Blog - Coffee Break - Literacy Junkie

All words are not of equal importance for instruction. Some words require a deep dive of meaningful scaffolded inquiry of the complexities of words in various contexts, while others require a brief definition.

education, literacy, Vocabulary, struggling readersLaura HancockAugust 20, 2021Vocabulary, literacy, literacyjunkie, word learning, learning words, vocabulary development, vocabulary instruction, reading, Struggling Readers, literacymatters, earlyliteracyComment

Own the New Word

Students need an abundance of exposure to solidify their understanding of words. Teachers need to allow time to process the information through frequent opportunities to hear the meaning of words, expose new words in multiple contexts, and opportunities for active involvement. It’s the active involvement that supports students in developing a deeper understanding of the word and how it is used flexibly.

vocabulary, instructionLaura HancockMarch 20, 2021vocabulary development, vocabulary instruction, developing readers, vocabulary, literacy, Struggling ReadersComment

March: Stay Fearless!

Women are celebrated and remembered as we look at opportunity and equality. Because March doesn’t stay silent, it awakens from its slumber. It’s fearless.

literacy, education, Global Competencies, community, Women's History, Picture BooksLaura HancockMarch 9, 2021#womenshistory, fearless, Fearlesswomen, literacy, global literacy, picture books, reading, literacyjunkieComment

Developing a Love of Words

Education has over 100 years of studies showing students having difficulties with word knowledge and word relationships beginning with Thorndike (1917) and Davis (1944). In 1950, Kottmyer wrote about teachers having “vexing problems” with vocabulary instruction.

education, VocabularyLaura HancockOctober 17, 2020Vocabulary, vocabulary development, word learning, literacy, vocabulary instruction, education, vocabulary learning, learning wordsComment

Authentic Tasks to Teach Summarizing and Paraphrasing to Struggling Readers

When students know how to paraphrase it means they understand what they are reading, and I think it helps develop their writing. Paraphrasing is an important skill for all forms of communication in school and work, but it can be challenging for all students, and it’s crucial for college, whether in academic writing or academic discussions.

struggling readers, literacy, educationLaura HancockOctober 2, 2020Struggling Readers, literacy, paraphrasing, summarizing, paraphrase, summarize, video presentations, authentic tasks, Adobe SparkComment

How Improv Builds a Culture of Community in the (Virtual) Classroom

Improvisation is a fun, playful, interactive, and social tool, which build relationships, teamwork, and a culture of community in your classroom through lots of laughter. Improv not only sparks the imagination, but it also awakens the mind and body, while engaging students to think creatively and quickly and strengthens their active listening skills.

Laura HancockAugust 23, 2020Comment

My Heart Aches for Grand Bahamians

Three weeks ago Hurricane Dorian stalled for 30 hours with winds reaching 200 mph over Grand Bahama resulting in catastrophic destruction to an island already ravaged by Irma in 2017, and Matthew in 2016. Grand Bahama has a special place in my heart because last year, I was an Assistant Professor at the University of The Bahamas (UB) teaching education courses and supervising student teachers.

literacyLaura HancockSeptember 30, 2019Hurricane Dorian Grand Bahama, University of the Bahamas-North, University of The Bahamas, education, fearless, inspiring, global literacy, socioemotional, inspirational, #teachertribe, social justiceComment

9 Lessons Learned from Teaching Struggling Readers

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” – Maya Angelou

education, literacy, Lessons Learned, Fluency, struggling readersLaura HancockJune 18, 2018Literacy Junkiestruggling readers, literacy, relationships, developing readers, at-risk readersComment

The Dynamic Duo: Poetry and Fluency

Poetry and fluency are like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Their reciprocal relationship complimented one another and their dancing was expressive, emotive, fluid, easy to understand and a joy to watch. It was a visual language. Similarly, fluency in reading is pleasing to the ear and mind, so the text is easier to understand and allows one to create a movie in your head.

literacy, Fluency, educationLaura HancockApril 27, 2018fluency, literacy, poetry, reading, struggling readers, education Comments

Using Picture Books to Teach Global Competence

Our young children are inquisitive. They are trying to understand the world around them by asking questions, LOTS of questions, about their immediate world, their neighborhood, and their larger global society. In this post, I want to share Global Book Bags (GBB).

Global Competencies, literacyLaura HancockMarch 30, 2018picture books, global competencies, reading, literacy, reader experience, literature, equity, global literacy, Global goals, SDG's, sustainable development goalsComment

International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is the time to celebrate the women who have made a difference in our lives, and our world. It’s also a time to reflect, question, and challenge stereotypes and bias towards women.

One such way to reflect, question, and challenge stereotypes and bias towards women, is to introduce young children through a dialectical process involving picture books, articles, literature and online pieces where they can examine characters, real people and their contributions to society. And learn to become fearless!

literacyLaura HancockMarch 8, 2018international women's day, women's rights, women, young, historical, inspiring, reading, literacy, social justice, fearless girls, fearless, girls, inspirationalComment

#ArmMeWith

Tragically, we are once again engulfed in the School Safety debate. And rightfully so.

The President tweeted yesterday, Thursday the 21st, “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people.” And for some people, “a good guy with a gun, stops a bad guy with a gun.” But that didn’t work in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Florida when a seasoned armed guard in uniform “didn’t go in”.

ArmMeWithLaura HancockFebruary 23, 2018#ArmMeWith, #guncontrol, #teachertribe, #standup, #gunsafety, #notonemore, #teachersmatter Comments

The Power of Three

Way back in the 15th century, the aristocratic Italian Borromeo families created a coat of arms. Their coat of arms bears three interconnected rings to show the indissoluble friendship and unity. The removal of one link would break the balance and harmonious relationship. Nonetheless, I only know this because I was trying to persuade my husband to visit this stunning island, but it wasn’t all bad, as we agreed on Paris. It is interesting to note that this symbolic representation and cohesion is also found in early Buddhism and Viking cultures.

literacyLaura HancockFebruary 19, 2018relationalpedgogy, literacy, relationships, socioemotionalComment