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Email: jenny@erinkentconsulting.com

Linked In: Jenny Killion

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Winner of a silver medal from the Nautilus Book Awards in the category of Social Sciences and Education

"Is it possible to create a more inclusive and fairer education system? The Knowledge Gap shows the way." Daisy Christodoulou, tes.

"The Knowledge Gap is not just a scholarly work. It pulsates with vivid detail as it winds its way through the strange terrain of the Educational Upside Down. Anyone who seeks to understand the quixotic state of educational ideas in American schools and beyond should place it on the top of their summer reading list." Greg Ashman, Quillette

"The best book I have seen on improving elementary schools." Jay Mathews, Washington Post

"The Knowledge Gap makes a persuasive case for attending to the importance of rich content and high-quality curricula in elementary classrooms." Carnegie Corporation of New York

"This book serves as a reminder of our own potential knowledge gap and provides an opportunity for educators to be wiser consumers of information with the ability to 'distinguish between approaches that are likely to produce the outcomes we want and those that will only lead to a heartbreaking waste of precious time.'" Sheryl Ferlito, Perspectives on Language and Literacy

"Wexler ... has made a first-rate case for content. ... If you are among the uninitiated on the value of content knowledge for kids, buy a copy. If you're already among the true believers, buy two copies and put them in the hands of persuadable educators." Robert Pondiscio, Education Next

"In this compelling work, journalist Wexler pinpoints the underlying issues that plague the American public education system, provides context to recent educational reforms, and offers possible solutions." Library Journal (starred review)

"A compelling critique of American elementary schools" that "highlights pervasive problems." Kirkus Reviews

"Illuminating and thought-provoking." Publishers Weekly

THE KNOWLEDGE GAP focuses on a long-overlooked issue lying at the heart of what is known as the achievement gap: the failure of most elementary schools, and especially those serving low-income children, to systematically build knowledge of the world.

Every school day, elementary teachers spend hours drilling students on comprehension skills and strategies like "finding the main idea" or "making inferences," in an effort to boost their reading ability-and their scores on standardized reading tests. Subjects like history, science, and art have virtually disappeared from the curriculum in many schools.

In fact, these schools are doing the exact opposite of what can actually turn students into good readers. Comprehension strategies can be useful-when delivered in limited doses and connected to specific content. But cognitive science has shown that the primary factor in whether you're able to understand what you read is whether you possess relevant background knowledge and vocabulary.

The prevailing narrow, skills-focused approach to literacy instruction can hold any child back, but its effects fall hardest on those at the bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum. Children from more educated families often absorb knowledge about the world at home. But those from less educated families have to rely on schools for the kind of knowledge that will equip them to do well on tests-not to mention in high school, college, and life. Every year they spend in school without getting that knowledge puts them farther behind their more affluent peers. By the time they get to middle or high school, it's often too late for them to catch up.

Through the stories of educators, students, and parents, The Knowledge Gap examines what elementary literacy instruction currently looks like, how it evolved to this point - and how it can be changed so that all students receive a meaningful, rigorous education.

Excerpts from the book have appeared in The Atlantic, Chalkbeat, MindShift, American Educator, and the blog of the Albert Shanker Institute.

Read or listen to interviews with Natalie and presentations about The Knowledge Gap:

TV:

Morning Joe, MSNBC

After Words With Natalie Wexler, C-SPAN

Good Morning Washington, WJLA

VIDEO:

Why Prior Knowledge Wins the Game (two-minute video from Edutopia)

Western NY Science of Reading Conference, November 2022

Iniciativa Educacao, Lisbon (in English)

Why Teaching Social Studies Is Teaching Reading, The OC for Social Studies Conference

RADIO:
Total Information AM South Dakota Public Broadcasting
The Pulse (WHYY/NPR) (episode on comprehension)

On Point (WBUR/NPR)

Leonard Lopate at Large, WBAI

All of It, WNYC

The Record, KUOW

St. Louis in Tune, KWRH

Nightside with Dan Rea, WBZ

PODCASTS:

Through the Educational Looking Glass with Don Sturm and Courtney Eddleson

Lars og pal with Lars Sandaker

Education Uncharted with Amanda Bratten (Propello)

