Part 2: Blessing the Book with Sharon Callen

In this episode of Blessing the Book: A Framework for Building Student Engagement, Sharon Callen explores actionable strategies to ignite a passion for reading in the classroom. Drawing from Linda Gambrell’s Rules of Engagement, Sharon emphasises the importance of creating opportunities for sustained reading, offering choice, and encouraging social interaction around texts. The concept of "blessing the book" is a key strategy for guiding striving readers toward accessible and engaging texts, fostering ownership in their choices.
Sharon introduces independent reading time as an essential practice for cultivating sustained engagement, urging teachers to make this time intentional and focused on building students' relationships with their books. She shares insights on helping students tackle appropriately challenging books, ensuring growth without overwhelming them.
The podcast also highlights tools like the Engagement Inventory, adapted from Jennifer Serravallo, to track students’ focus during reading sessions, revealing patterns of engagement and disengagement. This data-driven approach informs tailored strategies to help students stay engaged.
Listeners gain valuable classroom tips, from implementing peer discussions after reading to incorporating reading logs that encourage reflection and build agency. Sharon concludes by reminding teachers that engagement doesn’t happen by accident-it is nurtured through intentional, supportive practices. By implementing these strategies, teachers can help students not only improve their reading skills but develop a lasting love for reading, empowering them to take ownership of their learning.
TEACHIFIC RESOURCES
• Seven Rules of Engagement (www.teachific....) by Linda Gambrell
• Motivation to Read Profile (www.teachific....) by Linda Gambrell
• Reading Calendars 2024 (www.teachific....) - Teachific
TEACHER’S TOOLKIT PODCASTS
• Genevieve Kruyssen: New Release Books 2022 (the-teachers-t...) , Latest Release Books 2023 (the-teachers-t...) , Invitation to New Books 2024 Part 1 (the-teachers-t...) Part 2 (the-teachers-t...)
• Rebecca Bird: A Book Lover’s Story 2020 (the-teachers-t...) , Great Books for High School 2021 (the-teachers-t...) , New Books to Inspire 2022 (the-teachers-t...) ,
• Giselle Pulford: Picture Books for Older Readers 2021 (the-teachers-t...) , Information Books in My Classroom 2021 (the-teachers-t...) ,
• Motivation: Key to Reading Success (the-teachers-t...) with Sharon Callen
• Tantalising Texts and Classroom Libraries (the-teachers-t...) with Sharon Callen
JENNIFER SERRAVALLO
• Engagement inventory (www.jenniferse...)
TEXTS (AMAZON)
• No More Reading for Junk (www.amazon.com...) by Barbara Marinak and Linda Gambrell
• Best Practices in Literacy Instruction (www.amazon.com...) by Lesley Mandell Morrow and Linda B Gambrell
JOIN TEACHIFIC NOW AND SAVE!
• Join Teachific (www.teachific....) today (dashboard.simp...) . Access thousands of resources and a growing number of 'anytime' courses within your membership.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Tune in to "Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy (the-teachers-t...) ," a free podcast where accomplished literacy educator Sharon Callen and her team share valuable insights and tips. With over 30 years of experience, the...