Spelling K-8 meets the needs of schools and districts that want to put systematic teaching in place without compromising the principles of constructivist learning. Recognizing the professional expertise of classroom teachers, the authors consistently urge teachers to consider the suggested plan in relation to their children's spelling needs. Children are actively engaged in spelling explorations, being guided by their teachers, forming generalizations that reflect their current understanding about how written English works. Specific suggestions are also offered for children whose first language is not English. Spelling K-8 addresses the issues that administrators and parents are concerned about - especially phonics and learning high-frequency words - and offers teachers a wealth of strategies and resources to draw on. Spelling K-8 assists teachers in:understanding current beliefs about teaching and learning and means of translating these into classroom practice;implementing specific types of spelling investigations, such as sounds, spelling patterns or suffixes, by clearly outlining the general process involved in spelling explorations;identifying the possible spelling focuses for children in each grade level, taking into consideration their needs and the explorations they have been introduced to in previous years;relating the teaching of spelling to reading and writing experiences in a variety of curriculum areas;knowing the generalizations children need to learn to enable them to understand how written English works. Spelling K-8 will help you plan the teaching of spelling at a whole-school level and at each grade level.

Phonics and Word Identification: Instruction and Intervention K-8 integrates word study knowledge and classroom applications into one book. Unique to this book is the inclusion of specific strategies for teaching phonics to intermediate elementary and middle school students, recognizing their developmental level and need for more appropriate phonics instruction geared to their age level. Also unique is the embedding of strategies in authentic classroom context, the use of literature, poetry, and three basic cueing systems. Readers are given informal assessments that can be used immediately in the classroom to pinpoint areas of difficulty to provide intervention. It is designed to address the needs of students from Kindergarten to eighth grade, and it includes both instructional activities for typical learners and interventions for students who may be struggling. FEATURES: Introductory vignette in every chapter-presents a classroom scenario or a glimpse into the classroom drawn from observations and interviews with teachers. Intervention When Students Struggle feature-provides descriptions of various kinds of special needs such as learning disabilities and developmental delays and the effect they have on students' ability to use phonics and word identification. Assessment feature within each chapter-guides the reader and provides authentic, informal assessments of phonemic awareness, consonants, vowels, spelling, and affixes. Extensive lists of useful resources including children's literature and Internet sites.

A practical guide for teaching comprehension and fluency in the kindergarten through eighth-grade classroom with instruction on reading levels, writing about reading, and interactive read-aloud and literature study; and contains a DVD with over 100 blackline masters, forms, and checklists.

This treasured resource for upper-elementary and middle school teachers--now in a revised second edition with a new lesson-planning framework--presents ready-to-use activities to advance students' spelling and vocabulary knowledge, including academic vocabulary. In a large-size format for easy photocopying, the volume provides over 120 reproducible word sorts, organized by spelling stages, plus additional reproducible forms, word lists, and activities in the appendices. Kathy Ganske's research-based approach emphasizes cognitive engagement, discussion, and active learning. The book features firsthand tips from experienced teachers, strategies for building morphological awareness, "Did You Know?" sections with absorbing stories about specific words, discussions of idioms, and literature suggestions. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible appendix materials. New to This Edition *Chapter on researcher perspectives--noted scholars translate cutting-edge findings into practical teaching ideas. *Greatly expanded content on academic vocabulary, including Ganske's SAIL (survey, analyze, interpret, link) framework for instruction and a reproducible SAIL lesson guide. *Increased attention to English learners, with two new appendices on Spanish–English vocabulary connections. *Word sort activities feature updated instructions and many new examples. See also Ganske's Word Journeys, Second Edition: Assessment-Guided Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Instruction, which provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and building word knowledge, and Word Sorts and More, Second Edition: Sound, Pattern, and Meaning Explorations K–3, which presents word study activities for the primary grades.

For ten years and in two classic books, Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell have described how to analyze the characteristics of texts and select just-right books to use for guided reading instruction. Now, for the first time, all of their thinking and research has been updated and brought together into Leveled Books, K-8 to form the ultimate guide to choosing and using books from kindergarten through middle school. Fountas and Pinnell take you through every aspect of leveled books, describing how to select and use them for different purposes in your literacy program and offering prototype descriptions of fiction and nonfiction books at each level. They share advice on: the role of leveled books in reading instruction, analyzing the characteristics of fiction and nonfiction texts, using benchmark books to assess instructional levels for guided reading, selecting books for both guided and independent reading, organizing high-quality classroom libraries, acquiring books and writing proposals to fund classroom-library purchases, creating a school book room. In addition, Fountas and Pinnell explain the leveling process in detail so that you can tentatively level any appropriate book that you want to use in your instruction. Best of all, Leveled Books, K-8 is one half of a new duo of resources that will change how you look at leveled books. Its companion-www.FountasandPinnellLeveledBooks.com-is a searchable and frequently updated website that includes more than 18,000 titles. With Leveled Books, K-8 you'll know how and why to choose books for your readers, and with www.FountasandPinnellLeveledBooks.com, you'll have the ideal tool at your fingertips for finding appropriate books for guided reading. Book jacket.

"Pamela Koutrakos breaks it down for the novice and streamlines word study for the old pro." – Jeff Anderson, author of Patterns of Power Take word learning to the next level in your classroom Hungry for lively and engaging ways to augment word study? Looking for ways to empower your students and give voice to their ideas? In Word Study That Sticks, teacher and literacy consultant Pamela Koutrakos provides a step-by-step approach that makes word learning jubilant and fun – and encourages students to take ownership of word learning. This hands-on guide connects research with experience to deliver challenging, discovery-based instructional practices that can support all learners in any subject area. You’ll learn how to Set up the physical classroom, prioritize materials, and launch activities Instill curiosity and a self-starting attitude toward vocabulary development Devise routines that highlight phonemic awareness, phonics, meaning, and spelling Differentiate and personalize word study activities Embed word study into all content areas for transfer of learning Word Study That Sticks can be used alone or in conjunction with another program to help you take word learning to the next level. Lesson ideas, word study routines, charts, photos, key practices, and special advice for beginning teachers make word study instruction accessible for educators working at every experience level.