Raising Healthy Kid Brains podcast with Amy Nielson

TeachThought Podcast panel discussion with Emily Hanford and others

The Literacy View with Faith Borkowsky, Judy Boksner, and Mary McCool Berry

Building Knowledge with Kristen Rodriguez

Mr. Nico Summer Schoolin' with Nico Eaglin

Melissa and Lori Love Literacy (with Judith Hochman)

On the Scene with SST 13 with Mary Williams

The Inquiring Mind with Stanley Goldberg

After the Bell with Cassie Tabrizi
Talking to Teens
Alabama Literacy Network's Podcast with Shelley Vail-Smith

The Charles Love Show (second hour)

Catalysts for Change with Jill Shah

Rethinking Intervention with Emily Freitag

Tests and the Rest with Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley

Filling the Pail with Greg Ashman

Rethinking Intervention with Emily Freitag and Christina Gonzales

PodcastED with Doug Tuthill
EDVIEW 360 Podcast, Voyager Sopris: Righting the Wrongs of the Elementary Education System EWA Radio: Can Schools Close "The Knowledge Gap"?Just a Few Questions with Marc Sims
Education is Power with Chris Stewart (Facebook Live)

Melissa and Lori Love Literacy (second appearance)
More Teacher Talk: Transforming Teaching and Learning for Disadvantaged Pupils Full Prefrontal: A Podcast About Exposing the Mysteries of Executive Function Ed's Not Dead: A podcast covering today's hottest education issues Off the Assembly Line: A Podcast with Rebecca Reed ExtraOrdinary Districts: Ordinary school districts that get extraordinary results Vrain Waves: Teaching Conversations with Minds Shaping Education Science of Reading: The Podcast The Learning Curve with Bob Bowdon and Cara Candel The Report Card with Nat Malkus Education Research Reading Room with Ollie Lovell Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder Melissa and Lori Love Literacy

PRINT INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES:
EdSource/KQED, This Literacy Expert Reveals the Key Problem Undermining American Education, April 25, 2024 Edutopia, "Why Our Youngest Readers Need 'Knowledge,' Not 'Skills,' July 28, 2022 Edutopia, "Is It Time to Drop 'Finding the Main Idea' and Teach Reading in a New Way?, July 28, 2020 American Educator, "Building Knowledge: What an Elementary Curriculum Should Do", Summer 2020 EdNC, "Reading instruction needs to improve. Who will lead the charge, and how?", February 17, 2020 Perspectives on Language and Literacy, "The Importance of Knowledge" (International Dyslexia Association), Fall 2019 MindShift (KQED) ,"Why Deeply Diving Into Content Could Be the Key to Reading Comprehension," October 22, 2019 Chalkbeat, "Want better readers? Spend less time teaching kids to find the main idea, 'Knowledge Gap' author Natalie Wexler argues", September 16, 2019 District Administration, "Closing the knowledge gap: Why schools are failing to teach fundamental reading and comprehension skills-and how to change it", October 2019
Click HERE to order The Knowledge Gap through the publisher's website or HERE to order from Amazon. Listen to an excerpt from the audio version, read by the author, below. To order the audio book, click HERE.

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Winner of a silver medal from the Nautilus Book Awards in the category of Social Sciences and Education "Is it possible to create a more inclusive and fairer education system? The Knowledge Gap shows the way." Daisy Christodoulou, tes. "The Knowledge Gap is not just a scholarly work.

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1 Curtis, S. (1977). Genie: A linguistic study of a modern-day "wild child." New York: Academic Press.

Also, the Francois Truffaut film, The Wild Child, depicts the case of Victor, an abandoned child discovered in the woods and brought to an asylum in France in 1798. The film was written about in Roger Shattuck's (1980) The Forbidden Experiment: The Story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron.

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Speaking Is Natural; Reading and Writing Are Not

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Human brains are naturally wired to speak; they are not naturally wired to read and write. With teaching, children typically learn to read at about age 5 or 6 and need several years to master the skill.

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This book offers teachers a complete framework for organizing instruction, aligned with the language comprehension strands of Scarborough's Reading Rope. In-depth chapters are devoted to each facet of reading comprehension, including vocabulary, syntax and sentence comprehension, text structures, background knowledge, and levels of understanding and inference.

