The Knowledge Gap is not a teacher resource book but instead a report from journalist Natalie Wexler which delves into concerns around decontextualized instruction in reading comprehension “skills”, and the need to ensure content knowledge is taught, as well as how comprehension skills and strategies can be successfully embedded within it. While Wexler’s observations and commentary are based on the US, many parallels can be drawn to the history of reading comprehension instruction here in Ontario. This book offers a perspective to consider when implementing Strand C of the curriculum (Comprehension – Understanding and Responding to Texts), of interest to classroom educators as well as coaches, consultants and instructional leaders.
Along with research on effective writing instruction, author Joan Sedita shares her Writing Rope model identifying five components of a comprehensive writing curriculum: critical thinking, syntax, text structure, writing craft and transcription. There are chapters exploring each in detail, with an abundance of ideas for classroom application. The Writing Rope is geared towards Grade 4-8 teachers and provides excellent support for expectations under B2 and B3 as well as Strand D of the Ontario Language curriculum. The framework can – and should – be used for writing in various content areas as well, making it ideal for all Grade 4-8 teachers, not just those who teach Language. The book comes with a code for purchasers to download dozens of supporting teacher and student resources.
In Beneath the Surface of Words, author Sue Scibetta Hegland aims to convince readers that English spelling isn’t as unreliable or quirky as they may have believed…and argues an excellent case. For example:there’s actually a reason for the L in talk! Written in an engaging voice, this is an excellent title for building educator knowledge to support instruction in spelling, particularly related to morphology and etymology, with connections to vocabulary as well. Helpful appendices, for example “Applying Suffixing Conventions” and “Working With Word Sums and Evidence Banks” are also included. Reading Beneath the Surface of Words is like taking a crash course in the complexities and rationale of the English writing system and is recommended for all literacy educators.
This quick, 2 minute video gives a brief overview of the 3 main layers of the English Language: Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Greek. A nice simple video to show students to help them understand that although English is complex, it makes sense, if you understand how they are put together (morphology).
This resource is designed for teachers and students with limited experience with advanced phonics instruction. It provides an accelerated scope and sequence of syllable types and common prefixes, suffixes, and root words. The lessons include detailed descriptions, visual examples, and practice pages.
This podcast explores how interconnected reading, writing, and content-rich curricula positively impact student learning. The episode also delves into the equity issues surrounding personal experience prompts, shedding light on the diverse challenges students face when engaging in such tasks.
This article is a quick read that informs the reader about the FACTS about reading, dispelling any myths or misconceptions.
Wondering where to start with morphology and how it can tie in with your explicit vocabulary instruction? This 36-page resource is full of lesson ideas and activities that you use with your students. This resource provides some essential background knowledge of morphology for all educators and then provides several lesson frameworks that you can use with your students, using the new Ontario Curriculum. It provides a suggested scope and sequence as well as word lists, but remember that the scope and sequence for morpheme introduction for the new curriculum is found on page 6 of Appendix A (Word-Level Reading and Spelling: Applying Phonics, Orthographic, and Morphological Knowledge). Once the introductory morpheme sequence from the curriculum has been consolidated, the word and morpheme lists found in this resource you can use to expand students’ morphological understanding beyond Grade 4 and across many subject areas.
In this International Dyslexia Association Perspectives article, Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler discuss why writing is challenging and how educators can teach these skills effectively to their students. They discuss sentence-level activities, embedding writing instruction in content knowledge, and how to prepare students for lengthier writing.
In this International Dyslexia Association Perspectives article, Timothy Shanahan discusses the importance of using challenging texts with students and outlines teacher supports that can be used to facilitate learning. Along with providing historical context for the use of leveled readers, Shanahan explores the role of instructional supports in aiding students while they persevere through challenging text noting that students with a « steady diet of relatively easy texts…would be provided fewer opportunities for dealing with sophisticated vocabulary, morphology, complex syntax, subtle
cohesive links, complicated structures, and richer and deeper
content. »
This PaTTAN webinar featuring Dr. Anita Archer focuses on five high-leverage practices that you can use in your classroom everyday and across multiple content areas. Dr. Archer takes the audience through each routine with lots of examples and opportunities for practice. Grounded in explicit instruction, Dr. Archer shows how foundational skills as well as higher-order critical thinking skills can be brought together in a dynamic and systematic approach to teaching and learning. If you are an elementary educator, do not be fooled by the title, as ‘Secondary’ in the United States is for students in Grades 6 – 12. However, the information and knowledge from this webinar can be used in any classroom, K-12.
A key component of the 2023 Language curriculum is explicit, systematic instruction. In this book, experts Anita Archer and Charles Hughes share the foundations of explicit instruction, how to design lessons based on subject skills/strategies as well as vocabulary/concepts, organizing for and delivering instruction, and providing appropriate independent practice – going from I do, to we do, to you do. This book is incredible learning for classroom educators as well as special education teachers/interventionists, and can be applied to any subject or grade level. Helpful lesson templates/checklists can be downloaded and reproduced.
