Fountas & Pinnell Blog

Reading aloud and discussing texts with children helps them become interested in print, notice characteristics of genres, and expand their vocabulary and content knowledge.

Interactive read-aloud is a powerful context for teaching students to use academic language to talk about texts.

When students spend their time thinking, reading, writing, and talking every day, they get a message about what is valued in your classroom and they begin to develop their own values.

Students need to experience a variety of books at varied levels for a variety of purposes in a rich literacy system.

As students develop, they construct and integrate new ways of thinking because you are gently leading them forward.

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.

Observational notes contribute greatly to your analysis of the students’ strengths and needs.

Classroom Libraries for independent reading should be as large as possible and as varied as possible.

Effective introductions invite students to make predictions, raise questions, and anticipate the text.

All students need the reading ability that will allow them to open doors and access deeper thinking and learning.

Self-selection in independent reading is very important. It's how students learn to choose what they love to read.

As you and your colleagues teach for the same behaviors and understandings using a common language, your students will benefit from the coherence.

Reflective teaching is rewarding because you are learning from teaching.

A strong repertoire of teaching actions can enable readers to develop self-initiating, self-regulating reading behaviors.

With your skillful teaching the book in a guided reading lesson is within the student’s ability to read with proficiency.

Every teaching move is directed at helping students become self-initiating, independent readers who are flexible and confident.

When everyone in the school uses the same langauge and literacy tool as they move from observaion to instruction, a common conversation occurs.