#034: 11 Ways to Use a Mentor Text to Teach Reading and Writing

Is teaching with mentor texts really worth the effort? Yes! And...this episode will help you maximize your efforts.

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Mentors texts are essential tools for well-planned, effective literacy lessons. Bold words, I know! I stand behind them. 

From experience, I know you can use one mentor text in numerous ways over the course of a week. In fact, I can think of 11 ways off the top of my head that include teaching reading skills and strategies, comprehension, multiple writing opportunities, math and even social studies. Once you hear my ideas, I'm willing to bet you'll think of even more ways to use the same text in your classroom.

Even better, there's  one more way to enrich and extend the learning. Adding in some texts to pair with your first mentor text choice makes for leaning that sticks and  real student success. 

Listen in.

In this episode, find out:

• How mentor texts support learning in all areas of literacy.
• How to use a mentor text.
• How you can easily extend and adapt the text for other subjects and teaching multiple lessons.

You can do this!

Teach joyfully,

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You can listen to this episode here.

A freebie to help you get started:

11 Ways to Use a Mentor Text Cheat Sheet

Links to other episodes you might like:

#009: How to Get Your Students from Knowing HOW to Read to Becoming READERS

#015: How to Have the Right Words at the Right Time for Better Classroom Management

#030: How to Teach Sight Words in 10 Minutes a Day [or less]

#033: How Our Expectations in the Classroom Have the Power to Impact Our Students' Success

Here's links to some resources to support you:

•  Join the Teach Joyfully Facebook Community
• Sequencing Graphic Organizers
• Finding the Main Idea and Key Details 
• Parent Email Templates
• Atomic Habits by James Clear The ULTIMATE guide to successfully creating habits [of mind and actions] that stick.