Customer Reviews

Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program, Level 3

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have used Jacob's Ladder with my high ability readers for a few years now. I really like the fact that the reading passages are short enough to be read in a few minutes so that the students can concentrate on completing the ladders and really reflecting on their thinking. There is a great mix of fables, myths, poetry, and non-fiction written by adults and kids. Once the kids learn the different ladders, the program pretty much runs itself. You get incredible work from the students with very little new teaching time. They are able to take the skills they learned and apply them to the different pieces of literature. You can easily compare the ladders over time to see the growth in your students.

I have been teaching middle school, 6 - 8 grades, for seven years. Our classes read quite a few novels and I have not been satisfied with the questions that come along with the books; the questions do not address higher level thinking. I have not had the tools to work with in order to formulate question; now I do. The Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program is the perfect tools to illicit wonderful conversations from your students and spark the higher level thinking that all of us want to tap into. It gives me confidence to formulate questions in an organized, cohesive manner; tapping into literary skills which are required by the state standards. The program also helps assess the student's comprehension and creativity on an individual basis.Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program, Level 3

This program is a must-have for teachers of gifted students to move from basic comprehension skills to higher level critical reading skills. The material is relevant to national standards in reading and provides a framework to ensure successful gains with value-added scores. I am thrilled with the ladder approach to meet the academic, emotional, and social needs of my students.

Trying to find that perfect complement to the classroom that engages students at a high level? Well, here it is!
I really like the Jacob's Ladder concept and how easy it is to implement it in the classroom! There are a multitude of passages (poetry, nonfiction, fiction, etc.) perfect for the middle school level. Each one has "Ladders" connected with them. I really love the ladders because they follow and stretch the certain skills for students. They also have pre and post tests so you can track where students have gained.

While the resource is invaluable and can easily be used in the classroom immediately (the students easily grasp the concepts too), I really loved the discussions spurred on by the ladders. I can't tell you how difficult it was for me to tell students class was over when they were debating one of the articles. And how I got 6th graders to create poems that were modeled after one of the items we read! Yes, you read correctly; 6th graders did not moan when I told them to create their own poems (and they weren't haikus or cinquains)! And they all wanted to share them!!!

Bottom line: easy to implement; high level readings and activities related to each reading, and kids are positively engaged and thinking at a high level! A great complement to your classroom resources, and one that will not just take up space your shelf!

I have been teaching gifted students for several years now but have always had difficulty finding reading material and higher level questions for my students. I love this book for many reasons. I love that the reading passages are short and can be read quickly yet contain depth. The questions require the students to look beyond the surface and look deeper, making inferences and determining themes. My students love to talk and share ideas in class and these passages and questions have led to deeper, more focused class discussions. I was also able to take ladders from the book and create my own ladders to use with the novels I already read in class. This is definitely a great resource for any gifted classroom.

Jacob's Ladder is a a one-stop Resource for teachers that includes the actual text and indepth discussion question's. The question's are broken down into ladders that address not just the whole concept of the text, but the "little" parts that sometimes the gifted population has a tendancy to overlook.

This is a wonderful resource that encourages your students to use higher level thinking skills. It is not intended to replace your current reading program, but rather supplements what is already in place. Each ladder focuses on different inquiry skills that allows students to move from lower to higher levels of thinking. One suggestion that I have prior to using this program is to attend a training session if at all possible, or conduct independent research to determine the best ways to implement this program into your own classroom. While it is easy to use, there are certain methods that need to be followed to ensure successful utilization with your students.

I have taught Gifted Education in Grades 6-8 for five years and I am always looking for material to help my students reach higher thinking. I am so looking forward to incorporating Jacob's Ladder into my curriculum. It seems that it is just the tool I have been looking for to get my students to think deeper. I like the fact that it not only gives stories & poems to help in guiding, but the fact that it can be implemented with other literature. I don't know when I've come away from a workshop feeling so refreshed and enlightened to get started on a new program, especially at the end of the year! I can't wait to implement this program with my Gifted learners!Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program, Level 3

I was introduced to Jacob's Ladder (Level 3) during a Teacher Inservice. It helped to understand the process of questioning and see it modeled FIRST before ever using it with my students. Gone are the days of the basic comprehension questions (who, what, why, how?); higher level thinking strategies are now being taught in all subject areas. Jacob's Ladder provides the reading material (in easily consumed short stories, non-fiction passages, and poetry) as well as the questions (related to a variety of thinking strategies) that will foster a deeper consideration and understanding of all types of writing. I am excited to use it in my gifted literature class next year!

Jacob's Ladder guides teachers in moving students from lower order to higher order thinking skills in reading. The ladders spark discussion by giving teachers ideas for open ended questions and tasks. This program can be used as a supplement with elementary special education students to help increase their problem solving skills as well as with gifted students to increase creative thinking and higher level thinking skills. You will be glad you ordered this book. If you get the chance to spend the day in professional development with Tamra, you should take advantage of the opportunity. A must-have for teachers.