The Literacy Center: Contexts for Reading and Writing

The value of small-group instruction cannot be emphasized enough, but many teachers have found it difficult to manage, especially when class sizes remain large. Here is practical, theoretically-sound guidance for language arts teachers from pre-K through grade 5 who want help setting up literacy-rich classrooms that support guided reading or other small-group teaching.

This new edition of The Literacy Center provides meaningful activities that extend small-group instruction in both comprehension and word study. Like the popular first edition, this updated handbook is teacher friendly. Clear suggestions for each center, together with charts, diagrams, black-line masters and photographs, help implement a "real" work place for young learners. Supported by Dr. Morrow's extensive research in motivation theory and exemplary instruction, here are sound ideas that engage students collaboratively and independently. You can spend time teaching small groups of students, attending to their individual needs, all the while knowing the rest of your class will be independently engaged in real learning.

The book is divided into two distinct parts. The first section gives the research background and rationale for using literacy centers. It provides the tools for thoughtful design and use of centers along with helpful hints on how best to motivate students. The second section provides activities for modeling literature to interest children in reading in social collaborative settings. These activities are designed to foster the development of comprehension skills and strategies through the use of children's literature. The book gives equal time to the development of word study skills, such as phonemic awareness and phonics, with manipulative materials to ensure fluent reading.

Included are:smart suggestions for introducing centers;management ideas;black-line masters;ways to foster student collaboration and cooperation;ways to assess students' center work and suggestions for promoting student accountability;a completely new section on word study, phonics and phonemic awareness;practical and effective suggestions for family involvement.

The Literacy Center can help you develop your students' enthusiasm for reading and writing. It is perfect for introducing pre-service teachers to classrooms that are literacy-rich and purposeful, as well as for continuing staff development for classroom teachers who are seeking better ways to engage students in reading and writing.