Core Instructional Routines: Go-To Structures for Effective Literacy Teaching, K-5

"The word routine gets a bad rap, too. It is sometimes used to describe the day-to-day, monotonous patterns of our everyday lives, often perceived as boring and unimaginative. This word has somehow lost its truth along the way. Routine needs an ally these days, and Judith and Andrea have come to its rescue! The fact is, routines are the foundational architecture for creativity, and in the classroom they give birth to deeper reading, rich writing, and meaningful conversation."
—Tanny McGregor, author of Comprehension Connections

Routines are the backbone of well-run classrooms. They give kids just enough structure to count on and grow from. Core Instructional Routines offers ideas that give every student practice with reading, writing, speaking, and listening—and that open up numerous opportunities for differentiated instruction.

Judy Dodge and Andrea Honigsfeld’s instructional guidebook provides teaching routines you can adapt to any content area, to fiction and nonfiction texts, and to any student’s needs. They aren’t busy work or curricular filler but essential frameworks for joyful, productive learning. Judy and Andrea share:

• dozens of research-backed, classroom-tested routines
• a toolbox for implementation and differentiation
• research summaries on how routines help learners
• reproducible templates and helpful student samples
• essential questions for study groups.

And even though standards and mandated curricula tell us what we must teach, you can turn to Core Instructional Routines to help you decide how to teach because it helps you:

• see what addressing the standards can look like in your classroom
• establish and maintain classroom expectations
• work toward specific literacy goals
• support the skills and habits of mind for college and career readiness
• guide students toward independence
• create additional opportunities to meet everyone’s needs.

“By showing students what they can expect and count on,” write Judy and Andrea, “you will establish a healthy environment for learning, and you can feel confident that you are providing instruction that will build skills for students to be successful in school.” Trust Core Instructional Routines for results that are anything but routine.

Judy Dodge is a learning specialist and a recognized leader in the field of effective classroom instruction. A former teacher and national presenter, she is the author of numerous articles and books. Recent visits to schools in China, South Africa, Finland, and Denmark have informed Judy's understanding of how children learn best. Her present focus includes formative assessments, differentiated instruction, and designing tiered activities to provide the "just right" challenge for all learners. In addition, she continues her work in study skills, as well as reading and writing across the content areas. In addition to coauthoring the previous edition of Core Instructional Routines, for Grades K-5, with Andrea Honigsfeld, Judy is the author of several articles and books, including The Study Skills Handbook (1994), Differentiation in Action (2006), and 25 Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom (2009).

Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld is TESOL professor at Molloy University , Rockville Centre, NY. Before entering the field of teacher education, she was an English as a Foreign Language teacher in Hungary (grades 5-8 and adult), an English as a Second Language teacher in New York City (grades K-3 and adult), and taught Hungarian at New York University. A Fulbright Scholar and sought after national presenter, Andrea is the coauthor or coeditor of 27 books on education and numerous chapters and research articles related to the needs of diverse learners. Andrea is coauthor of the Core Instructional Routines books with Judy Dodge. Visit Andrea at www.andreahonigsfeld.com.