Practice with Purpose

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Literacy Work Stations for Grades 3-6

Debbie Diller

In her 30 years as an educator, Debbie Diller watched primary students work successfully at literacy work stations as she wondered with teachers, "Why don't we have upper-grade students doing this? Could we kick it up a notch?" In Practice with Purpose, Debbie shows teachers of grades three-to-six how to establish routines for independent reading and response writing and how to set up and manage a variety of hands-on literacy work stations for intermediate students so that all students can be successful doing meaningful independent work. The extensive appendix includes time-saving tools such as management board icons, graphic organizers, task cards, and recommended Web sites and children's literature.

Product Details

Author: Debbie Diller
Year: 2005
Grade Range: 3-6

Media: 224 pp/paper
ISBN: 978-157110-395-6
Item No.: WEB-0395

In her 30 years as an educator, Debbie Diller has closely examined classroom practice, asking "Why? What's the purpose?" Watching primary students work successfully at literacy work stations, she wondered with teachers, "Why don't we have upper-grade students doing this? Could we kick it up a notch?"

In her new book, Debbie shows teachers of grades three-to-six how to structure their classrooms so that all students can be successful doing meaningful independent work using literacy work stations.

Practice with Purpose offers guidance on establishing routines for independent reading and response writing, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to set up and manage a variety of hands-on literacy work stations appropriate for intermediate students. Each chapter includes:

how to introduce the station;
innovative ways to use materials;
what to model to guarantee independence;
how to troubleshoot;
assessment and accountability ideas;
how the station supports student achievement on state tests;
reflection questions for professional development.

The extensive appendix includes time-saving tools such as management board icons, graphic organizers, task cards, and recommended Web sites and children's literature.

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Contents
Acknowledgments
1. What is a Literacy Work Station?
2. Management of Independent Work
3. Independent Reading and the Classroom Library
4. Response Writing and the Writing Work Station
5. Easy-to-Set-Up Work Stations
6. Word Study Work Station
7. Poetry Work Station
8. Content-Area Work Stations
9. Drama Work Station<
Appendixes
Web exclusive: Appendix A in Spanish
References

Debbie Diller
Debbie has been a national consultant since 2000, but she still has "those 'back-to-school' dreams in the fall." After playing school in her childhood home's basement in Lititz, PA, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Education.
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