Integrating Literacy and Math: Strategies for K-6 Teachers

Many K–6 teachers--and students--still think of mathematics as a totally separate subject from literacy. Yet incorporating math content into the language arts block helps students gain skills for reading many kinds of texts. And bringing reading, writing, and talking into the math classroom supports the development of conceptual knowledge and problem solving, in addition to computational skills. This invaluable book thoroughly explains integrated instruction and gives teachers the tools to make it a reality. Grounded in current best practices for both language arts and math, the book includes planning advice, learning activities, assessment strategies, reproducibles, and resources, plus a wealth of examples from actual classrooms.

Ellen Fogelberg, MST, CAS, has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and staff developer. She is currently the Literacy Director for the Evanston/Skokie School District and an adjunct professor at National-Louis University, teaching in the graduate program for Reading. Ms. Fogelberg has presented at state and national conferences and continues to provide workshops for teachers. She received the Reading Educator of the Year award in 2007 from the Illinois Reading Council.

Carole Skalinder, MST, has taught in public and private schools for over 30 years. While teaching third grade in Evanston, Illinois, for the last 14 years, she has also worked as a part-time math coach for her school district. She provides professional development in math curriculum and instruction for many groups of practicing and beginning teachers. Ms. Skalinder collaborated with Donna Ogle and other educators to develop an integrated science and literacy curriculum and has presented the resulting student work at local and national conferences. She participated in the revision of a major standards-based math curriculum.

Patti Satz, MEd, has been teaching first and second grade for 32 years in Evanston School District 65. She has been a math curriculum and instruction coach for 3 years and has been a consultant for a major standards-based math curriculum revision. She has also been a math curriculum presenter at numerous professional workshops. Ms. Satz has trained new teachers in her district in math instruction for many years, and was the recipient of the 2002 Excellence in Mentoring Award from Northwestern University and the Evanston Chamber of Commerce.

Barbara Hiller, MS, is presently serving as a principal coach for the Consortium for Educational Change in Illinois. A former middle school mathematics teacher in Athens, Greece, and Evanston, Illinois, Ms. Hiller has also served as a math curriculum coordinator, middle school principal, and consultant to the University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics development project. As a Peace Corps volunteer in the early years of the program, she taught mathematics at the Philippine Normal College, training new teachers and providing staff development throughout the country. Ms. Hiller retired as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Evanston/Skokie School District in Illinois.

Lisa Bernstein, MEd, currently teaches third grade in the Evanston/Skokie public schools in Illinois. As a proponent of the improvement of elementary math education, she works with various programs, including Northwestern University's Project EXCITE and the University of Chicago's Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education, and presents math workshops for teachers throughout Illinois.

Sandra Vitantonio, MEd, is an educator in Evanston, Illinois, and was a classroom teacher for 34 years. During this time, she received an award from the Illinois State Board of Education as part of its Those Who Excel Awards Program, and was nominated for the Kohl Teaching Award by her school district. She also worked at the University of Chicago on the Everyday Mathematics curriculum project. She retired from teaching in 2005 and is currently working as a mentor coach for new teachers in Evanston/Skokie District 65.