Table of Contents

Video Contents ix

About the Authors xvii

About Uncommon Schools xix

Acknowledgments xxi

Introduction 1

Part 1 The Core of the Core 11

1 Text Selection 13

Module 1.1:The Decline of the Canon 18

Module 1.2: Text Attributes and Leveling Systems 23

Module 1.3: The Five Plagues of the Developing Reader 29

Module 1.4: Book Choice 45

Module 1.5: Managing Selection 52

2 Close Reading 57

Module 2.1: Layered Reading 63

Module 2.2: Establish Meaning via Text-Dependent Questions 71

Module 2.3: Close Reading to Analyze Meaning 83

Module 2.4: Processing Ideas and Insights in Writing, and the Power of Clear Focus 97

Module 2.5: Close Reading Bursts 102

3 Reading Nonfiction, and the Challenge of Background Knowledge 113

Module 3.1: The Key Challenge: Background Knowledge 117

Module 3.2: Absorption Rate 120

Module 3.3: Embedding Texts to Increase Absorption Rate and Build Background Knowledge 123

Module 3.4: Other Ways to Build Background Knowledge 137

Module 3.5: Some Unique Challenges of Nonfiction 143

4 Writing for Reading 155

Module 4.1: Reading Class Cycles 161

Module 4.2: Writing Is Revising 178

Module 4.3: Art of the Sentence 186

Module 4.4: Building Stamina 195

Module 4.5: Monitoring and Assessment via the Stack Audit 200

Part 2 The Fundamentals 205

5 Approaches to Reading: Reading More, Reading Better 207

Module 5.1: Approaches to Reading 211

Module 5.2: Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) 216

Module 5.3: Control the Game 225

Module 5.4: Read-Aloud 239

6 Vocabulary Instruction: Breadth and Depth 249

Module 6.1: Explicit and Implicit Vocabulary Instruction Compared 253

Module 6.2: Explicit Vocabulary Instruction: The Daily Word Rollout to Achieve Deep Word Knowledge 256

Module 6.3: Implicit Instruction: Building Vocabulary During Reading 270

Module 6.4: Maintenance and Extension 281

7 Reading Systems 287

Module 7.1: Interactive Reading: An Overview 290

Module 7.2: Phases of Implementation: Rollout, Modeling, Prompting, Autonomy 293

Module 7.3: Interactive Reading System: How to Mark Up a Text (and What to Mark) 299

Module 7.4: Discussion Systems: Laying the Groundwork for Habits of Discussion∗ 307

Module 7.5: Discussion Systems: Beyond the Groundwork 314

8 Toward Intellectual Autonomy 323

Module 8.1: Frameworks for Interpretation 327

Module 8.2: Technical Vocabulary 338

Module 8.3: Phases of Development 342

Module 8.4: Autonomous Writing Structures 352

Module 8.5: Autonomous Discussion Structures 355

Appendix: Useful Tools 365

Index 387

How to Access the Online Contents 411

More Ways to Engage and Learn with Teach Like a Champion 415

About the Author

DOUG LEMOV is a managing director of Uncommon Schools and leads its Teach Like a Champion team, designing and implementing teacher training based on the study of high-performing teachers. He is the author of Teach Like a Champion 2.0 and coauthor of Practice Perfect.

COLLEEN DRIGGS is a director of professional development for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. Prior to joining the Teach Like a Champion team she was a middle school science and literacy teacher.

ERICA WOOLWAY is the chief academic officer for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. She is a coauthor of Practice Perfect. Erica began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher and then worked as a school counselor and dean.

Reviews

“This concentrates so much outstanding material in the space of a book, plus an excellent DVD showing the approach in practice, that it should be read by every headteacher and English co-ordinator in the country and incorporated into training for new and practising teachers.” (Conservative Home, May 2016)

“…contains a wealth of information and practical advice – most of it distilled from experienced practitioners – that will be of benefit to anyone teaching reading and literacy.” (InTuition, June 2016)