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Aouad, J. and Savage, R. (2009). The component structure of preliteracy skills: Further evidence for the simple view of reading. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 24 (2), 183-200.

Catts, H., Adlof, S., and Weismer, S. (2006). Language deficits in poor comprehenders: A case for the simple view of reading. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 278-293.

Gough, P., Hoover, W., and Patterson, C. (1996). Some observations on a simple view of reading. In C. Cornoldi and J. Oakhill (eds.), Reading comprehension difficulties: Processes and intervention (pp. 1-13). Mahway, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

*Gough, P. and Tunmer, W. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7, 6-10.

Hoover, W. and Gough, P. (1990). The simple view of reading. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 2, 127-160.

*Kamhi, A. (2007). Knowledge deficits: the true crisis in education. ASHA Leader, 12 (7), 28-29.

*These articles are short and easy to read.

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The Simple View of Reading is a formula demonstrating the widely accepted view that reading has two basic components: word recognition (decoding) and language comprehension. Research studies show that a student's reading comprehension score can be predicted if decoding skills and language comprehension abilities are known.

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No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships

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No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships

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No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships

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Teachers know the importance of strong relationships with their students, but sometimes connecting with them feels challenging. No More Teaching Without

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Episode with Maryanne Wolf on Deep Reading

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Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Transcripts and additional resources

"What I would say to any teacher of balanced literacy: Let us bring our best selves and expand our knowledge. We both have things we can learn from each other. " -Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D.

"Pass on why you learned to be a teacher. Pass it on to your students. Let's make that next generation of teachers truly excited about what we can do to release the potential of every child." -Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D.

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Episode 8: The plea to preserve deep reading, with Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D.

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Listen to Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D., and podcast host Susan Lambert discuss deep reading, literacy in the digital age, and bridging the gap between reading approaches.

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Centering Youth Culture for an Active and Just Classroom

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Resources to support our virtual work together

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Resources to support our virtual work together!

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Moving through the Reading Rope Key Slides

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Moving through the Reading Rope Key Slides

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Ways to Teach into Language Comprehension

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Ways to Teach into Language Comprehension

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Poetry Techniques Chart (G9 Small Group)

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Poetry Techniques Chart (G9 Small Group)

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Poetry: Exploring Ourselves, Language,  and the World

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Inspired by resources compiled by Mary Ehrenworth

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Lifting the Level Our Literary Language (G9 Small Group)

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Lifting the Level Our Literary Language (G9 Small Group)

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Sentence Frames for Discussion (G10 Small Group)

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Sentence Frames for Discussion (G10 Small Group)

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Is there such a thing as objective reporting? Which values, and whose, should inform a journalist's writing? How do current political conditions affect the nature of coverage? What if any limits should apply to the range of opinions published on a newspaper's opinion pages?

These are some of the questions raised by James Bennet's 17,000-word essay last month in The Economist, "When the New York Times lost its way," which recounts, examines, interprets, analyzes and relitigates an episode at the Times in 2020, during the George Floyd Black Lives Matter protests, when Bennet was the Times' opinion editor and was fired for publishing an op-ed by Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton arguing that President Trump should mobilize the military to suppress the vandalistic element at the margins of those demonstrations.

That op-ed caused an uproar and an uprising in the Times' newsroom, led by a new generation of journalists who judged Cotton's opinion to be beyond the range of views for which the Times should provide a platform. Bennet's epic essay - about 25 times the length of this one - argues that the Times, with its history of publishing "without fear or favor," should not be afraid to air the views of a right-wing zealot, especially in light of the paper's leftward slant since early in Trump's presidency when his lies and autocratic aspirations were plain to see and a danger to democracy.

The heart of Bennet's argument is that he was taught, in an earlier era at the Times, that the paper's obligation to its readers was to report the facts and publish a wide range of opinions and let readers decide for themselves what to think. Younger journalists in the organization - of more diverse racial, cultural and class backgrounds than the mostly white, male, Ivy League veterans like Bennet - brought a more justice-focused, advocacy-oriented approach at odds with the notion of scrupulous neutrality, especially as then-President Trump and his enablers were attempting to eviscerate American democracy and impose authoritarian rule.

