Read, Write and Talk

Every teacher knows that good reading skills are crucial to academic success, but many will also agree that simply having 20 minutes of “quiet reading time” is not enough to build critical thinking and literacy skills. This excellent program, designed to train teachers of intermediate-grade students, shows how the "Read, Write, and Talk" (RWT) method can be implemented across all curricular areas to not only improve class literacy, but also reinforce the value of peer-to-peer instruction. Basically a taped session in which RWT creator Stephanie Harvey leads a fifth-grade class through an exercise using photocopied articles from a news magazine for kids, while their teachers observe, Read, Write and Talk shows the students sitting together on the floor, using clipboards as “desks” to jot notes on. During the pre- and post-reading discussions, the children are often encouraged to turn and talk to one another, thus ensuring that not just the vocal or articulate ones are providing all the answers. The flexible RWT method, which recognizes the varying reading levels (including ESL) within a classroom, encourages interactions between kids while still keeping them on task. In fact, their feedback is what drives the lesson's content, with the overall argument being that kids respond well to challenges if they are allowed to express themselves in the style of their choice (talking, writing, drawing, etc.). Practical, cost-effective, and easily adjustable to individual classrooms, this program is highly recommended. Aud: I, C. (E. Gieschen)