Literacy Reflections Archives - Page 3 of 18

Giving students access to text in multiple formats helps them become more confident, independent readers. Whether they struggle with decoding, love listening, or simply want to get through more books, audio can open doors. That’s where ElevenReader comes in – a new tool that turns text into natural-sounding audio in seconds.

What is ElevenReader?

ElevenReader is a free app powered by AI that turns digital texts – like PDFs, WORD documents, and ePubs(eBook file format) – into audio using realistic voices in over 30 languages. It’s easy to use, supports student choice, and works great for reading on the go or reinforcing comprehension through listening.

Why Audio Access Matters

Listening to text helps build fluency, supports comprehension, and gives students more ways to connect with content. For some, it removes barriers. For others, it’s a way to deepen their engagement and hear how language flows. ElevenReader helps make text accessible, personalized, and portable.

How to Try This Tomorrow

Choose a Text Together
Pick a short article, story, or excerpt your students can access digitally.
Ask: How might hearing this text help you understand it better?

Use the App
Download the ElevenReader app (iOS or Android).
Upload or paste your text—then hit play! Let students adjust voice, speed, or language.

Reflect on the Experience
Have students respond to what they noticed while listening.
Ask: What was easier? What felt different? What kind of texts would you want to hear next?

Audio can give students a fresh way into reading—and help them feel successful with texts they might otherwise avoid. Try it tomorrow. You just might change how someone sees themselves as a reader.

Debbie is a high school literacy teacher who believes all students should have access to great books. When she creates a moment of free time, you will find her cuddled up in her recliner with a book, a cup of coffee and her dog.

WELCOME TO THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

Aug

We hope you had a restful summer and found time to recharge. The new school year brings with it a possibility with new students, new stories, and a chance to build communities where reading and writing are at the heart of our classrooms.

One of the best ways to set that tone is by starting with reading and writing on day one. While it’s tempting to spend the first days on routines and introductions, inviting students into meaningful literacy work right away sends a clear message that their voices and ideas matter most. Beginning with reading and writing helps students see themselves as part of a community of thinkers from the very start.

To support this work, we’ve gathered quickwrite texts and invitations to respond, organized by grade level. These short, engaging text are designed to spark thinking, writing, conversation, and connection on the very first day.

(You may need to open links using Microsoft Edge)

Grade 6 – Middle School Fears and Faves and The 6th Grade Nickname Game+ THE SIXTH GRADE NICKNAME GAME – EXCERPT

Grade 7 & 8 – THE SIXTH GRADE NICKNAME GAME – EXCERPT and Top Six And A Half Quickwrite + Top Six And A Half – How To Survive Middle School Excerpt

Grade 9 -12 – Quickwrite – FIRST DAY FLY BY JASON REYNOLDS and Quickwrite – First Impressions + Quickwrite Text – First Impressions

Here’s to another year of reading, writing, and learning together,

The ASDW Literacy Team

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STUDENT BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: TUESDAY TITLES FROM LEO HAYES

Jun

This semester, students at Leo Hayes High School spent time exploring books that spoke to them, and now they’re ready to share their favorites.

Over the next few months, you’ll hear directly from these student readers: what they read, why it mattered, and who they think should read it next. These reflections come from Maddie McLaughlin’s Writing 110 students, and we’re excited to share their voices with our wider reading community.

Whether you’re looking for your next great read or just curious about what’s resonating with today’s teens, check back each Tuesday for a new recommendation.

Enjoy the sunshine, relax, and read something great,
The Literacy Team

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TRY THIS TOMORROW: USING MENTOR TEXTS FOR GENRE STUDY & AUTHOR BIOS

May

As we ask students to increase autonomy with mentor texts throughout the year, a great place to have them start is in their self-selected independent reading, looking at author bios. Here is a great post written for Margin Notes by Chanelle Coates that outlines how to introduce author bios to students and get them thinking about how they can use these to represent themselves. By reflecting on the school year and looking at all of the representing students have done through their time with you, you will be amazed by the moves they have made as authors. In A Teacher’s Guide to Mentor Texts, Allison Marchetti & Rebekah O’Dell start Chapter 5 “Learning About Genre” with an activity that I think can connect students back to the writing they did over the course of the school year and that allows them to read-like-writers. Students can study and create their own author bios, just like the ones they have seen in their books that they have chosen to read all year. Marchetti & O’Dell introduce the idea like this:

“Genre Study is where we put all of our reading-like-a-writer skills together. When we read like writers for genre, we read across a set of mentor texts and notice many categories of writerly moves including ideas (what writers generally write about in that genre) and also craft and structure (how they write about it). But genre study is important for another reason. When students leave their formal education, they will still encounter writing tasks they’re not quite sure how to approach… So what will they do? Gather a few examples of that kind of writing – that genre – and study them of course!” (Marchetti and O’Dell, 77).