I happen to like the Times' more explicitly progressive angle of coverage, even on the news pages. Even the paper's four right-of-center opinion columnists are not Trumpists but traditional conservatives who espouse democratic values from an old-school Republican perspective. More credibly than MSNBC, the Times, with its huge staff, inside sources, superb writing and reporting, and deep enough pockets to fund deep investigations, has served during the Trump era as a corrective to the distortions and deceptions of Fox News, which has made of its slogan "Fair and Balanced" a bad joke.

But Bennet has a point: that readers' intelligence should be trusted to draw their own conclusions about the news, and about opinions that may be politically noxious. I think the Times - which I read more compulsively than is probably good for my mental health - is more nuanced in its editorial ethos than Bennet gives it credit for, but he uses his own defenestration as Exhibit A in the prosecution of his case, and what he writes deserves to be taken seriously and considered with sober reflection on journalistic ethics.

As someone who came of age as a reader with The New Journalism in the mainstream print media of the 1960s and '70s, and as a writer and editor in the alternative press of the '70s and '80s, I personally favor writing and reporting with a personal voice and a clear point of view, trusting the reader to decide how credible the author of a story or an essay is and, if so moved, to seek out other angles on the subject in order to arrive at their own understanding.

I'm more of a critic at large than a news reporter, so I've never attempted to conceal my angle of vision. Local reporters in the Sentinel's news pages, whatever their personal views, are more constrained by "just the facts" and straight-ahead information, but because of limited time and space and resources, they often must leave out facts that would shine a more revealing light on what they're covering. Factual accuracy and subjective insight, combined, may be the most usefully truthful mode of delivering news.

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Stephen Kessler | 'Objectivity' and the ethics of journalism

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"Is there such a thing as objective reporting?" writes columnist Stephen Kessler. "Which values, and whose, should inform a journalist's writing? How do current political conditions affect the nature of coverage? What if any limits should apply to the range of opinions published on a newspaper's opinion pages?"

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Ferdinand & The Bull - original storybook

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Ferdinand & The Bull - original storybook

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Additional Ways to Build Language Comprehension

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Additional Ways to Build Language Comprehension

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Ode to the Head Nod by Elizabeth Acevedo _ Poetry Foundation

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What would you like our spring virtual sessions to focus on? Add your thoughts, along with your name, below. Thanks!

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What would you like our spring virtual sessions to focus on? Add your thoughts, along with your name, below. Thanks!

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AISG 6-12 - Planning for Small Groups - Jan 2024 (1)

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AISG 6-12 - Planning for Small Groups - Jan 2024 (2)

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AISG 6-12 - Planning for Small Groups - Jan 2024 (3)

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AISG 6-12 - Planning for Small Groups - Jan 2024 (4)

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I would like to do a unit plan, to see the whole picture. How we wave these parts (read aloud, small group coach, shared writing, writing workshop, etc.) together in a unit.

Joyce Zhang

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Similar to Joyce, I would like to put into practice planning with the two-week cycle in mind and intentional unit planning to integrate small groups while balancing that with whole class mini lessons, practice, and other unit elements. - Sara Grozanick

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Maybe something on additional strategies for EAL learners in a RW workshop model?

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I would also be interested in learning more about how to plan the lessons and units with small group teaching in a complete circle, especially with lower grade level students. Because lower grade level students / middle school students tend to be more difficult to work in small group teaching. I would like to learn more about different tools or entries which can help younger kids to be benefited from the planning.

—— Juliana

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I want to have more small groups in my class, and start book club.

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I want to have more small groups in my class, and start book club.

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AISG 9-12 Coaching Cycle Session 1 - March 2024

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Examples of micro progressions that can be used for text analysis, self reflection, peer and teacher feedback.

