Fountas & Pinnell Blog

Children love poetry with rhythm and rhyme; the language of poetry sings inside their heads. As they grow in experience, they also learn to appreciate poetry without rhyme, as well as the sensory images and unique perspectives it evokes.

Immersing children in simple poetry at an early age instills a lifelong habit of enjoying language and seeking out poetry in order to expand our vision.

Poetry charts can encourage children to think about how illustrations can support a poem.

To young children, poetry is just fun. But as a teacher, with the full intention of opening the door to literacy, you know that much more is going on.

When teachers systematically observe the literacy strengths and needs of all students, it can inform instruction and teaching can be powerful and responsive.

When using poetry charts in prekindergarten, here is a tip to try out with a classic poem.

Goal of systematic assessment is to make teaching efficient and responsive.

Take a walk through Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC) with the NEW samplers for grades 4-6!

There are so many factors at play in the reading process. The more teachers know, the more effectively they can support really effective processing.

Reflect on your assessment analysis and observations, and engage in a discussion with colleagues to plan rich and comprehensive literacy experiences that meet learners where they are and bring them forward with intention and precision.

The primary purpose of assessment is to gather data to inform teaching. If assessment does not result in improved teaching then its value in school diminishes greatly.

When communicating to parents, use clear indicators of a student’s processing abilities such as understanding, word-solving abilities, accuracy or fluency.

Meli answers questions from students in Texas, Ohio, California, and Vermont!

Let parents know that when selecting books for enjoyment, students should choose books based on interest, not level.

Rather than reporting levels to parents, use language like: reading at, reading above, or not yet reading at grade-level expectations.

If assessment is seen as separate from instruction, it will always be superfluous, ineffective, even a dreaded interruption.

Teachers cannot teach effectively without gathering information about each learner.

You collect data on your students to inform and prioritize teaching decisions that lead to improvement in students’ literacy abilities.