November 2011 Word Up! Newsletter
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In Focus: Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read a text correctly and quickly. Learn which strategies are recommended to improve students' fluency and how to incorporate these strategies at home and in the classroom.
Key Literacy Component: Fluency
Fluent readers can read text accurately, smoothly, and with good comprehension. Students who get bogged down in the mechanics of reading have trouble with this skill. With proper instruction, struggling readers can improve their fluency. Read more to find out what challenges adolescent readers face with fluency and how carefully designed instruction can help.
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Develop Fluency Using Content-Based Texts
Fluency is the missing piece of the reading puzzle for many older students. They can decode, but they cannot do it automatically and accurately enough to comprehend text. Here are some fluency-building activities to complement content delivery. See also Teach Students How to Fluently Read Multisyllabic Content Vocabulary.
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Academic Language: Everyone's "Second" Language
Being able to speak English fluently does not guarantee that a student will be able to use language effectively in academic settings. Fluency must be combined with higher order thinking skills to create an "academic language," which allows students to effectively present their ideas in a way that others will take seriously. The author, an ELL teacher, describes her use of "protocols" (a cheat sheet of sentence starters) to build students' cognitive academic language proficiency.
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Books & Authors
Featured Author: L.M. Elliott
Author L.M. Elliott writes historical fiction and brings history to life for her readers. She has written award-winning books about World War II, The Civil War, and The Revolutionary War. Here, Elliott offers educators and students a variety of resources to enjoy and appreciate history through reading and writing.
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Featured Booklist: 2011 Teens' Top Ten
And the winner is … Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare! More than 9,000 teens voted for the top ten books for teens. The full list is here, as well as an annotated list of the 25 nominations.
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In the Classroom
Unlocking the Past: Reading, Writing, and History
Looking for ways to engage your students with social studies? The genre of historical fiction entices students into historical explorations and offers a dramatic study of history at an emotional level. And special projects, like researching various perspectives or interviewing eyewitnesses, help students appreciate multiple viewpoints on cultural and historical events. Developed with YA historical fiction author L. M. Elliott, national adolescent literature expert Dr. Denise Ousley, and Fairfax County Teacher of the Year Jamie Sawatzky, AdLit.org's exclusive resource Unlocking the Past: Reading, Writing, and History can help teachers energize history and social studies instruction and develop meaningful, creative assessments to measure students' learning.
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Featured Strategy: Paired Reading
The Paired Reading strategy encourages peer teaching and learning. Students are divided into pairs and read along together or take turns reading aloud to each other. Pairs can have the same reading ability or can include a more fluent reader with a less fluent reader. Each student reads and provides feedback about their own and their partner's reading behaviors.
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Glossary Term: Academic English
Definition: The English language ability required for academic achievement in context-reduced situations, such as classroom lectures and textbook reading assignments. This is sometimes referred to as Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).
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Research & Policy
American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen
The vast majority of students — 92 percent — say they expect to earn a high school diploma. But, for many of these students, the reality is much different. Every year, more than 1.3 million students drop out of high school. According to America's Promise Alliance, that's 7,000 students a day. Students have the will to graduate, but they do not always have the necessary support or resources.
American Graduate is a national initiative to help combat the dropout crisis in this country. We're pleased to announce that WETA, which operates AdLit.org, is working with WAMU and WHUT as a hub station to serve the students in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more information!
Visit the American Graduate website >>
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In the Community
Teachers: Take a Survey for a Chance to Win $200
The Center on Brain Injury Research & Training, in Eugene, Oregon, wants to learn how much K-12 teachers know about traumatic brain injury. Take their brief survey and you'll be entered for a chance to win one of five $200 cash prizes.
NCTE Annual Convention
The 2011 National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention will be held November 17-20, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois, at Chicago Hilton Hotel and the Palmer House. Sessions will be held at both of these locations. This year's theme is "Reading the Past, Writing the Future."
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Save the Date!
April 29-May 2, 2012
IRA 57th Annual Convention: Celebrating Teaching
Featured Partner: America's Promise Alliance
America's Promise Alliance is a cross-sector partnership of more than 300 corporations, nonprofits, and advocacy groups that are passionate about improving lives and changing outcomes for children. They have made a top priority of ensuring that all young people graduate from high school ready for college, work, and life. Their work involves raising awareness, encouraging action and engaging in advocacy to provide children the key supports they call the Five Promises: Caring Adults, Safe Places, A Healthy Start, An Effective Education, and Opportunities to Help Others.
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Featured Site: Read Kiddo Read
James Patterson, the well-known and bestselling author, is dedicated to making kids readers for life. ReadKiddoRead.com is Mr. Patterson's site designed to help you share your love of reading. Watch exclusive videos of celebrities chatting about the books they love, and browse recommended books by genre on this easy to navigate and helpful website.
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"I love your website and information! I think you have a lot to offer teachers!" — Nicki W.
AdLit.org helps educators like Nicki W. every day. Support our work by making a tax-deductible donation today.
All the best from AdLit.org
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