Thinking Through Genre: Units of Study in Reading and Writing Workshops 4-12

I have been teaching at the elementary level for over 10 years. This book deepened my understanding of how to use genre studies to engage students in an inquiry approach that deeply impacts (and improves) their reading and writing even though it was written for use with older students. The opening chapters are easy to read, engaging, and so incredilby informative. The sample lesson plans helped me make concrete connections to how to actually do this approach with kids. It truly deepened how I approach teaching genres to student, and how I am able to make connections for kids between reading and writing in a genre. It's a great and practical resource!!

I use this book whenever I sit down to plan a new unit. The thought process Lattimer and the teachers she works with went through for their own planning always inspires me. The tables of questions to consider with students while studying each genre help a lot.

I love the way the chapters describe the way real teachers use Lattimer's guiding questions. I've replicated many of the sample lessons with great success because she describes them so clearly. I've also loaned it to the new teachers I mentor and they find it helpful as well.

Thinking Through Genre presents such a realistic approach to teaching a reading and writing workshop because the teachers in the book work in mostly urban schools and face the same challenges I do. I show the samples of student writing to my students and then they always want to try to write something even better.

The title really has a double meaning because it's about teachers and students thinking through the features of a genre and it is also about using genre studies to teach critical thinking.

I highly recommend this book to all English and Language Arts teachers.