Tony Stead

For those of us who treasure memories of a childhood spent curled up with favorite books, it may be shocking to realize that reading is a chore for many of our students. In recent years, the increased class time spent on reading instruction geared toward measurable performance -- from tests to book reports -- means fewer children have the opportunity to discover reading for pleasure, or to research topics that interest them. If we want children to become truly engaged readers, we must set aside time every day for them to independently select, read, and respond. Of course, just providing time and a variety of reading materials isn't adequate to ensure that students achieve the independence they need to become lifelong readers. Students need guidance on selecting materials at an appropriate level, they need practice in the habits of readers, and they need the social reinforcement of sharing ideas about their reading with peers.

In Good Choice!, noted author and literacy specialist Tony Stead outlines the components that foster successful independent reading in grades K-6. He examines practices that:establish independent reading and borrowing routines;provide adequate resources for independent reading;support children in selecting a wide range of appropriate texts;offer opportunities for children to respond to their reading.

With examples appropriate to emergent readers in grades K-2, as well as more seasoned readers in grades 3-6, Tony provides a comprehensive plan for integrating independent reading throughout the day. He offers systems for organizing the class library and checking books in and out, lessons on book selection and responding to text, advice on supporting children and parents in home reading, guidance on conferring with students, and an array of helpful appendix materials including graphic organizers, questionnaires, assessment and monitoring rubrics.

Research shows that children who have the opportunity to read independently not only become more literate adults, they also, in fact, perform better on state tests and other reading assessments. Good Choice! provides everything you need to create classrooms where students can fulfill their reading potential now and for the future.

The book you are about to read is destined to be the first, middle, and maybe even the last word on nonfiction writing for young, young children. It is certainly a text that you will return to over and over again as you do with a beloved cookbook.
—from the Foreword by Tomie dePaola

Over eighty- five percent of the reading and writing we do as adults is nonfiction, yet most of the reading and writing in K–3 classrooms is fiction or personal narrative. In Is That a Fact? Teaching Nonfiction Writing K-3, Tony Stead shows you how to open the door to the rich world of nonfiction writing that goes beyond "what I did" narratives and animal reports. And he convincingly demonstrates the importance of introducing nonfiction writing in the primary grades.

Nonfiction inspires enthusiasm in young children because they can choose topics that are of interest to them personally. Is That a Fact? explores a variety of authentic purposes for writing nonfiction, such as describing, explaining, instructing, persuading, retelling, and exploring relationships with others. You will learn how to introduce each purpose using a variety of forms, including letters, reports, poetry, captions, directions, and interviews.

Part One provides a complete overview of teaching nonfiction writing in the primary grades and includes:

Part Two provides five different explorations that were implemented in actual K–3 classrooms. Each focuses on a specific purpose for writing nonfiction and features:examples of whole-class, small-group, and independent instructional engagements;a comprehensive assessment rubric that will help teachers tailor instruction to the needs of all learners;an extensive resource section that includes lists of books in the exploration, grouped by readability levels;answers to the most commonly asked questions about teaching nonfiction writing.

The appendixes include a self-assessment questionnaire, reproducible pages for exploring specific writing forms, and letters to parents.

Children need to be introduced to the different purposes of nonfiction writing. They need to know how to plan, compose, revise, and publish nonfiction beyond narrative. Is That a Fact? guides you in achieving these goals with your students.