments


HOW WE TEACH ORAL PRESENTATIONS:

How We Use Socratic Seminars

How We Teach Public Speaking


HOW WE TEACH WRITING:

How We Teach Writing (SeeWriting 101”) 

Sample Major Writing Assessments in Each Grade

How We Teach Grammar (See "Grammar.")


HOW WE TEACH TEST PREP:

How We Use Benchmarks/Interim Assessments/DDI

  • Philosophy (See “DDI 101.”)
  • Logistics: Implementation and Follow-through (For suggestions, see “DDI 101.”)

How We Prepare for PARCC


IN THE DOWNLOAD ZONE for MS Lit Handbook:

 

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