giveaway · jen serravallo · writing about reading

The Reading Strategies Book + Giveaway

Betsy Hubbard

You might remember, back in April, when I did a review of The Reading Strategies Book by Jen Serravallo. I recently had the chance to visit her at a conference and learn even more! See my notes from her sessions here.

Following the conference, I wrote a post about Kate Roberts and her session, writing about reading. It reminded me that there is a whole chapter on this subject in Jen’s book and my curiosity forced me to revisit this section. I was reminded that it is important to know my purpose when asking students to write about reading and it’s also important to allow students to have a voice when making the decision to write about their reading. My goal may be to have students do this once a week, but it doesn’t have to be “Write about reading Wednesday,” it can be the student’s decision when to do this work. I also need to think about whether this is the right goal for this student before encouraging the process of writing about reading. Here is a summary of the ideas Jen follows when making these decisions:

~If the child’s oral expression of a text far surpasses their ability to write about the text, this may be the right goal for the student. (Since talk is so important, if the child is able to verbally articulate the importance of a book, writing it will be of value).

~If the child has a difficult time remembering what they are reading, the act of writing out the important parts could better establish improved comprehension.

~If the student’s writing skills are strong, but their ability to discuss important parts of a text are limited, writing about the text may deepen their understanding and their ability to discuss text.

 

Jen has also gone a step further in her quest for helping teachers by creating a teacher’s guide, digital download, to go along with the book, likely due out mid-August. Jen made the guide with teachers in mind, offering activities to encourage collaboration among each other in classroom lab sites. She encourages teacher to work together and plan/study the strategies with students in mind. There are ideas for people just starting out with The Reading Strategies Book, as well as suggestions on how to connect the ideas to other books Jen has written, such as The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Teaching Reading in Small Groups and Conferring with Readers.

That brings us to the fun part! A giveaway! Heinemann Publishers are eager to give a copy of The Reading Strategies Book to one of you!

 

THE WINNER IS…Kelli Wilcox! Kelli will be receiving a copy of The Reading Strategies Book from Heinemann Publishers! Happy Summer Reading!

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

  • This giveaway is for a copy of The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo. Many thanks to Heinemann Publishers for donating a copy of this book.
  • For a chance to win a copy of The Reading Strategies Book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, July 5th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, July 10th.
  • Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win.  From there, my contact at Heinemann Publishers will ship your book out to you.  (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
  • If you are the winner, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS – THE READING STRATEGIES BOOK. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn’t received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Published by Betsy Hubbard

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher, and writer.

208 thoughts on “The Reading Strategies Book + Giveaway”

  7. This book is pure genius and should be on every reading teacher’s bookshelf! Its power is in its simple organization.

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  9. Jen’s work is always so helpful. This book looks like a really valuable addition to any reading teacher’s library. I would be thrilled to win a copy to share with colleagues.

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  12. My students have struggled with writing about reading. Perhaps it’s because it requires them to think critically about their reading as well as think about the complexities of writing. Perhaps it’s because they really don’t understand the importance of thinking about what they are reading. Perhaps it’s because they don’t know how to articulate their ideas. Or more importantly, perhaps it’s because I have not taught them important and useful strategies to know how to write about their reading. So this book, The Reading Strategies Book, sounds just like something I may NEED. A book filled with strategies that may help me guide my students to success.

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  15. I really want this book! I’m teaching reading this year after 10 years of math and science, and it sounds like such a user-friendly resource.

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  16. I would love to win this book! Sounds like it will be a tremendous resource for me, and in turn, my young writing students.

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  18. This book sounds fabulous! I have tried many different ways for reader’s response. I would love to read what Jen has to say about it. Thanks for sharing!
    Amy

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  19. I recently was able to hear Jen speak in Iowa. She was fabulous! I really want to read her new book! Thanks for the opportunity to win it!

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  21. This book looks fantastic! I was initially drawn in by the mention of writing about reading, but I’m excited about every area addressed in the table of contents. Fingers crossed! (But I’ll just have to buy it if I don’t win.) 😉

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  22. I heard about this book from a colleague and was already planning on ordering it! I’m starting a new job in the fall – literacy coach! I’m excited to read it!

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  23. My sister-in-law and I are both planning to read the book this summer! She teaches Kindergarten, and I’m a literacy coach, and we are excited to discuss Jen’s strategies. Improving and increasing written responses to reading is one of the school improvement goals at one of our buildings. I can’t wait to work with our fabulous teachers as they take on this challenge with purpose and intentionality. I’m also interested in the teacher’s guide to share with colleagues. Thanks!

