Transformational Literacy: Making the Common Core Shift with Work That Matters

by Ron Berger, Libby Woodfin, Suzanne Nathan Plaut

Engage, challenge, and inspire students with work that matters Transformational Literacy, written by a team from EL Education, helps teachers leverage the Common Core instructional shifts--building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction, reading for and writing with evidence, and regular practice with complex text--to engage students in work that matters. Worthy texts and worthy tasks help students see the connection between their hard work as readers and writers and their capacity to contribute to stronger communities and a better world.

The stories, examples, and resources that permeate Transformational Literacy come primarily from the more than 150 EL Education schools around the country that support teachers to select, supplement, customize, and create curriculum, and improve instruction. The book also draws on EL Education's open source Common Core English Language Arts curriculum--often cited as one of the finest in the country--and professional development offered to thousands of teachers to implement that curriculum effectively.

Transformational Literacy combines the best of what EL Education knows works for kids--purposeful, inquiry-based learning--and the new imperative of the Common Core--higher and deeper expectations for all students.

Teach standards through a compelling and purposeful curriculum that prioritizes worthy texts and worthy task Improve students' evidence-based reading, thinking, talking, and writing Support students to develop a new mindset toward the challenge of reading complex texts Transformational Literacy introduces an approach to literacy instruction that will engage, challenge, and inspire student with work that matters.

Genres: Education, Teaching

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Alie Stumpf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book challenges me to focus on texts rather than topics when designing curriculum. I also love thinking about putting literature in conversation with nonfiction. I'm also glad there is an acknowledgement that kids need volume & they need reading choices in order to build this volume. I think Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, Kelly Gallagher are better sources on how to build this reading life, but this is a great text about how to challenge kids with whole class texts.

Where I differ with this book is my belief that, as Kylene Beers & Bob Probst state in Notice & Note, "text-dependent questions create teacher-dependent kids." I think some teacher question is good--we need to use questions to probe & illuminate ambiguous parts of the text. Yes, good questions are planned & not off the cuff. I just think the signposts & other question eliciting techniques will lead kids to become the better readers who use inquiry to deepen their reading--rather than waiting for someone to provide this inquiry for them.

Overall, it was a helpful read & now will be a heavily marked up resource!

[Crystal Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much Ed reform language centered in standards and high quality work v. student authenticity and deep engagement through a strong curriculum and school culture. Nonetheless, there is a comprehensive overview of common core literacy standards and how to use texts to drive instruction.

[Evangelyn Visser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good explanation of what shifts in instruction look like. Tools to make the change. Not sure if it is sufficient.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It became a little repetitive but I found a lot of meaningful content on each chapter.

[Emily]

So many good ideas and things to consider...