2013 Title I Conference

The presentation will begin with a explanation of why the understanding of genre is significant in processing texts with high levels of comprehension and essential to having the knowledge and skills to write in a specific genre. References will be made to the work of Randy Bomer, Heather Lattimer, and Gay Su Pinnell.

Next, participants will be led through the six major steps of creating a genre study: 1. Collect. 2. Immerse. 3. Study. 4. Define. 5. Teach. 6. Read and Revise. This Genre Study is an inquiry-based model which strongly encourages and values the contributions of each reader in the class, regardless of reading ability. Collaboration and authentic conversation are key. (Based on work of Fountas & Pinnell, Genre Study: Teaching with Fiction and Nonfiction Books.)

The presenter will share her own "case study" of Genre Study in a classroom, suggestions for implementing a Genre Study as a part of a reading/writing workshop, and lists of exemplar books for each genre.