In this much anticipated follow-up to their groundbreaking book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, authors Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, together with co-author Katie Cunningham, extend the conversation in Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom. This new text is built in mind specifically for grades 3-5 teachers around best practices for the intermediate classroom.
Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5 introduces six more shifts across individual chapters that:
- Zoom in on a common (but not-as helpful-as-we-had-hoped) practice to reconsider
- Untangle a number of “misunderstandings” that have likely contributed to the use of the common practice
- Propose a more science-aligned shift to the current practice
- Provide solid scientific research to support the revised practice
- Offer a collection of high-leverage, easy-to-implement instructional routines to support the shift to more brain-friendly instruction
The authors offer a refreshing approach that is respectful, accessible, and practical – grounded in an earnest commitment to building a bridge between research and classroom practice. As with the first Shifting the Balance, they aim to keep students at the forefront of reading instruction.
Dr. Katie Egan Cunningham is committed to supporting teachers in making learning joyful, purposeful, and evidence-based. She is an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Sacred Heart University where she teaches literacy methods and children’s literature courses. Her other work includes Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness and Story: Still the Heart of Literacy Learning.
Dr. Jan Burkins is a full-time writer and literacy consultant dedicated to helping teachers and those who lead them negotiate the competing tensions in our field. Her favorite work is conducting literacy audits with schools and districts. Her other books include Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom (K-2), co-authored with Kari Yates, and Who’s Doing the Work: How to Say Less So Readers Can Do More, co-authored with Kim Yaris.
Kari Yates is an author, speaker, and consultant with a passion for helping busy literacy educators thrive. Her other works include Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom (K-2) co-authored with Jan Burkins, To Know and Nurture a Reader Conferring with Confidence and Joy, co-authored with Christina Nosek, and Simple Starts: Making the Move to a Reader-Centered Classroom.
