How to Use Think-Alouds to Teach Reading Comprehension
Teaching students to carry on an internal dialogue with the author and text as they read is vitally important. “Talking to the text” significantly increases reader comprehension and promotes retention...
View ArticleThe Dark Side of the KWL Reading Strategy
The KWL Reading Strategy has been with us for years. Developed by Donna Ogle in 1986 at the height of “whole language” movement KWL is a metacognitive reading strategy that frequently masquerades under...
View ArticleHow to Teach a Write Aloud
Writing is a complicated thinking process. It requires an enormous amount of multi-tasking, problem-solving, interactivity, and creativity. There is science to effective writing, but there is also art....
View ArticleTeaching Fact and Opinion: When, What, and How
Recently, a New York State elementary test prep site has been generating some buzz regarding its use of the terms fact and opinion. Here is one of the test items that elementary students are to label...
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Why Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Doesn’t Work
O.K. So my title is a good hook. I’m an ELA teacher, so you’d expect no less. However, I’m also an MA reading specialist, so you’d expect me to be passionate about getting students to read and read...
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Good Reading Fluency, but Poor Reading Comprehension
Hello all! I have a question for you all. I have had students in the past that were speed readers. They may have read with 99% accuracy, but did not comprehend material. What recommendations do you...
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The Problem with Dialectical Journals
Well, at least we know how our students feel about dialectical journals… But, how should teachers feel about dialectical journals? Teachers grapple with how to assign independent reading activities to...
View ArticleSummarize to Increase Comprehension
Often teachers assume that summarizing is the same for both writing and reading. However, the purpose and task of summarizing is considerably different for these literary activities. Whereas the...
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Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension
Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension Okay, I’ll admit it; the article title is a bit of an attention grabber. However, as an MA reading specialist and author of plenty of reading programs over the years,...
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How to Practice Reading Comprehension
Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension Well, I stirred up somewhat of a ruckus with my companion article titled “Don’t Teach Reading Comprehension” and I think I understand why. Admittedly, the hook is...
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Reading Comprehension Questions
SCRIP Comprehension Strategy Questions A reader of my Pennington Publishing Blog asked me to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of my SCRIP Comprehension Strategy Questions. Having used these for...
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How Can I Get My Child to Read?
How Can I Get My Child to Read? “How can I get my child to read?” is probably the question that I am asked most by parents. I’m Mark Pennington, M.A. Reading Specialist, teacher, and author of Teaching...
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Should We Teach Reading Strategies?
As an educational publisher, I’ve made a few mistakes over the years… especially with titles. My grades 4-8 Differentiated Spelling Differentiated Spelling Instruction Instruction is a case in point: a...
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Reading Fluency ILA Position
Not too long ago, the venerable bastion of “balanced literacy,” the International Reading Association, changed its name to the International Literacy Association. “Uh… oh,” I thought. Here comes more...
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Flexible Phonics Instruction
I’ve been spending time on the International Literacy Association (ILA) website. Notice the name change. As I suggested in a related article, “There appears to be a new sheriff in town.” As a reading...
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Summer School Reading Intervention
Summer School Reading Intervention More and more schools are seeing the value of summer school as an option for intensive reading intervention. Whether students are assigned to the program or elect to...
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Orton-Gillingham Review
One Size Does Not Fit All I don’t usually spend much time critiquing reading intervention programs other than my own Teaching Reading Strategies. Obviously, as a publisher I have built-in bias, and I...
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Reading Comprehension Strategies
The International Literacy Association (ILA) was kind enough to post my article, “Should We Teach Reading Comprehension Strategies,” so I thought I would share on my own Pennington Publishing Blog. The...
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