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The Literacy Triangle
50+ High-Impact Strategies to Integrate Reading, Discussing, and Writing in K–8 Classrooms
Accelerate learning with high-impact strategies. Beginning and veteran teachers alike will find insights and practices they can use immediately. No matter what content area you teach, this book will help you develop the strategic reader in every student.
Benefits
- Learn how to incorporate the literacy triangle’s three points—reading, discussing, and writing—into instruction for any subject.
- Cut through the conflict caused by the reading wars and gain clarity on the science behind effective, well-rounded literacy instruction.
- Help students enjoy reading, gain comprehension, and build reading stamina.
- Get differentiation ideas for scaffolding and enriching each strategy.
- Discover how to engage students in opportunities for making meaning, choosing texts, and leading discussions.
- Understand how setting a student’s purpose for reading can encourage focus, engagement, deeper conversations, and a motivation to keep reading.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Join Us on a Journey to Improve Literacy
Part 1: Preparing for Your Journey to High-Quality Literacy Instruction
Chapter 1: Teaching Literacy Effectively
Chapter 2: Making the Right Choices for Reading, Discussing, and Writing
Chapter 3: Using the Literacy Triangle to Improve Literacy Mindsets
Part 2: Implementing the Literacy Triangle to Continue Your Journey to High-Quality Literacy Instruction
Chapter 4: Embarking on a Successful Text Journey—Before Reading
Chapter 5: Staying Focused, but Flexible, on the Text Journey—During Reading
Chapter 6: Wrapping Up a Successful Text Journey With Discussion and Writing—After Reading
Chapter 7: Celebrating the Journey—Bringing It All Together
Conclusion
STUDY GUIDE
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Introduction
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
- Figure 4.3: Before-Reading Question Stems
- Figure 4.4: Before-Reading Exit Ticket
- Figure 4.5: Student Exit Ticket Using Before-, During-, and After-Reading Questions
- Figure 4.9: Ways to Elaborate With Vocabulary Words
- Figure 4.10: IDEA—Illustrate, Describe, Elaborate On, and Associate
- Figure 4.12: Vocabulary Ship and Anchor Exit Ticket
- Figure 4.23: Example of Taking Care of Business Cards
- Figure 4.24: Taking Care of Business Cards
- Customizable Taking Care of Business Cards
- Predicting in Ten Words or Fewer
- Prepping the Brain Before Reading Nonfiction (K–2)
- Prepping the Brain Before Reading Nonfiction (Grades 3–8)
- Prepping the Brain Before Reading Fiction (K–2)
- Prepping the Brain Before Reading Fiction (Grades 3–8)
- Genre Puzzle
- Mix and Match Text Feature Cards
- IDEA Vocabulary Processing
- Vocabulary Ship and Anchor
- Word Detective Bookmark
- 3–2–1 Exit Ticket
- Quick Thinking Jobs for Reading Nonfiction Books
- Quick Thinking Jobs for Reading Fiction Books
Chapter 5
- Figure 5.20: Do Your EARS Hear Fluent Reading?
- Figure 5.23: Listening Response Ideas
- Common Social-Emotional Skills by Grade Level
- Description, Concept, or Definition
- Sequence
- Cause and Effect
- Problem and Solution
- Compare and Contrast
- Sticky Note Template
- Five Steps to Conferring for Better Feedback and Reading Achievement
- One-to-One Conferring With Students and Goal Setting: Teacher Documentation Template for Reading Notes
- Bookmark for Reading Goal (K–2)
- Bookmark for Reading Goal (Grades 3–8)
- Comprehension Hiccup Metacognition Template (K–3)
- Comprehension Hiccup Metacognition Template (Grades 4–8)
- Comprehension Fix-It Tools (K–3)
- Comprehension Fix-It Tools (Grades 4–8)
- Use the Clues
- Decode Puzzling Multisyllabic Words
- Decode Puzzling Multisyllabic Words—Exit Ticket
- I Can Stick With It Stamina Builder
- I Can Stick With It. My Reading Stamina Is Growing!
- Do Your EARS Hear Fluent Reading?
