October 2008

Welcome to the premier issue of the TextProject News email newsletter, highlighting the work of Dr. Elfrieda H. (Freddy) Hiebert in researching the role of text in helping students become better, more proficient readers.

New Book Co-Edited by Freddy Hiebert Available Now

Finding the Right Texts: What Works for Beginning and Struggling Readers, edited by Elfrieda H. Hiebert and Misty Sailors

Until now, no single volume has comprehensively examined the crucial question of how to select the most appropriate reading material for beginning or struggling readers. From leading authorities, this book meets an important need by reviewing the best available research on the role of specific text features—including linguistic and conceptual content—in supporting the development of proficient reading. Also explored are ways that teacher scaffolding can help students who have difficulties with particular aspects or types of texts. The book considers approaches to adapting the design and selection of texts to reinforce reading skills and provide well-paced challenges for K-6 students at a variety of ability levels.

Order from Guilford Press
Order from Amazon.com—Hardcover
Order from Amazon.com—Paperback

Newsletter Exclusive! Download Chapter 1 as a PDF

Newly Expanded Description of TExT Model

Freddy Hiebert's innovative Text Elements by Task (TExT) model of text difficulty is the foundation of QuickReads. An expanded description is now online at quickreads.org

Over the last several years, much of Freddy Hiebert’s research work and product development has revolved around her groundbreaking text difficulty model, Text Elements by Task (TExT), which is useful both for analyzing existing texts and creating new ones, such as QuickReads. The revised and expanded TExT page at quickreads.org shows examples of TExT’s analytical capabilities and explains how it’s used in QuickReads, including video clips of Freddy Hiebert discussing it and a demonstration of its characteristics in QuickReads vs. a typical basal reader.

Exceptional Expressions for Everyday Events

A component of Freddy Hiebert's recent work on Strategic Vocabulary Selection, Exceptional Expressions offers rich vocabulary alternatives for common classroom activities. Let us know if you have some to share...

Over the summer, Freddy Hiebert presented at several Reading First conferences regarding her concept of Strategic Vocabulary Selection (slides and handouts are available in the TextProject Library). Exceptional Expressions for Everyday Events is one of the suggestions she offered to expand students’ vocabulary in a quick and easy daily routine. The idea is simple: take an everyday event like listening, and describe it a little differently each day of one week: “Today we are going to listen vigilantly. [or: observantly, intently, respectfully, circumspectly],” along with a quick discussion of how listening vigilantly differs from listening observantly, etc., as well as others ways to listen.

We’ve posted a couple of ideas already, but we’re interested in suggestions from our readers. Take a look at the first two examples to get a sense of the format, and send us your suggestions to everydayexpressions@textproject.org.

Live QuickReads and QReads Technology Demonstration

Join us Wednesday, November 12 for a special webinar presented by Susan Provost, Educational Consultant & Dr. Elfrieda H. Hiebert, QuickReads Author

This live demonstration of QuickReads® and QReads™ Technology Edition is a great opportunity for you to see how the power of using speech-recognition software can help your students develop fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Join us and learn how students will be motivated to read and how you can track their progress instantly!

Choose from one of two available sessions.

November 12, 3:30pm–4:30pm ET Register Today

November 12, 5:30pm–6:30pm ET Register Today

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Live Webinar Event Featuring Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert

Join us online Wednesday, November 19 at 3:30 ET for "Choosing the Right Words and Texts for Vocabulary Instruction" presented by myPearsonTraining.com

English has approximately 600,000 different words. Which of these words should be taught in schools and how should they be taught? The session addresses the content and strategies of fluency and vocabulary instruction that supports high levels of comprehension. In particular, differences in the words that are taught—and the way in which they are taught—in stories and in content-area texts will be emphasized.

For more information, and free registration, visit the webinar’s GoToMeeting page

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