Reading with Writing in Mind: A Guide for Middle and High School Educators

Good writing begins with good reading. This book is written on the premise that students must embrace reading as a part of the full process of good writing. It may be used by classroom teachers (Grades 6-12) individually or collectively as members of a professional learning community, by pre-service teachers in a literacy course, or by other educators working to support literacy in the classroom. Interdisciplinary discussions relate to all types or genres of reading and writing.

This book offers practical lessons and ideas for teaching and motivating all learners using Universal Design for Learning principles. Formatting provides additional ideas for challenged students, including students with special needs, accelerated learners, and English Language Learners, and is aligned with Common Core State Standards for content subjects as well as for language arts. It takes ideas that were formerly reserved for the upper echelon of students in English language arts and reformulates teaching approaches to reach students across the learning spectrum and in all disciplines. All teachers need to be involved in raising the literacy bar, and this book provides activities and strategies for use in the classroom that can promote success for all learners.

Dr. Nancy Charron has worked in different capacities at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels with jobs encompassing being a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a literacy specialist, and a principal designee. She is currently working as an Associate Professor at Southern New Hampshire University.

Dr. Marilyn Fenton, an associate professor at Southern New Hampshire University, has taught writing, children’s and young adult literature, and methods courses for prospective English teachers, grades 5-12. She previously taught English in high school and then served as a school district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She is presently involved in working with doctoral students in the Educational Leadership Program at Southern New Hampshire University.

Dr. Margaret Harris taught graduate courses in Content Literacy on Secondary Level and Social Studies Methods at Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to university teaching, she was Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for four years and a social studies teacher on the high school level for 27 years. Dr. Harris has recently retired from Southern New Hampshire University.