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Stenhouse Newslinks
March 9, 2006


C O N T E N T S


1) Assessing & grading in the differentiated classroom
2) Visit our new and improved Web site!
3) PD Corner: Catching the fluency wave
4) Author Conversations: Debbie Diller, Part II
5) Complex reading comprehension lacking in high schools


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forward this message to unsubscribe@stenhouse.com.


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1) Assessing & grading in the differentiated classroom
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"Differentiation provides focus. It is a compelling, highly-
effective approach that is equal parts technical dexterity and 
professional can-do attitude. That commitment to all students and 
their learning extends to grading and assessment, and this point 
is key: We commit to students and to sound grading practices."


--from Rick Wormeli's new book, Fair Isn't Always Equal


In a differentiated classroom, assessment guides practice. What 
are the key principles of successful differentiated assessment? 
How do grading practices affect how we differentiate instruction, 
and vice-versa? In his new book, Rick Wormeli explores these and 
many other questions about assessment and grading, and provides 
practical advice on specifics including:


- tiering assessments;
- creating good test questions;
- ten approaches to avoid when differentiating assessment and 
grading;
- burning grading issues such as "Record a Zero or a Sixty" and 
grading late work;
- supporting a school-wide move toward successful grading and 
assessment practices.


Fair Isn't Always Equal will be available in print later this 
month, but you can browse the entire book on-line now:


http://www.stenhouse.com/0424.asp?r=n84


* Special for Newslinks subscribers *
Pre-order Fair Isn't Always Equal on our Web site by March 20 and 
we'll waive the shipping charge (a $5 value!). Just enter the 
discount code NL84 at the "Address" checkout screen.


Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the 
Differentiated Classroom * Rick Wormeli * 232 pp/paper * $23.00
http://www.stenhouse.com/0424.asp?r=n84


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2) Visit our new and improved Web site!
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We've just unveiled a completely new design for our Web site, and 
posted details on all of our new spring titles including the full 
text of four new books. We invite you to explore the new site now:


http://www.stenhouse.com/index.asp?r=n84


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3) PD Corner: Catching the fluency wave
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*March Quote of the Month*


"Ms. Washington would read to us every day after lunch, and her 
voice was like ten different musical instruments. She could make 
her voice go low and deep and strong like a tuba, or hop, hop, hop 
quick and light like a flute. When she'd read, her voice wrapped 
around my head and my heart, and it softened and lightened 
everything up. It put a pain in my heart that felt good. When she 
told stories it made me want to tell stories. I wanted to read 
like her, so I could have that feeling anytime."
--Katherine Hannigan (excerpt from her book, Ida B)


Teachers have discovered a renewed interest in fluency over the 
last decade, as researchers continue to note the strong ties 
between reading and writing fluency and how essential fluency is 
to literacy development. "A Focus on Fluency" is the Pacific 
Regional Education Laboratory's comprehensive review of the 
research base for fluency instruction: 


http://www.prel.org/programs/rel/fluency.asp


Two new Stenhouse books from elementary teacher-authors offer 
fresh takes on dilemmas teachers face in fluency instruction.


Students who struggle to read and write fluently often read and 
write at a steady, painfully slow rate. One of the concepts Max 
and Gayle Brand explore in their classrooms is the importance of 
"short bursts"--brief, targeted reading and writing which pushes 
students to read or write at a different rate, speeding up to 
develop literacy stamina. You can read about the concept and the 
lessons Max and Gayle have created for their students in Chapter 4 
of their new book, Practical Fluency:
 
http://www.stenhouse.com/0410.asp?r=n84
(Click on the link for Chapter 4 under "Contents.")


Fluency isn't a concept students necessarily understand, let alone 
monitor as they read. In "The Fluency Awareness Project," Jennifer 
Allen worked with her colleagues to videotape and help students 
analyze their own fluency over the year with peers, with the 
children taking responsibility for setting goals and assessing 
their growth over time. A description of the project and 
assessment rubrics are available in Chapter 7 of her book, 
Becoming a Literacy Leader:
 
http://www.stenhouse.com/0419.asp?r=n84
(Click on Chapter 7 under "Contents.")


Jennifer will also be presenting the project at the upcoming IRA 
Annual Convention in her session, "The Fluency Project: Helping 
Students Monitor and Develop Reading Fluency Skills in the 
Intermediate Grades," on Tuesday, May 2nd from 12:30-1:30 at 
McCormick Place, Room E270.


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4) Author Conversations: Debbie Diller, Part II
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Debbie Diller discusses how her most recent book, Practice with 
Purpose, helps upper elementary teachers implement literacy work 
stations:


http://www.stenhouse.com/conversations.asp?r=n84


Get details about the book, including the full text of Chapter 1:


http://www.stenhouse.com/0395.asp?r=n84


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5) Complex reading comprehension lacking in high schools
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This recent article highlights a new study by the college testing 
company ACT that suggests students who can read complex texts are 
more likely to be ready for college:


"http://www.stenhouse.com/rdact.htm


Follow this link to download the entire ACT report, "Reading 
Between the Lines":


http://www.act.org/path/policy/reports/reading.html


Here are several resources from Stenhouse authors Kelly Gallagher 
and Cris Tovani that will help secondary teachers improve their 
students' reading comprehension:


*By Kelly Gallagher*


Deeper Reading: Comprehending Challenging Texts, 4-12
http://www.stenhouse.com/0384.asp?r=n84


Building Adolescent Readers (Video)
DVD: http://www.stenhouse.com/0430.asp?r=n84
VHS: http://www.stenhouse.com/0421.asp?r=n84


*By Cris Tovani*


Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 
6-12
http://www.stenhouse.com/0376.asp?r=n84


Comprehending Content: Reading Across the Curriculum, Grades 6-12 
(Video)
http://www.stenhouse.com/0375.asp?r=n84


I Read It, but I Don't Get It: Comprehension Strategies for 
Adolescent Readers
http://www.stenhouse.com/0089.asp?r=n84


Thoughtful Reading: Teaching Comprehension to Adolescents (Video)
http://www.stenhouse.com/0369.asp?r=n84


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