Nancy Boyles

Reading, Writing, and Rigor

Nancy Boyles

What does rigor , a word that frequently pops up in conversations about education, really mean? More specifically, what does it mean for literacy instruction, and how does it relate to challenging standards-based assessments? In this informative and practical guide, literacy expert Nancy Boyles uses the framework from Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) to answer these questions, offering experience-based advice along with specific examples of K–8 assessment items. Boyles defines rigor and shows how it relates to literacy at each DOK level and explains the kind of thinking students will be expected to demonstrate. She then tackles the essence of what teachers need to know about how DOK and its associated rigors are measured on standards-based assessments. Specifically, readers learn how each DOK rigor aligns withstandards,text complexity,close reading,student interaction,the reading-writing connection, andformative assessment. Teachers, coaches, and administrators will find clear guidance, easy-to-implement strategies, dozens of useful teaching tools and resources, and encouragement to help students achieve and demonstrate true rigor in reading and writing.

Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades K-2

Nancy Boyles

Ever wished for comprehension lessons that get students where they need to be in reading? With  Lessons and Units for Closer Reading: K-2  you get  just that, 20 initial close reading, standards-based lessons and 80 follow-up comprehension skill lessons that expertly scaffold young readers. The lessons, arranged into 5 units of study, include 12 illustrated Active Reader Cards (printable in four-color!) Day–by-day how-to’s for initial and follow-up lessons  12 Formative Assessments with  graphic support and options for oral and written tasks Performance criteria  so you can adjust your instruction