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  25. I just searched to book to get a better feel for it. It looks incredible. I put it on my wish list just in case I don’t win the book from you. Thanks!

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  26. Thank you for sharing ideas that came from the this book and from Jennifer Serravalle as well. I am looking forward to working with teachers around this book during the summer and into the next school year. The teacher’s guide sounds like it will be helpful. Brennanamy56@gmail.com

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  28. This is now the second time I’ve heard about this book and Jen in the last 3 days. I think that means I’m supposed to read this book this school year. I’m excited to see her at our state reading conference in Oct.

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  29. I heard about this book at an Inservice this year…everyone who had read it was raving about it. Very excited to read it…

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  30. I am looking forward to reading this book either way! So many great ideas for reading comprehension. I am most interested in thoughts and ideas about writing about reading. It is a never ending conversation at my school.

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  35. I’ve been thinking a lot about the purpose and effectiveness of reading responses so I was really drawn to the examples you give above from the book. Seems like this would be a great read. Thanks for the review.

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  40. I continue to hear great things about this book and participated in a twitter chat with Jen this past week. My team and I would love to share a copy of this book!

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  41. I’ve just started reading your blog and really enjoy it. The information in this book sounds like what I’m looking for to improve my reading conferences!

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  43. Enjoy everything Jen puts out. Just finished my digital campus class for “Teaching Reading in Small Groups” and walked away with so much that seemed like, “why hadn’t I thought of that before; it makes so much sense!”

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  45. After joining colleagues for a book study on Jen’s book Teaching Reading in Small Groups I have become extremely interested in her techniques and strategies for teaching all students. She provides very specific examples for strategy groups which I find very helpful since we just switched to a reading workshop curriculum. I am excited to implement her ideas this upcoming school year.

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  49. I like the idea of honoring oral expression as well as writing. I believe we need to think about reading in the same way, giving significant attention to the thinking processes that involves–processes that are used when we analyze and evaluate situations/visuals/media/etc. much as we do the written word.
    Anxious to read this book.

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  52. After reading so many good things about Serravallo’s book I had to purchase my own. I look forward to sharing it with my staff in the fall.

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  55. This book is in my Amazon cart! I am looking forward to getting my hands on it soon. It sounds like it will be a great resource for the teachers in our building!

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  56. I’m giving a presentation at our summer PD for our district teachers on independent reading. I’d love to share some of these strategies with them and have the book to share/promote!

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  60. Always appreciate the opportunity to win a free book helping me be a better teacher of both writing and reading. LOVE this blog!!!!

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  62. That looks excellent. Sounds like this kind of purposeful writing is exactly what my students need. I look forward to reading the book!

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  67. Comments, recommendations, and raves are popping up everywhere! I simply MUST get my hands on this book. Although retired from the classroom, I am active in professional learning and finding new ways to contribute. Thank you to all contributors to Two Writing Teachers who inspire me each day.

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  69. MERCI for the post and the opportunity to win what is sure to be a valuable resource for teachers and students of those teachers using it!

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  71. Thanks for writing this post! I love the idea of having kids write about their reading once a week! I’ve done that before a couple of years ago, but I’ve learned so much more lately about how to facilitate this, so it’s time to bring this back!!!

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  73. I just left the Growing Educators conference on reading workshop. I am craving to learn more. I would love a copy of your book!

    Adam
    Fourth Grade

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  75. Hi Betsy.

    I like the idea of giving students choices, I just worry about those who choose the “easiest” way out. You really have to “know” your students. Personally, I have always loved reading and would hate to have to keep stopping to write about my reading. I am one who becomes immersed when reading a book that I love and just want to “keep reading”. Again, really knowing our students will help us to differentiate what we are planning for them. Sometimes we have the best intentions to differentiate, but become overwhelmed with curriculum, low achievers that need our help, and/or we simply run out of time. I like the “daily 5” classroom ideas, along with the book you are giving away would help teachers to create a balance between reading and responding to literature. I would not want to turn a child off from reading, simply because we are overwhelming them with a response requirement.

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  80. Writing about reading is one of those strategies I used early on in K-1. Even the simple act of picking your favorite page(a line in the book), turning it into a sentence strip and then cutting it up was so powerful for so many!
    Hope to read this soon!