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AISG 9-12 Coaching Cycle Session 2 - April 2024

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AISG 9-12 Coaching Cycle Session 2 - April 2024 (1)

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Traditional grammar instruction often focuses too much on what's right or what's wrong, hiding the true power of conventions-the creation of meaning, purpose, and effect. Instead of hammering high school students with the mistakes they should avoid, Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Holly Durham suggest exploring grammar through the celebration of author's purpose and craft. In Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing, they invite you to create an environment in which writers thrive while studying and appreciating the beauty, effects, and meaning of grammar. Inside this book, teachers will find a comprehensive explanation of the brain-based Patterns of Power invitational process, as well as:

35 standards-aligned lesson sets built around practical, engaging, inquiry-based methods that take deeper dives into grammar and craft than any worksheet, quiz, or editing exercise ever could A variety of high-interest model texts from authentic and diverse sources, including excerpts from classic and current novels, memoirs, plays, graphic novels, poems, and media Real-life classroom examples and tips with suggestions for scaffolding new learning and ideas for how to use the lessons in AP courses Templates for extended application, easy to locate printables, and ready-to-go visuals Additional Models for Further Study for extension opportunities in every lesson set An entire chapter devoted to helping high school writers master citations in research
With hundreds of teach-tomorrow resources and implementation supports such as quick-reference guides, specific applications to reading instruction, and soundtrack suggestions to infuse the joy of music into grammar instruction, Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12 gives you everything you need to inspire your high school writers to move beyond limitation and into the endless possibilities of what they can do as writers. The Patterns of Power series also includes Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language; and Patterns of Power en Español, Grades 1-5: Inviting Bilingual Writers into the Conventions of Spanish.

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Looking Closely at the World Through Grammar

How to Use This Book
Part 1: Getting Started with the Patterns of Power Process
1. Into PLANNING: A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing Engaging Grammar Lessons

2. Into the CLASSROOM: How to Teach Grammar with the Patterns of Power Process

3. Into APPLICATION: Guiding Writers to USE the Patterns of Power
Part 2: Into the Lessons with the Patterns of Power Process
4. The Purpose and Craft of PUNCTUATION

5. The Purpose and Craft of CLAUSES

6. The Purpose and Craft of PHRASES

7. The Purpose and Craft of PARALLEL STRUCTURE

8. The Purpose of CITATIONS

9. The Purpose and Craft of CREATIVE PATTERNS

Conclusion: Investigating Meaning and Effect

Appendix A: The Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12 Soundtrack

Appendix B: Patterns of Power Instruction in Remote Learning Environments

Bibliography of Professional Resources

Bibliography of Literature

Credits

Index

Biography

For over thirty-three years, Jeff Anderson has inspired writers and teachers of grades K-8 with the power and joy of writing and grammar. He has written ten books for Stenhouse Publishers. He lives near downtown San Antonio with Terry and their rescue pup.

Travis Leech is a middle school instructional coach in Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, TX. He has fourteen years of experience in education, including teaching middle school English Language Arts and as a gifted and talented specialist.

Holly Durham is currently a Professional Learning Coordinator in Houston, TX. She has twenty-eight years of experience in education, including teaching middle and high school English, instructional coaching, and director-level roles in the Humanities and District Strategic Planning. She has presented literacy practices and technology integration at district, regional, state, and national levels.

I can't wait to put Patterns of Power, 9-12 in the hands of every high school English teacher in my district! This practical approach to teaching writing through the beauty and power of mentor texts supports our instructional philosophy by inspiring teachers to finally retire ineffective, prescriptive grammar instruction. Teaching with the Invitations to Notice, Compare and Contrast, Imitate, Celebrate, Apply, and Edit will help students understand the why of grammar and punctuation while motivating them to explore possibilities rather than avoid errors."

- Tracy Winstead, District Coordinator, High School English Curriculum and Instruction

"If high school teachers are looking for a way to teach grammar and conventions that is meaningful and transfers to student writing, they should look no further than Patterns of Power: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing, Grades 9-12. By starting with a mentor sentence, students are invited to take an inquiry stance as they think through the writer's moves and the impact on the reader. Patterns of Power, 9-12 helps students gain the confidence and agency they need to try new grammar and convention moves in their own writing."

- Erica Bissel, Coordinator of Reading and Language Arts

"Jeff's books have been pivotal to the success of our writing program since Everyday Editing. His invitational approach to noticing author's purpose and craft is non-threatening and engaging to students. We are excited to dive into this new book with Travis Leech and Holly Durham and continue inspiring our students to 'sharpen their ideas.'"

