Monday, January 14, 2013

Reading Rockets: www.readingrockets.org

Reviewed by Erik Miller

Features: Reading Rockets is possibly the most comprehensive reading strategies website available. It offers a multitude of research, strategies, and multimedia learning tools. It includes resources for parents, such as booklists, tips on creating a home library, tips on finding books at the right reading level for your child, and tips for reading with your child. Most importantly, it includes booklists, watch and learn videos, author study toolkits, and author interviews.

In particular, the author interviews can be useful in the classroom. The video interviews are the cheapest and fastest way for students to connect with authors before the write or read. It would be excellent to show the Marylin Singer before a poetry unit and have the students analyze what she said poetry can be. Likewise, it would be fun for students to listen to Lois Lowry’s interview about “The Giver” before or after reading it, and discuss her point of view regarding how controversial it is. Students can then decide for themselves after reading it if it controversial and should be removed from a school reading list.

To go directly to the author interview sit of Reading Rockets copy and past the following link into your URL bar: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/

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