Series Type: Professional Development

Close Reading for Understanding

“I want my students to become literate people, and understanding literature is more than just reading and writing. It’s about…

Looking at Cause and Effect

“I want to help my students develop a sense of wonder when they’re reading. That’s what good readers do. They…

Reading Across the Curriculum

“You have to teach without fear. Most of my students don’t like to take chances, so I push myself to…

Revising for Clarity

“Writing needs to be clear, and not just in the world of journalism where I started my career. I try…

Choosing Words Strategically

“My goal is for students to become strong, independent writers. I try to model the writing process by showing students…

Fostering Book Discussions

“You have to have high expectations for students, no matter how well they speak English or how low their reading…

Investigating Word Meaning

“Some of my students are excellent decoders, but reading is more than decoding–it is active meaning making. I teach my…

Assessment and Accountability

How can assessment improve students’ reading and writing? How do teachers assess student performance as they teach? In this session,…

Teaching Diverse Learners

One challenge teachers face is how to work with a broad range of cultural, linguistic, and intellectual differences among their…

Teaching English Language Learners

What strengths and challenges do English language learners bring to the classroom? In this session, literacy and bilingual education expert…

New Literacies of the Internet

How has the Internet changed traditional views of literacy instruction? What reading strategies are necessary to comprehend text on the…

Writing

How do students become effective writers? What challenges do they face in writing across the curriculum? In this session, literacy…

Building Comprehension

How can teachers advance students’ comprehension before, during, and after reading? In this session, literacy expert Nell Duke defines comprehension…

Fluency and Word Study

Students in the intermediate grades continue to develop as fluent readers, using specific strategies for reading and understanding new words.…

Creating Contexts for Learning

How can classroom organization and daily routines help students become better readers and writers? In this session, literacy expert Jeanne…

Social Justice and Action: Joseph Bruchac and Francisco Jiménez

This program begins with profiles of the featured authors, then moves on to Chicago, Illinois, where Lisa Espinosa’s seventh-grade students…

Social Justice and Action: Alma Flor Ada, Pam Muñoz Ryan, and Paul Yee

Laura Alvarez and her bilingual fourth- and fifth-grade students in Oakland, California examine different perspectives and experiences of immigrants, and…

Historical and Cultural Context: Langston Hughes and Christopher Moore

Historical and Cultural Context: Christopher Paul Curtis

Laina Jones and her sixth-grade students in Dorchester, Massachusetts explore The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963 by Christopher Paul…

Research and Discovery: Edwidge Danticat, An Na, Laurence Yep, and more

In Clayton, Missouri, Kathryn Mitchell Pierce’s sixth-grade students read works that explore issues of historical and contemporary immigration. Pierce uses…

Research and Discovery: Shirley Sterling and Laura Tohe

At the Skokomish reservation in Washington State, Sally Brownfield and her eighth-grade students study the literature and issues related to…

Engagement and Dialogue: Judith Ortiz Cofer and Nikki Grimes

The program begins with a profile of the writer Judith Ortiz Cofer and then moves to Vista, California, where Akiko…

Engagement and Dialogue: Julia Alvarez, James McBride, Lensey Namioka, and more

In New York City, Carol O’Donnell and her seventh-grade students explore themes of multiple worlds and dual identities. They read…

Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades

A video workshop for middle school teachers; 8 one-hour video programs, workshop guide, and website. Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop…

Critical Pedagogy: Abiodun Oyewole and Lawson Fusao Inada

Critical Pedagogy: Octavia E. Butler and Ruthanne Lum McCunn

Cultural Studies: N. Scott Momaday and Russell Leong

Cultural Studies: Ishmael Reed and Graciela Limón

Inquiry: Tomás Rivera and Esmeralda Santiago

Inquiry: Rudolfo Anaya and James Baldwin

Reader Response: Keith Gilyard and Mourning Dove

The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High School

A video workshop for high school teachers; 8 one-hour video programs, workshop guide, and website. This professional development workshop for…