Education: New Teaching Theory, Also New Ways to Teach Writing and Vocabulary to Your Students

Education Majors - know the latest in Teaching Theory, Classroom Assessment Strategies, and how to Teach Writing and Vocabulary. Make your students well rounded!

Chaos in the Classroom: A New Theory of Teaching and Learning (BOOK): by Elizabeth Jane Davis, Thomas J. Smith and Dorothy Leflore

This book combines cognitive learning theory, constructivist learning theory, brain-based learning theory with chaos theory to create an entirely new theory of learning. It shows how the four theories share mutual principles that explain many of the gaps in our understanding of the learning process. The authors take the reader through each of the theories and explain their overlapping principles. Using examples from actual classrooms from elementary school to graduate school, they show how an understanding of the new learning theory helps create the conditions necessary for critical thinking and deep understanding of content. The last chapter is a play-by-play set of instructions for creating chaos in your own classroom.

Comprehension Assessment: A Classroom Guide (BOOK): by JoAnne Schudt Caldwell

"Caldwell offers teachers a logical and comprehensive means for gauging comprehension growth. Using a multidimensional approach that mirrors the ways in which comprehension is fostered, Caldwell lays out a clear argument for moving fluidly between instruction and assessment. Each chapter features information on how to apply these assessment principles within a response-to-intervention program, making it a timely addition to every teacher’s professional library. I recommend this book for graduate-level reading assessment courses."—Nancy Frey, PhD, School of Teacher Education, San Diego State University

"Caldwell captures the complex nature of comprehension while providing easily accessible examples that are relevant to teachers. Unique to this book is Caldwell’s attention to how educators can use content-free dialogue and think-alouds as part of the comprehension assessment process. This book is a wonderful resource for literacy graduate courses and practicing educators, since Caldwell assists teachers and reading specialists as they make informed comprehension assessment decisions. I will likely use this book in the future for graduate courses."—Katherine Hilden, PhD, School of Teacher Education and Leadership, Radford University

Crafting Writers, K-6 (BOOK): by Elizabeth Hale

Most of us know good writing when we read it, but writing teachers need to know what makes it work. Filled with easy-to-use charts, and practical lessons, Crafting Writers, K–6 provides clear insight into identifying and teaching the small elements that make good writing successful.

Creating Robust Vocabulary: Frequently Asked Questions and Extended Examples (BOOK): by Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown and Linda Kucan

"If you don't already belong to a teachers-as-readers group, this book is reason to start one. The authors expand on the fundamentals that made their Bringing Words to Life such a treasure. They provide practical and specific ideas that will increase your knowledge of the 'what,' 'when,' and 'how' of vocabulary instruction, supported throughout by explanations that will stretch your thinking about the 'why.' Motivated by concerns raised by real teachers, this book contains everything you wanted to know about robust vocabulary instruction."—Mary E. Curtis, PhD, Director, Center for Special Education, Lesley University

"Get out your highlighter when you read Creating Robust Vocabulary! The authors discuss why a robust vocabulary is essential to comprehension and how to enrich vocabulary instruction. This is one professional book you will really enjoy using--I couldn't put it down. Reading this book felt like having a marvelous conversation with the authors; they answered all my vocabulary-related questions, plus ones I didn't know I had. This invaluable, teacher-friendly resource inspired me to start implementing the robust vocabulary strategies with my first graders today, and they loved it!"—Ann Uzendoski, MS, first-grade teacher, Highwood Hills Elementary School, St. Paul, Minnesota