Texts are central to the act of reading. Children can learn about language and content by listening to readers, but unless their eyes are making contact with print and translating it to meaning, they cannot be described as reading. For learning to read and reading to learn, context is important, including meaningful talk and authentic tasks tailored to each learner. Carefully matching readers with texts they can comprehend is critical and complex.

1. READ…..WHAT!?

2. TEXT

3. TEXT--at the Heart of Learning to Read
and Reading to Learn
“Texts are Central to the act of reading. Children
can learn a great deal about the language and
content of texts through listening to experienced
readers read texts aloud; however, unless children’s
eyes are marking contact with print and translating
that print into meaning, they can’t be described as
reading…..” (p. 1)
From
Finding the Right Texts: What Works for Beginning
and Struggling Readers. Edited by Elfrieda H.
Hierbert and Misty Sailors, The Guilford Press, 2009

4. Text is Read in a Context
Central to the process of learning to read and
reading to learn is a context where there is
meaningful talk and authentic tasks.
Meaning and authenticity are learner specific.
Reader-text matching is critical and complex.

5. TEXT
TALK
TASK

6. More to come….