Using this in your class:

By first studying some examples of author bios as a class, you can notice and note the moves the author’s make in their bios. Ask students to pay attention to the commonalties between the bios, especially noticing things like length, content, tone, and structure. Here are some examples!

Have students look at the bios in their own independent reading books, or from a selection of classroom library books and continue adding to things they have in common with the other examples they have seen.

Using their writer’s notebooks have students try to list things they could include in their own bios.

Let students try writing their own, using the texts they have studied as mentors.

Once students have completed their author bios, attach them to their compilations of writing from throughout the year, or post them around the room/school/anywhere you feature their writing and celebrate the group of authors you have supported in your classroom all year!

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DEAR DAD: GROWING UP WITH A PARENT IN PRISON – AND HOW WE STAYED CONNECTED

May

Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison by Jay Jay Patton, illustrated by Kiara Valdez and Markia Jenai, is an unforgettable graphic memoir. This memoir tells the story of Jay Jay’s experience growing up with a father in prison, their struggle to stay connected, and the bond they built despite the distance. The story also highlights their post-incarceration journey as they worked together to create the Photo Patch App, a program designed to connect children with their incarcerated parents.

The visual storytelling pairs perfectly with the narrative, capturing moments of sadness, hope, and joy in a way that will resonate with middle-grade students. The inclusion of real-life photos and statistics at the end of the book are a great way to remind readers that this is a memoir and the events, the people and the app are all real.

This book touches on important themes like social issues, family relationships, and resilience. It sparks conversations about staying connected, even when it’s tough, and helps build empathy along the way. The representation of girls in STEM showing Jay Jay’s passion for math and hard work in bringing the app to life are a great addition to any bookshelf.

You can visit the Photo Patch website here to see the growing number of connections made possible through the innovation.

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TRY THIS TOMORROW: BOOK-MATCHING WITH READOW

May

Matching students with the right book can ignite their love for reading. With so many titles out there, the task can be a challenge. That’s where ReadOw comes in—a tool designed to connect readers with books that fit their reading preferences.

What is ReadOw?

ReadOw is an AI-powered book recommendation tool that uses reader reviews and ratings to suggest books tailored to individual tastes. For your classroom, this means personalized recommendations that reflect your students’ diverse reading identities.

Why Reading Identity Matters

Every student has a unique reading identity—their interests, past experiences, and the types of stories they connect with. When students find books that resonate, they engage more deeply, build stamina, and see reading as something they want to do. ReadOw helps by offering suggestions that feel personal, making it easier for students to connect with their next great read.

How to Try This Tomorrow

Start with a Conversation
Model these questions by sharing your own identity and reflective thinking.
Ask students what makes a book “good” for them.
Have students reflect on books they’ve loved and why.
Explore ReadOw Together
Use ReadOw.ai to search for books based on what students already enjoy.
Share the recommendations and discuss observations.
Build a TBR
Have students explore the recommendations and build a TBR.
Discuss ways that you can find books from the list (Sora, library, Libby, bookstore etc)

Discovering reading identities and matching students with books they love is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching literacy. Try it tomorrow—you might be surprised by what you learn about the readers in your room!

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IN FINE FORM: A CONTEMPORARY LOOK AT CANADIAN FORM POETRY

Apr

Spanning a range of poets and time-periods, In Fine Form: A Contemporary Look at Form Poetry includes 180+ poems organized by their form. There are the usual suspects such as ballads, acrostic poems, haikus, and sonnets. However, there are some other forms that I had never come across before. I was also introduced to Canadian poets that were unfamiliar to me.

The editors, Kate Braid and Sandy Shreve, have done a wonderful job creating a collection that, I think, is perfect for high school ELA teachers. Each chapter of the book begins with a brief introduction of the form’s origins, a description of how the form works, as well as traditional and non-traditional examples of the form by a range of poets. There are New Brunswick poets included in this anthology as well. There are two Stanzas by Bliss Carman, an Epigram by Alden Nowlen, and a Madrigal and a Sonnet by Herménégilde Chiasson.

I could see ELA teachers using this book in a variety of ways:

as mentor texts for any poetry form you are teaching
as part of an author study
to study a well-crafted essay (The introduction of the book is beautifully written)
as part of a unit on Canadian poets

There is so much richness to be found in this book that I highly recommend you add it to your poetry shelf and use it frequently in the classroom!

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TRY THIS TOMORROW: POETRY PAUSE

Apr

The League of Canadian Poets’ mandate is to “elevate the cultural significance of poetry and champion the role of poets. Working to nurture and expand poetry communities and audiences, the organization cultivates the local, national, and international publication, performance, and recognition of poetry…”

As part of their work to expand audiences for Canadian poetry, they have a daily email service called “Poetry Pause”. Each day, subscribers receive a poem in their inbox.

