Engage, challenge, and inspire students with work that matters Transformational Literacy, written by a team from EL Education, helps teachers leverage the Common Core instructional shifts building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction, reading for and writing with evidence, and regular practice with complex text to engage students in work that matters. Worthy texts and worthy tasks help students see the connection between their hard work as readers and writers and their capacity to contribute to stronger communities and a better world. The stories, examples, and resources that permeate Transformational Literacy come primarily from the more than 150 EL Education schools around the country that support teachers to select, supplement, customize, and create curriculum, and improve instruction. The book also draws on EL Education's open source Common Core English Language Arts curriculum often cited as one of the finest in the country and professional development offered to thousands of teachers to implement that curriculum effectively. Transformational Literacy combines the best of what EL Education knows works for kids purposeful, inquiry-based learning and the new imperative of the Common Core higher and deeper expectations for all students. Teach standards through a compelling and purposeful curriculum that prioritizes worthy texts and worthy task Improve students' evidence-based reading, thinking, talking, and writing Support students to develop a new mindset toward the challenge of reading complex texts Transformational Literacy introduces an approach to literacy instruction that will engage, challenge, and inspire student with work that matters.

Engage, challenge, and inspire students with work that mattersTransformational Literacy, written by a team from EL Education, helps teachers leverage the Common Core instructional shifts--building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction, reading for and writing with evidence, and regular practice with complex text--to engage students in work that matters. Worthy texts and worthy tasks help students see the connection between their hard work as readers and writers and their capacity to contribute to stronger communities and a better world.The stories, examples, and resources that permeate Transformational Literacy come primarily from the more than 150 EL Education schools around the country that support teachers to select, supplement, customize, and create curriculum, and improve instruction. The book also draws on EL Education's open source Common Core English Language Arts curriculum--often cited as one of the finest in the country--and professional development offered to thousands of teachers to implement that curriculum effectively.Transformational Literacy combines the best of what EL Education knows works for kids--purposeful, inquiry-based learning--and the new imperative of the Common Core--higher and deeper expectations for all students.* Teach standards through a compelling and purposeful curriculum that prioritizes worthy texts and worthy task* Improve students' evidence-based reading, thinking, talking, and writing* Support students to develop a new mindset toward the challenge of reading complex textsTransformational Literacy introduces an approach to literacy instruction that will engage, challenge, and inspire student with work that matters.

DVD Contents viiPreface xiAcknowledgments xiiiAbout the Authors xvAbout EL Education xixIntroduction: Embracing Challenge 1PART 1 UNLOCKING THE POWER OF INFORMATIONAL AND LITERARY TEXTS 13Part 1 Introduction 141 Choosing Worthy Texts 212 Bringing Text to Life 47Part 1 Conclusion 65PART 2 READING FOR AND WRITING WITH EVIDENCE 73Part 2 Introduction 743 Evidence-Based Reading, Th inking, Talking, and Writing 854 From Deep Understanding to High-Quality Written Work 1135 Building Strong Writers with Models, Critique, and Descriptive Feedback 143Part 2 Conclusion 167PART 3 SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS TO SUCCEED WITH COMPLEX TEXTS 175Part 3 Introduction 1766 Creating the Conditions for Success with Complex Texts 1837 Helping Students Read Closely 201Part 3 Conclusion 231Conclusion: Leveraging the Common Core for Schoolwide Improvement 239References 253Appendix A Informational Text Resources 257Appendix B Photograph Resources 261Appendix C Helpful Terms for Reading for and Writing with Evidence 263Appendix D Qualitative Text Rubrics 265Appendix E Primary Source Close Reading Guide 267Appendix F Deeper Lessons Tool 271Appendix G Questions for Discussion 275Appendix H Accessing the Bonus Web Materials 285Index 287How to Use the DVD 295