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  81. As an elementary librarian, I am always on the hunt for materials to help my teachers with reading. Would love to add this to our toolbox. Parents also sometimes mistakenly equate decoding skills with comprehension skills; this book might help them understand the difference as well.

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  82. The greatest skill we can teach readers is how to read strategically. I would love to learn even more about strategic reading.

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  88. I love the idea of building comprehension through writing. I would love to read this book and see what I could bring into my own classroom.

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  91. Love learning about different ways to help my students become better readers and writers! this book sounds like a great resource!

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  94. This would be a very useful resource in my third grade classroom and as I embark on two new leadership roles; a literacy leader for grades 2 & 3 and leading new teacher workshops!

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  95. I really love this book, and have heard great reviews already 🙂
    I really like how the book is written for teachers, and that the focus is on collaboration. It leads to the idea of a village raising a child 🙂

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  103. I have been borrowing this book from a classmate in the Fox Valley Writing Project. It is fantastic. I hope that I can win a copy of it!!!

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  104. Your post makes great sense. Good readers can speak as well as write about writing. Hope to win a copy of this book.

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    1. I love everything Jen writes! This book will be so helpful for teachers to choose a strategy that truly matches where the reader needs a nudge.

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  110. I saw the book, and its contents – it looks like a very valuable resource for teachers! Ms. Serravallo is an excellent coach, with her finger on the pulse of what will truly help teachers!

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  111. Can’t wait to get my hands on this book. Knew it would be good when I saw Jen Serravallo was the author. Then so many people, including you, Betsy, were raving about it I knew I had to get it. Can’t wait to read Jen’s thinking- know it will be smart!

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  112. Writing about reading is a perpetual conundrum! I like to have them write about reading in preparation of a book club meeting so they show up with something to discuss. This book sounds very helpful on a number of key sticky points!

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  116. Betsy, thank you for the summary of the writing about reading chapter. Already I have ideas churn, churn, churning for how I could use this to help my students learn. Please thank Heinemann for the giveaway. (Would it seem impolite to say, “PICK ME, PICK ME, PICK ME!”) WIth gratitude…

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  122. Wow, there are a lot of teachers who want this book. Ha! I do have my students write about reading once a week and we do a lot of talking to prepare for it. Writing solidifies thinking. I feel it is an important aspect of the process. I’d love to have this book and will probably order it anyway. Such an important issue, especially now that testing focuses on writing about reading.

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  123. This book looks like it will be a great addition to my summer reading list. My goal this summer is to find more ways to blend together writing and reading. Thank you for having the giveaway.

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  132. Your three hyphened points are prominent in my classroom. I agree that it is very important to know your purpose for writing after reading. It should never just be a filler until class time is over. The book looks to provide effective strategies for teachers. I am looking forward to reading it!

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  133. I think you bring up such an important point about purpose. I have been reading Patrick Allen’s book, Conferring with Readers, and he talks a lot about having students understand their purpose and audience when reading, and the same goes for writing. I think this is especially important to keep in mind when it comes to reading response journals/notebooks – having students understand the WHY and making sure that as teachers, we are providing them with meaningful, purposeful writing activities. I’m really excited to read this book!

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  134. Sounds like a great book to read. I’m learning the importance of teaching students to read like writers and write like readers. This sounds like a great book to use as a resource.

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  136. I have spent this first part of my summer vacation reexamining my reading workshop, in particular, writing about reading. Your timing, once again, is uncanny and valuable. I would love to win a free book, but I think your article may also be key to my next steps. Thank you for the opportunity and the generous sharing of your learning.

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  139. Writing about reading with purpose resonates with me. We were seeing our students complying with our requests to jot/write about reading or worse, feeling guilty for not complying, but when we started tying writing about reading with their personal reading goals, the quality of thinking and writing about reading improved dramatically and so did students’ attitudes about using writing to learn. Can’t wait to read Jen’s newest book in my literacy leader PLG!

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  141. We just heard about this book at a 2-day writing workshop, Units of Study. It will be on my list of books to purchase and to use this coming year. Eager to have my reading and writing workshop working together to benefit my students. Would love to share it with my peers, Thank you for the opportunity.

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  142. My summer professional book club just met and we had a great discussion abt Reading in Small Groups and The Reading Strategies Book. We were all excited @ keeping this group going in the fall. The study guide you mentioned will be a great resource for us! Thanks!

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    1. I want students to write about reading for an authentic purpose, not just as an assignment with the audience being the teacher. Good ideas are presented here.