- Dr. Susan Diaz, Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction

"Up early one morning, I thought I'd skim this book while sipping that first cup of coffee. The skimming stopped almost immediately as I began reading slowly to catch every idea, to understand each teaching move, to jot my own notes in my journal. My coffee grew cold and was forgotten. I was watching master teachers Jeff, Travis, and Holly make things such as colons and commas, apostrophes and appositives, phrases and fragments become more than things to be learned; instead, they were turning conventions of language into conversations I wanted to have with kids. Filled with the well-designed lessons that show you how to move kids from noticing to naming to using, this is a book that won't sit on your bookshelf. It will stay beside you as it guides you through lessons that actually help kids think about how they write."

- Kylene Beers, coauthor of Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading and Forged by Reading: The Power of a Literate Life

"The Patterns of Power series epitomizes our philosophical approach to grammar: that it should arise from authentic literature and be presented when it would make sense to students based on their writing. Students need not be numbed by grammar instruction that follows a rigid textbook. Rather, a flexible approach of presenting examples which help readers to discover patterns, understand the conventions of language, appreciate great writing, and become enthusiastic writers is the most effective and enjoyable one."

- Michael R. Bowman, Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction

"Jeff Anderson has done it again! We know our secondary students need practice understanding and applying the conventions of English. Patterns of Power, 9-12 provides lessons that engage high school students in learning what is often missing in a world of quick text messages and limited face to face interactions. Students will use a variety of engaging texts to hook them into learning, practicing, and becoming proficient readers and writers of the English language."

- Heather Anderson, Educator, Author, and Consultant

"I found just about every line in Jeff, Travis, and Holly's Patterns of Power both immediately applicable and incredibly useful in my ninth and tenth-grade ELA classes. But hands down, my favorite aspect is how the authors center student inquiry in their approach to teaching grammar. Students are driven toward 'discovery of grammatical concepts and deep consideration of their purpose.' Being encouraged to consider-and even debate-the why of grammar as they are learning the how has changed the game for my students. In truth, this book has shored up a huge gap in my pedagogy, and I am very grateful."

- Matthew Kay, author of Not Light, but Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom

"These authors love language . . . and the voice of the text sings, celebrates, and rings with truth. This book is both wise and a pleasure to read. Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12 will give you new ways to think and plan for regular practice with conventions."

- Penny Kittle, Plymouth State University Writing Teacher

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Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing

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Traditional grammar instruction often focuses too much on what's right or what's wrong, hiding the true power of conventions-the creation of meaning, purpose, and effect. Instead of hammering high school students with the mistakes they should avoid, Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Holly Durham suggest exploring grammar through the celebration of author's purpose and craft.

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Authors Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Melinda Clark lead a vibrant approach to grammar instruction in Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language. Here, young, emergent writers are invited to notice the conventions of the English language and build off them in this inquiry-based approach to instructional grammar. The book comes with standards-aligned lessons that can be incorporated in just 10 minutes a day. Patterns of Power's responsive, invitational approach puts students in an involved role and has them explore and discuss the purpose and meaning of what they read. Students study short, authentic texts and are asked to share their findings out loud, engaging in rich conversations to make meaning. Inside you'll find:

Ready-to-use lesson plan sets that include excerpts from authentic and diverse mentor texts curated for grades 6-8

Real-life classroom examples, tips, and Power Notes gleaned from the authors' experiences that can be applied to any level of writer

Resources, including a Patterns of Power Planning Guide and musical soundtracks, to use in classroom instruction or as handouts for student literacy notebooks

Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8 provides a simple classroom routine that is structured in length and approach, but provides teachers flexibility in choosing the texts, allowing for numerous, diverse voices in the classroom. The practice helps students build cognitive recognition and provides a formative assessment for teachers on student progress. With these short lessons, students will gain confidence and move beyond limitation to produce effortless writing in your class and beyond. The Patterns of Power series also includes Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power en Español, Grades 1-5: Inviting Bilingual Writers into the Conventions of Spanish; Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing; and Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language.

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Wired to Be Inspired
Part 1: Getting Started with the Patterns of Power Process
1. Into Planning: What Do You Need to Do Before Teaching the Invitations?

2. Into the Classroom: How Do You Teach Conventions with the Invitation Process?

3. Into Application: How Do You Nudge Writers to Apply Conventions?
Part 2: Into the Lessons with the Patterns of Power Process
4. How Do Writers and Readers Use SENTENCES?