- Fluency Tracker
- Partner Reading Directions and Checklist
- Six Thinking Hats Question Stems
- Roundtable Discussion Template
- Fab Four Focus—Role Cards for Mathematics
- Fab Four Focus—Role Cards for Literacy
- Reciprocal Teaching Conversation Notes
- Text Rendering
Chapter 6
- Figure 6.8: Point System for Discussion
- Figure 6.11: Single-Column Rubric About Opinion Writing
- Figure 6.34: Graphic Organizer for Mentor Text
- Figure 6.35: Using Brown (1949) as Mentor Text Example One
- Figure 6.36: Using Brown (1949) as Mentor Text Example Two
- Figure 6.38: TAG Feedback
- Direct Instruction Minilesson Planning
- Cruisin’ Clipboard—Version One (Updated)
- Cruisin’ Clipboard—Version Two
- Writing Criteria for Success—Checklist
- Writing Criteria for Success—Rubric
- Targeted Skill Minilesson Template
- Thinking Job Discussions—Exit Ticket (K–5)
- Thinking Job Discussions—Exit Ticket (Grades 6–8)
- Fan and Pick for Reading Comprehension
- Fan and Pick for Word Problems
- Student-Led Discussions—Exit Ticket
- Open-Ended Question Stems
- Literacy Reciprocal Teaching—Role Bookmarks
- Mathematics Reciprocal Teaching—Graphic Organizer
- Socratic Seminar Evaluation
- Keep Writing Afloat With RAFTS
- Hopscotch to the Writing Prompt
- Mentor Text—Learning Summary
- My Mentor Text Notebook
- Team Summary
- Synthesizing Information From Texts—Informational Text
- Synthesizing Information From Texts—Fiction Text
Chapter 7
- Figure 7.4: Checklist for Content-Area Independent Reading
- Literacy Triangle Planning Template
- Teacher Checklist for Planning the Literacy Triangle
- Teacher Self-Assessment for Planning With the Literacy Triangle
- Literacy Triangle Learning Walk Form
- SMARTER Goal Template
- Steps to Designing a SMARTER Goal
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Books
- Conzemius, A. E., & O’Neill, J. (2014). The handbook for SMART school teams: Revitalizing best practices for collaboration (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Jensen, E., & Nickelsen, L. (2014). Bringing the Common Core to life in K–8 classrooms: 30 strategies to build literacy skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Marzano, R. J., Rogers, K., & Simms, J. A. (2015). Vocabulary for the new science standards. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Resources.
- Nickelsen, L., & Dickson, M. (2019). Teaching with the instructional cha-chas: Four steps to make learning stick. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Novak, S., & Slattery, C. (2017). Deep discourse: A framework for cultivating student-led discussions. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- O’Neill, J., & Conzemius, A. (2006). The power of SMART goals: Using goals to improve student learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Simms, J. A., & Marzano, R. J. (2019). The new art and science of teaching reading. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Websites
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
- Informational Text Qualitative Measures Rubric
- Lexile Levels
- Text Analysis Toolkit
- Text-Complexity Grade Bands and Ranges
- Steps for Determining Complexity
- Examples of Complex Text for All Grade Levels and Content Areas
- Biography
- Breaking News English
- CommonLit
- For the Teachers
- Newsela
- News in Levels
- ProCon.org
- ReadWorks.org
- ThinkCERCA
- Children’s Book Council
- Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning
- Inclusive Schools Network
- International Literacy Association
- Learning for Justice
- Saddleback Educational Publishing
- University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education
- Goodreads
- Libby
- ManyBooks
- Open Library
- Oxford Owl
- Project Gutenberg
Chapter 3
- Shauna F. King website
- Neuroscience for Kids
- Maryland State Education Association Assessments
- Project Implicit
Chapter 4
- Coggle
- Explain Everything
- MindMeister
- Padlet
- EdWordle
- Lexipedia
- Lingro
- Mathwords
- Word Hippo
- Tagxedo
- WordSift
- Flashcard Stash
- Heads Up!
- Kahoot!
- Quizlet
- VocabAhead
- Vocabulary A–Z
- ThingLink
- TrackStar
- Google Arts & Culture
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- American Museum of Natural History
- Exploratorium
- British Museum
- Clipart Library
- Vocabulary Jam
- National Geographic Kids’ Cicada Article
- Spinner Example
Chapter 5
- Coggle
- Confer app
- Inspiration
- Level It Books app
- Record of Reading app
- MindMeister
- Newsela
- Rewordify
- Snap&Read Universal
- Common Roots and Affixes
- The Reading Fix
- Booksource
- Always Write
Chapter 6
