Thinking Reading Writing

A Practical Guide to Paired Learning with Peers, Parents & Volunteers, Keith Topping, Continuum International: New York & London (2001). Parents, peers and volunteers are increasingly involved in literacy skills tutoring – at school, in the home and in other contexts. This book extends these developments into higher order reading skills and thinking skills – currently areas of great interest to educators, government, and employers.

The book details specific structured methods for improving quality and effectiveness in parent, peer and volunteer tutoring. The methods cover reading, thinking, writing and spelling. They are solidly based on decades of work in hundreds of schools with thousands of children, and a very large amount of research evidence in the UK and elsewhere.

About

The book details specific structured methods for improving quality and effectiveness in parent, peer and volunteer tutoring. The methods cover reading, thinking, writing and spelling. They are solidly based on decades of work in hundreds of schools with thousands of children, and a very large amount of research evidence in the UK and elsewhere.

These practical methods are designed so all can benefit, including tutors as well as tutees, irrespective of age and ability. They are:

  • inexpensive to use,
  • require no special materials or complex technology,
  • are flexible and durable in a wide range of settings,
  • are compatible with professional instruction of almost any type.

Full descriptions of the methods are coupled with detailed advice about successful organisation, brief summaries of the relevant research findings, and guidance on local evaluation. The book is linked with a web site containing over fifty free resource materials to help with implementing projects and with staff development presentations, which can be adapted and copied for use by readers.

Instructions

This book and the electronic resources together are intended to make innovation and quality improvement easier, quicker and more assured for the busy professional who is striving to raise standards of achievement, improve school effectiveness, and develop collaborative community partnerships. The methods described in this book are also enjoyable, and sociable and intrinsically rewarding. They can help to create a co-operative and positive social ethos and promote social inclusion and citizenship.

The book and the accompanying electronic resources will be of interest to:

  • practising teachers
  • those who educate or train teachers (pre-service and in-service)
  • those who consult with, advise, appraise and manage teachers, schools and school systems
  • organisers of before-school, after-school, and summer school supported study provision
  • any other agency or professional involved in the organisation of parent, peer or volunteer tutoring (e.g. community educators, voluntary organisations, libraries, adult education facilities, and parents’ groups).
  • some parents, including those educating their children at home
  • those interested in family literacy, workplace literacy, and other contexts for lifelong learning (the methods have been used successfully with adults of limited literacy as tutees and tutors).
  • those interested in evidence-based methods for raising achievement and promoting social inclusion and citizenship

Book contents

  • Introduction: How To Use This Book

Section A Paired Reading

  • What Is Paired Reading?
  • How To Organize Paired Reading
  • Does Paired Reading Work?
  • How To Evaluate Paired Reading

Section B Paired Thinking

  • What Is Paired Thinking?
  • How To Organize Paired Thinking
  • Does Paired Thinking Work?
  • How To Evaluate Paired Thinking

Section C Paired Writing

  • What Is Paired Writing?
  • How To Organize Paired Writing
  • Does Paired Writing Work?
  • How To Evaluate Paired Writing

Section D Cued Spelling

  • What Is Cued Spelling?
  • How To Organize Cued Spelling
  • Does Cued Spelling Work?
  • How To Evaluate Cued Spelling

Section E

  • Sustained Gains – Embedding Paired Learning
  • Resources: Introduction and Menu General Resources
  • Paired Reading Resources
  • Paired Thinking Resources
  • Paired Writing Resources
  • Cued Spelling Resources

Resources

The Resources are organized in sections parallel to the parts of the TRW book to which they relate. They are prefaced by a section on more general resources to do with peer, parent and volunteer tutoring.

Within each section, the resources available from the TRW web site are followed by a listing of other relevant resources from elsewhere. The “resources from elsewhere” include video and other multimedia content as well as web based resources. Some of these are free, some are not.

General:

  • Peer Assisted Learning: Information for Parents
  • Dictionary of Praise (cross-reference to)
  • Planning Proformas (cross-reference to)
  • Designing New Paired Methods

Paired Reading:

  • PR How To Do It (for Parent Tutors)
  • PR How To Do It (for Peer Tutors)
  • PR Method Overhead Masters (for Parents)
  • PR Flowchart
  • PR Advantages
  • PR Planning Proforma – Peer Tutoring
  • PR Planning Proforma – Parent Tutoring
  • PR Technique Checklist
  • PR Diary
  • PR Dictionary of Praise
  • PR Certificate of Merit
  • PR Beyond Paired Reading Handout
  • PR Literature Review to 1995
  • PR Research Overhead Masters
  • PR Evaluation Questionnaire (for Tutee)
  • PR Evaluation Questionnaire (for Parent Tutors)
  • PR Evaluation Questionnaire (for Peer Tutor)
  • PR Evaluation Questionnaire (for Teacher, re individual child)
  • PR Evaluation Questionnaire (for Teacher, re whole class)

Paired Thinking:

  • PT Structure: Summary
  • PT Tips for Peer or Parent Tutors (in full)
  • PT Tips for Peer or Parent Tutors (reminders)
  • PT Level 1 Prompt Sheet
  • PT Level 2 Prompt Sheet
  • PT Level 3 Prompt Sheet
  • PT Level 4 Prompt Sheet
  • PT Technique Checklist
  • PT Evaluation Questionnaire (for Tutees)
  • PT Evaluation Questionnaire (for Tutors)
  • PT Evaluation Questionnaire (for Teachers)

Paired Writing:

  • PW Flowchart
  • PW Method Overhead Masters
  • PW Planning
  • PW Drafting Support Stages
  • PW Editing and Evaluation Reminder Sheet
  • PW Self and Peer Evaluation Forms
  • PW Technique Checklist
  • PW Teacher Peer Tutoring Role Reminder Sheet
  • PW Emergent Writing Evaluation Questionnaire (for Teachers)
  • PW Evaluation Questionnaire (for Tutees & Peer or Parent Tutors)
  • PW Evaluation Interview Schedule (for Peer Tutors)
  • PW Evaluation Interview Schedule (for Peer Tutees)
  • PW Evaluation Interview Schedule (for Teachers)

Cued Spelling:

  • CS Flowchart
  • CS Diary Sheet
  • CS Mnemonic Strategies Handout
  • CS Mnemonic Ideas Handout
  • CS How To Do It
  • CS Abbreviated Procedure
  • CS Research Overhead Masters
  • CS Evaluation Questionnaire (for Peer or Parent Tutor)
  • CS Evaluation Questionnaire (for Tutee)

Book contact

Continuum International

370 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA.
Tel 212-953-5858, Fax 212-953-5944
Email: info@continuum-books.com

The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX, England
Tel +44 (0)207 922 0880
Fax +44 (0)207 922 0881