Happy reading!

Streaming video - 2014

First-grade teacher Debbie Miller chronicles her work teaching reading comprehension in her popular book Reading with Meaning. In this series, Debbie takes you beyond comprehension instruction, and shows how she sustains a thoughtful primary reading program that challenges and supports readers of all abilities and needs. How does Debbie create a learning environment that fosters such sophisticated talk around texts? How is comprehension instruction balanced with teaching decoding skills? How does she help students develop the skills in independence and collaboration necessary for successful reading workshops? Debbie and her students tell this story through a wealth of classroom segments as Debbie reflects on the reasoning behind her instru...ctional decisions and the connections between her practice and the theories that inform her work. While many examples of Debbie teaching comprehension and students practicing reading strategies are presented, they are only part of a larger portrait of how she carefully organizes the classroom environment and designs effective instruction. You will see her assessing students in the midst of teaching, tailoring instruction to emerging needs, and taking the time to build a community of learners. About the author: Debbie Miller taught and learned from children in The Denver public schools for thirty years. Author of, Reading with meaning: teaching comprehension in the primary grades, (Stenhouse, 2002) and the video series, Happy reading! and the Joy of conferring, Debbie now presents workshops and works extensively with schools and districts on long-range planning and development of literacy programs. more