TextProject president and CEO Elfrieda H. (Freddy) Hiebert blogs about important issues in reading research and practice.
Looking “Within” the Lexile for More Guidance: Word Frequency and Sentence Length
January 24, 2011
Teachers should use the lexile rating as an initial piece of information, much like a check of someone’s temperature. A temperature can be high or low for lots of different reasons. The average sentence length and average word frequency gives teachers more specific information that is useful for decision-making.
The Generalizability of the TExT Model to Indic Languages
October 6, 2010
Considerably less is known about reading processes in syllabic and semi-syllabic writing systems, such as those used by a sizeable proportion of the world’s population. In this column, we consider the generalizability of features of the TExT model to alphasyllabic languages, such as those in use in India.
Immunizations and treatments in early reading: What if we’ve got the wrong ones?
August 4, 2010
Might it be that the immunization effort of the past decade in early reading education has contributed to problems that are far more serious than word recognition ever was? Might it even be that students’ word recognition is, in fact, quite good and that it is their background knowledge and engagement in reading that is the real problem?
Opening the dialogue: What’s the story about beginning reading texts?
June 24, 2010
There are some children who come to school who officially learn to read in school but who have had hundreds of hours of experiences with books, print, and language play.
What Exactly is a Decodable Text?
June 17, 2010
Any text written in English is decodable at some level in that the code never deviates from the alphabetic system. However, the degree to which the letter-sound correspondences within words are common or consistent can vary considerably.
Whatever Happened to Dick and Jane?
June 4, 2010
If you were 6 years old between 1930-1967 in the U.S., there is a high likelihood that this text was the first of your school career.
High-Leverage Action #3
November 14, 2009
ELLs may have the concepts of a topic but simply give the concepts different labels than the English ones. In a unit on the human body, native Spanish speakers know about a skeleton.
High-Leverage Action #2
November 7, 2009
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common origin.
High-Leverage Action #1
October 31, 2009
We know that oral language is a primary way in which meaning gets constructed and built. Through talk, we come to understand concepts and our interpretations and ownership of ideas.
High-Leverage Actions That Can Make a Difference: Some Useful Background
October 29, 2009
As facilitator of the 2009 CREATE conference, I promised attendees that I would reflect on what I view to the important take-aways from the conference and share them in this venue.
Private, Personal, and Peculiar
October 1, 2009
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be established by a literal translation of the words in the phrase.
Welcome back, Freddy
September 11, 2009
Some of you may remember that ’70s show—Welcome back, Kotter! Well…I’m welcoming myself back to writing Frankly Freddy. Why, after a three-year hiatus, would I resurrect this column? One reason is that I’ve joined a cooperative work space here in SantaRead More »Welcome back, Freddy
Everyday Events
September 9, 2009
Vocabulary is one of the topics that Cassidy and Cassidy listed as hot in Reading Today. Vocabulary should always be a hot topic in that it forms the foundation of knowing and learning anything. A typical direction that educators take when a topic is hot is to think of lessons and materials and curriculum. These things are part of the solution but an additional resource lies in the everyday talk of classrooms. Language is the medium of human interaction and, like any human context, language fills classroom life.
Word Findings #8
March 7, 2008
Word consciousness is much more than knowing about words or even knowing many words. Word consciousness is also a disposition—an appreciation of words and an interest in them.
Word Findings #7
December 19, 2007
Beyond the primary grades, the language of written texts becomes more sophisticated than the language of oral language. This doesn’t mean, however, that students don’t need numerous opportunities to hear and express sophisticated vocabulary in oral language.
Word Findings #6
November 5, 2007
Emphasizing vocabulary as a first step of a lesson makes sense in that different languages use different words to represent the same concepts. Students may already have the concept in their native language or at least some relevant background knowledge to the concept.
Word Findings #5
August 30, 2007
School texts, especially those in content areas, have a special register called academic language. Within the academic language of content area textbooks, distinctions can be made in vocabulary.
Word Findings #4
April 17, 2007
If educators are to make a dent in the vocabulary gap that currently exists between low- and high-achieving students, disciplined ways of selecting words for instruction—and assessments—are needed.
Word Findings #3
March 27, 2007
In many schools and for the many topics that are part of a school curriculum, field trips aren’t possible. A Vocabulary Visit serves as a viable alternative, providing students with a multitude of experiences with the core words related to a topic.
Word Findings #2
March 20, 2007
Learning the stories behind words can be intriguing. The creation of Word Stories can be a way to involve students in the adventure of language.