Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum: How to Build Bridges in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies

by Lester L. Laminack

In Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature, Lester Laminack and Reba Wadsworth demonstrated how to make the read - aloud a strong supporting structure for literacy learning across the day. Now with Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum they reveal how the read - aloud can strengthen students' abilities and achievement in other subject areas.Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum is a practical guide to expanding your read - aloud instruction to accomplish literacy - based goals in four key subject areas - math, social studies, language arts, and science. You'll find strategic advice for planning thematic, content - driven units that use reading aloud to scaffold understanding and increase engagement. Beginning with smart ideas for introducing students to new content through picture books, Laminack and Wadsworth share ideas for assembling themed sets of children's literature that help kids use the predictable structures of the read - aloud to connect with new ideas. Then Reading - Aloud Across the Curriculum provides suggestions for helping students do research that extends the knowledge they've gotten from whole - class readings and build a bridge from literacy skills to content knowledge. Laminack and Wadsworth give you three specific units of study each for social studies, language arts, science, and even math - twelve units altogether. Each comes with dozens of recommended titles, over 400 in all!Full of useful planning tips, classroom - tested strategies, and Laminack and Wadsworth's trademark enthusiasm for children's literature, Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum doesn't just pick up where its predecessor left off - it takes you and your students to whole new levels of cross - curricular engagement.

Genres: Teaching, Education

Paperback

First published August 30, 2006

About the author

Lester L. Laminack is Professor Emeritus from department of Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle Grades Education, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he received two awards for excellence in teaching [the Botner Superior Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award]. Lester is now a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States. He is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English and served three years as co-editor of the NCTE journal Primary Voices and as editor of the Children’s Book Review Department of the NCTE journal Language Arts (2003-2006). He also served as a teaching editor for the magazine Teaching K-8 and wrote the Parent Connection column (2000-2002). He is a former member of the Whole Language Umbrella Governing Board, a former member of the Governing Board and Secretary of the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking. He served as the Basic Reading Consultant to Literacy Volunteers of America from 1987 through 2001. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Our Children’s Place [www.ourchildrensplace.com].

His academic publications include several books including Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), and his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (NCTE), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature (Heinemann) Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum (Heinemann, Cracking Open the Author’s Craft (Scholastic) and Unwrapping the Read Aloud (Scholastic). In addition he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Early Years, Science and Children, Language Arts, Teaching pre-K/​8, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of six children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Tea Cakes, Jake’s 100th Day of School, Snow Day! and most recently, Three Hens and a Peacock all from Peachtree Publishers.

Lester was born July 11, 1956 in Flint, Michigan. His mom and dad had left their families in Alabama and moved to Michigan where his dad, Jimmy, worked for GM. But Michigan is long way from Alabama when you have a two year old and a brand new baby. So, just two weeks after Lester was born his parents packed everything and moved back to their hometown, Heflin, Alabama. They wanted Lester and his brother Scott to grow up near grandparents, aunts and uncles and lots of cousins.

When Lester was 6 the family moved again. This time to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they moved back to Heflin where he completed 3rd grade and 4th grade. In April of 1966, while he was in the 4th grade, Lester's sister, Amanada, was born. She was so little when they brought her home that he had to hold her on a pillow. Every day when he came home from school he held her and told her stories. Some people think that's why he is a writer. Lester and Amanda have always been very close even though he is 10 years older.

When Scott was in the 7th grade and Lester was in the 5th grade and Amanda was just one year old the family moved again. This time it was to Key West, FL. They lived there under a year before moving back to Alabama.

Lester finished high school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Then he earned an Ed.D. in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL.

And now Lester lives downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. He starts every day with a cup of coffee, loves to listen to music and NPR. He plays saxophone and a Native American flute made from river cane. He reads a lot of children's books, Southern Fiction, poetry, and b

Reviews

[Shaeley Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great source for connecting books with content areas.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many books recommended by topic, never enough time to read-a-loud! Validates what all good teachers know, but sometimes feel guilty doing: read to your students, no matter what age! Integrate curriculum!