This is a fantastic way to become more familiar with current Canadian poets and also grow your pool of possible poems for use in the classroom. It also gives up-and-coming poets an audience for their work!

You can subscribe for Poetry Pause here.

Try this tomorrow!

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TRY THIS TOMORROW – HELPING STUDENTS UNLOCK POETRY

Apr

Start With This Shared Text:
Tomorrow, begin by reading the introduction How to Read a Poem from The Poetry Pharmacy (found at the end of this post). William Sieghart offers practical, empathetic advice for engaging with poetry, encouraging readers to slow down, read aloud, and revisit poems over time.

What to Do Next:

Model the Method:
Choose a poem (visit the poetry round-up for ideas). Read it aloud to the class, demonstrating Sieghart’s advice to “perform it properly.” Share what you notice about the rhythm, the sound of the words, or any emotions that arise.
Invite Students to Explore:
Give students time to read the same poem quietly to themselves. Encourage them to whisper it aloud if they feel comfortable, as Sieghart suggests. Pair them up to read it again with a partner, listening for changes in the sound or meaning when someone else reads it.
Reflect and Share:
After several readings, ask students to respond to one or more of these questions:
- What line or word stands out to you most, and why?
- How does the poem make you feel? What does it remind you of?
- What did you notice on the second or third reading that you didn’t see at first?

Share responses as a class to highlight the multiple layers and interpretations of the poem.

Plant the Seed for Repetition:
Challenge students to “live with” the poem for the week. Encourage them to reread it at home. Ask them to jot down notes about how their understanding or feelings evolve with each reading.

Student Choice:

We often listen to the same song on repeat, finding something new to love or relate to with each play. Offer students the chance to choose their own “poem on repeat.” Ask them to live with their chosen poem/lyrics for a week, revisiting it daily.

Afterward, encourage them to share:

How did your relationship with the poem/lyrics change?
Did it remind you of anything in your life, or help you see something differently?
What line or phrase stayed with you, and why?

Why This Approach Matters:
Sieghart’s approach aligns with what we know about making poetry accessible: slowing down, engaging repeatedly, and allowing personal interpretation to emerge. It creates a low-pressure environment for exploration while honoring the layered beauty of poems. Tomorrow, try it out—give your students the tools to read poetry in a way that feels meaningful, not intimidating.

How to Read a Poem

*from Poetry Pharmacy: Tried and True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind and Soul by William Sieghart

People are always telling me that they worry about their ability to read a poem. They don’t really know how to. It’s almost as though when they’re faced with a poem they’re instantly intimidated, even though of course they can read and write like the best of us.

When I’m asked for tips, I always give the same advice. Don’t read the poem like you would a newspaper or a novel. Read it almost like a prayer. Say it aloud in your head as if you’re speaking it to somebody else – somebody interested, who makes you want to perform it properly. Or, of course, read it truly out loud if you want to, and if you’re not on the bus. Either way, it’s the reading aloud that will allow you to properly hear it; that will make you understand the rhythms, cadences and musicality of the words and phrases.

When people tell me they don’t understand poetry, I have another recommendation. I tell them to read the same poem night after night. Keep it by your bed, and read it before you switch out the lights. Read it five nights in a row, and you’ll find you discover a totally new flavour and feeling from it every time.

How you experience a poem depends on your own inner rhythms: what you’ve been through and what your mood is that day. But more than that, a really good poem is layered. It uncovers itself bit by bit by bit, never finished but always rewarding. That’s why the joy of a really concise and brilliant poem is that you get more out of it every time.

Read the poems in this book however you like. Keep them in your desk drawer for when you feel shaky, or memorize them so you always have them on hand. Read them in the bath until the pages are crinkled beyond repair. But however this book works for you, remember that no poem deserves only a single visit. Come back, try again, approach them in a new frame of mind or with a new openness. If you persevere, you may be surprised at how many new friends you make.

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APRIL IS POETRY MONTH 2025

Apr

April is Poetry Month and Margin Notes will be featuring ideas for celebrating poetry this month…and all year long.

We’ve updated our Poetry Month Resource Round-Up. You can access it here. You will also find many poetry ideas in our Craft Studio and Try This Tomorrow posts and in the archives of A 30-Day Writing Habit.

For the past few years, I’ve challenged myself to write beside the same poem every day during Poetry Month. This has become a daily ritual I look forward to as I discover something new in the poem with every reading over the 30 days. This year, I’m inviting you find a poem that resonates with you and join me.

Happy Poetry Month!

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