These exemplary teachers routinely offered direct, explicit demonstrations of the cognitive strategies used by good readers when they read. In other words, they modeled the thinking that skilled readers engage while they attempt to decode a word, self-monitor for understanding, summarize while reading, or edit when composing. The "watch me" or "let me demonstrate" stance they took seems quite different from the "assign and assess" stance that dominates in less-effective classrooms (e.g., Adams, 1990; Durkin, 1978-79).
anonymous on 30 Aug 09Very interesting and timely article, important even, about writing in the new era that features insights from Stanford's Andrea Lundsford discussing findings from her longitudinal study of writing and why we have cause for hope.