5. Why Do Writers and Readers Need COMPOUND

6. How Do Writers and Readers Use COMPLEX SENTENCES?

7. How Do Writers and Readers Use PHRASES and CLAUSES?

8. What Does the MOOD of a VERB Do for Writers and Readers?

9. How Do Writers and Readers Use VERBALS?

10. What Does PUNCTUATION Do for Writers and Readers?

11. What Do PRONOUNS Do for Writers and Readers?

12. How Do Writers and Readers Continue Using CAPITALIZATION?

13. What Other Amazing Things Can Writers and Readers Do?

Conclusion: Connection over Correction

Appendix A: The Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8 Soundtrack

Appendix B: Patterns of Power Instruction in Remote Learning Environments

Professional Bibliography

Young Adult Literature Bibliography

Index

Biography

For over thirty years, Jeff Anderson has inspired writers and teachers of grades K-8 with the power and joy of the writing and grammar. He has written eight books for Stenhouse Publishers. He also writes middle-grade novels.

Travis Leech, coauthor of Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, is currently a middle school instructional coach in Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, TX. He has thirteen years of experience in education, including teaching middle school English Language Arts and as a gifted and talented specialist. He has presented about engaging literacy practices and technology integration at the district, regional, and state levels.

Melinda Clark, coauthor of Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, is currently the Academic Program Coordinator at John Jay High School in San Antonio, Texas. She has 31 years experience in education, including teaching middle school and high school English Language Arts, instructional coaching, independent consulting, and presenting at the district, regional, and state levels.

"For years, students have been handed sets of "I said so" rules as the standard means of learning language conventions. Patterns of Power moves beyond prescriptive rules to offer a series of steps that, instead, help students to recognize and internalize language conventions in a way that makes them better readers, writers, listeners, and speakers. Notice the patterns in sentences. Compare them with others. Try them yourself. Apply them. Edit them. I love how this book teaches students to really think about language."

- Kelly Gallagher

"Patterns of Power will free you from the tyranny of old school grammar instruction and show you a process to guide adolescents toward joyful exploration and experimentation of crafting, creating, and conveying meaning. Whether you're a grammar "phobe" or an expert sentence diagrammer, you will love this book."

- Cris Tovani

"In a Patterns of Power classroom, the conventions of language become possibilities. Here, rules are replaced by invitations as our "wired to be inspired" middle school learners engage in honest inquiry, asking themselves and each other What can this convention do for me as a writer?"

- Lisa Thibodeaux, Director of Secondary Curriculum, TX

"Jeff Anderson is going to make me return to teaching middle school English Language Arts. This is the kind of book that would have made me feel like I could provide concrete, meaningful writing instruction to my students. I am grateful, however, that as an administrator I have the power to put this tool in the hands of all my teachers and allow the work of these authors to reach thousands of students."

- Chad Everett, Middle School Principal

"Patterns of Power, 6-8 is a must-have for every teacher who longs to get their adolescents hooked on grammar. It gives middle grade teachers a simple, student-centered process that showcases what grammatical patterns do for readers and writers and how they lead to stellar writing."

- Jodi Ramos, Middle School Teacher, Department Chair, and New York Times education contributor

"Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Melinda Clark have crafted a gift for middle school literacy teachers and their students. Patterns of Power, 6-8 provides abundant lesson ideas for engaging student readers and writers in ways that improve comprehension, communication and self-expression, as well as a deeper look at why this approach works. Through students' observations of authentic texts and focused exploration of writers' craft and language use, you can increase their reading and writing confidence and skill. Clear, empowering, and effective!"

- Donalyn Miller, Texas educator and author

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Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language

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Authors Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Melinda Clark lead a vibrant approach to grammar instruction in Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language. Here, young, emergent writers are invited to notice the conventions of the English language and build off them in this inquiry-based approach to instructional grammar.

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Copy of MYP Planner: Quick Start Rubric [2019 @sjtylr]

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AISG 9-12 Coaching Cycle Session 3 - April 2024

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AISG 9-12 Coaching Cycle Session 3 - April 2024 (1)

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Studying Mentor Texts: Phase 1 Analytical Responses /Phase 2 Literary Vignettes

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Studying Mentor Texts: Phase 1 Analytical Responses /Phase 2 Literary Vignettes

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Example TAP Analysis Lesson / Group Think

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Example TAP Analysis Lesson / Group Think