Monday, June 22, 2015

A Recipe for Reading-The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo

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As a self-proclaimed professional book hoarder, I have, well, a lot of books about doing the work of supporting readers. I have to say, Jennifer Seravallo's The Reading Strategies Book is one of the most useful, easiest to use resources I've seen in a while.  It reads like one of those popular recipe websites where you enter the goofy ingredients you have and it prescribes a variety of tasty dishes you can make to satisfy your needs. Only these "tasty dishes" are going to spice up your students abilities!
 


If you haven't ordered your copy of  The Reading Strategies book, RUN to Amazon or Heinemann and get yourself a copy!  While you wait, head on over to Heinemann and watch the video Jennifer made that explains how the book is laid out, how you use it.

You can also click your way to ChartChums to read their take on it as well.  Here's an excerpt from their May 27 post;
Jennifer’s book teaches you how to develop your own expertise. Jennifer’s book doesn’t just teach you about reading, it teaches you how to think about readers.
~The strategies are sound teaching.
~The suggested visuals are clear and engaging.
~The lay out is practical and accessible.
~The book is pretty much genius.
                                                           Marjorie Martinelli & Kristine Mraz
If you're addicted to the Two Writing Teachers blog as I am, you'll want to reread Betsy Hubbard's post. "The book is broken into thirteen goals and from there Jen explains why the goal is important and how to know if it is the right goal at the right time. From there she shows the list of skills and strategies that build to each particular goal. Did I mention there are 300 strategies?"

Seriously! Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Go directly to your favorite book supplier and get yourself one!

Cathy