Teaching Reading and Writing

This guide presents the tools and knowledge pre-service and experienced teachers need to teach literacy in a developmentally responsive and integrated way, while meeting the diverse needs of students in today's classrooms. Popular authors Shane Templeton and Kristin Gehsmann have written the most comprehensive yet accessible presentation of the developmentally-based approach to literacy instruction in a foundational methods text. Teaching Reading and Writing: The Developmental Approach gives pre-service and experienced teachers the knowledge and tools they need to teach reading and writing effectively and engagingly in pre-K through grade 8 settings. Using a conversational tone to present a wealth of critical content, this book helps readers connect theory to practice through vignettes and sample lessons from real classrooms; authentic student work samples; ideas for using and integrating print-based and digital texts across the curriculum; and tools for organizing and managing a comprehensive, developmentally-responsive literacy program. Designed to encourage teaching in a student-centered, research-based manner, the book begins with assessment to help readers learn to identify students' stages of development as a means for determining not only what to teach, but how. The book reflects an integrated model of literacy instruction based on the understanding that reading and writing are developmental processes, presenting the essential elements of literacy—word analysis, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and motivation—in every chapter. Foundational chapters address the nature of development and the interaction of thought, language, and literacy. Additionally, there are chapters devoted to each stage of development: Emergent, Beginning, Transitional, Intermediate, and Skillful.