Growing Readers: Units of Study in the Primary Classroom (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: primary classroom, growing readers, wolf story, Units of Study, Kathy Collins, Stenhouse Publishers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Primary-grade teachers face an important challenge: teaching children how to read while enabling them to build good habits so they fall in love with reading. Many teachers find the independent reading workshop to be the component of reading instruction that meets this challenge because it makes it possible to teach the reading skills and strategies children need and guides them toward independence, intention, and joy as readers.

In Growing Readers, Kathy Collins helps teachers plan for independent reading workshops in their own classrooms. She describes the structure of the independent reading workshop and other components of a balanced literacy program that work together to ensure young students grow into strong, well-rounded readers. Kathy outlines a sequence of possible units of study for a yearlong curriculum. Chapters are devoted to the individual units of study and include a sample curriculum as well as examples of mini-lessons and reading conferences. There are also four “Getting Ready” sections that suggest some behind-the-scenes work teachers can do to prepare for the units. Topics explored in these units include:

• print and comprehension strategies;
• reading in genres such as poetry and nonfiction;
• connecting in-school reading and out-of-school reading;
• developing the strategies and habits of lifelong readers.

A series of planning sheets and management tips are presented throughout to help ensure smooth implementation.

We want our students to learn to read, and we want them to love to read. To do this we need to lay a foundation on which children build rich and purposeful reading lives that extend beyond the school day. The ideas found in Growing Readers create the kind of primary classrooms where that happens.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Stenhouse Publishers; illustrated edition edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571103732
• ISBN-13: 978-1571103734
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,099 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #10 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Education Theory > Contemporary Methods > Language Experience Approach
  #16 in	Books > Reference > Words & Language > Reading Skills
  #21 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > Professional Development

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars primary reading workshop guidebook, August 19, 2005

By	Beth grade 2 teacher (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

I got this book over the summer, and am using it daily to guide my instruction. It takes you step by step in how to implement and teach reading workshop in the primary classroom, and gives units of study for the year. I hadn't previously organized my instruction this way, but she sold me on it with her book. It is also an enjoyable read since Collins is very funny.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take Your Reading Instruction to the Next Level, July 25, 2005

By	Angela Gaskin (NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Kathy Collins is a true expert on Reading Workshop. She writes in such a captivating tone while challenging you to truly reflect on your own teaching. This book will guide you from start to finish on how to take your reading instruction to a level you never thought possible. Collins gives practical advice on teaching reading successfully even when you have a large class with no assistant and readers on each end of the spectrum and several in-between.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for teachers launching Reader's Workshop!, July 1, 2006

By	E.V.S. (USA) - See all my reviews

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!