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  149. Good post. I already own this book, so please don’t include me in the give away. I have made great use of the book during the last few weeks. Clients of mine have purchased it for their teachers too. It’s one of those books that I’ll come back to and be surprised by what I find, regardless of how well I read and reread. I like the organization of the text and appreciate the classification of strategy by reading sophistication.

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  150. I have been wanting to read Jen ‘s book about reading strategies. Thanks for enticing me into making it a summer read. I believe writing about reading is so important to help students become more critical readers.

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  151. student choice = student engagement Jen is a master of reminding us about this and even weaves it in to writing about reading. Can’t wait for teacher guide in August. Thanks for article and giveaway.

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  159. Thank you for the summary. I can’t wait to read this book! Looking forward to learning more, and helping my students even more!

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  162. Can’t wait to read this one! I am always looking for ways to get my 5th graders to write about their reading.

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  163. I’m introducing more in-class reading but I’m terrible at writing prompts and discussion questions, so this book is a wonderful guide.

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  164. I cannot wait to finally get this book, winning a copy would be perfect! Thanks for the thoughtful post on writing about reading, I would like tovworknok incorporating this more naturally into my classroom.

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  165. Thanks so much for your notes Betsy! You make some great points here and I love the summary you shared that Jen follows. The Reading Strategies book is on my summer must-read list! Great post!!

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  166. Another teacher and I were just discussing The Reading Strategies Book. I downloaded the sample and was impressed with the variety of strategies and differentiation possibilities. What a great resource to extend my teaching. Thanks for the giveaway offer!

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  167. With the new CCSS it is imperative that teachers (whether new or seasoned) find ways to make the learning meaningful and relevant for students. I think this is definitely a tool that is needed in every teacher’s toolbox. Love that is has supplements too!

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  170. I love Jen too! I really like the guiding questions for when to have students write about their reading. It’s been tricky for me to get teachers to do this without having all students write to the same prompt, or to summarize what they’ve read. Thanks for sharing!

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  171. I have heard so many good things about this book. Her advice seems both common sensical and also full of insight and wisdom. I think this is one I’ll be reading in late summer to gear up for the school year.

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  173. This would be a valuable resourse for my new teacher program. I am presently involved in a grant to prepare new teachers for urban schools and one of the areas we are focusing on is teaching comprehension strategies.

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  174. wow! you read my mind! last night I was scouring the net to try to find this book, which I had forgotten the title of after reading about it at TWT. So glad you revisited! Amy Boyden

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  184. My students struggle with writing about what they have read. It is so difficult for them to get their thoughts into words. I would love to win this book that is filled with strategies to help them. Thank you!

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  185. I have always been a strong proponent of writing about reading and would love to have this book on my professional resource shelf to share with teachers in my building.

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  191. BennisBuzz is going to use “Buzz About Books (chapter two) Learn ways to recommend books to peers by writing/telling about important elements like plot, theme, characters and topics.” A great way to for student to focus on the important elements and share with peers. Win-Win! Thanks! D 🙂

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  194. I would love a copy of this book! I am learning to be a 4th grade teacher after all of my teaching in the primary age group. This book would help a lot. Thank you for the giveaway!

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  195. I just bought this book, and besides being full of ideas, it’s beautiful. 🙂 I’ve been teaching a long time, and I feel like I do a pretty good job when it comes to teaching reading, but I’m thinking this book is going to help me become more focused in my reading. I really want a book club so I have people to discuss it with!

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  196. I have been wanting this book as well. Really want our students to write about reading in order to deepen their understanding of the text, not just as an assignment.

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  197. I am so excited to get my hands on this book. I think that it would be truly priceless for me to use with the teachers I coach. 🙂

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  202. Sounds like a great book. I will be working on implementing guided reading in a more meaningful way this year and it sounds like this book could help. It is also important to think about how often we ask kids to write about their reading. After all, do we as adults write about our reading every day??

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  203. Our state reading association hosted a Twitter chat with Jen about this book. It sounds like it is packed with many great ideas for supporting reading comprehension. It might be a great book to do as a book study with our reading specialist team!

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  204. As a literacy coach and teacher, I rejoice in this clarification of writing about reading, purpose, and student voice; particularly empowering is the student’s decision when to do the work. How exciting that a teacher’s guide to The Reading Strategies Book is forthcoming in August! Thank you, Serravallo, and Two Writing Teachers!

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