Professional books for summer reading!

Summer is coming soon! I am going to have a very hard time saying goodbye to my 27 readers this year, but I am really looking forward to more leisure time. Time that I plan to fill with as much reading as possible!

I have gathered some of my favorite books about teaching reading and writing. I hope they help you!

There are SO many good books out there about teaching reading and writing -  it can be overwhelming to find the books that YOU need to help YOUR unique practice. Professional books do not come cheap and not everyone or every school has the budget for purchasing them for individuals or staff.

Can't buy these books? I do think it is helpful to own these books and keep them in your classroom, but that isn't always possible. In the past I have borrowed books from:

• my local education agency 
• district curriculum department 
• friends 

After borrowing them, I decide if they are books that are one-time reads that are great and really stick with me over the years but are not necessarily a book I will turn to when trying to design a reading intervention or teach a particular skill. If it IS a book that I can see myself coming back to over and over (such as The Reading Strategies by Jennifer Serravallo), I will shell out the cash for that. However, before doing that, ask your principal if it is possible to do a book study with that book. If it was helpful to you, it would probably be helpful to other teachers and there is often funds for professional development like book studies!

Also, look for these books online. Websites like half.com or Amazon usually have used copies that are in good condition. I also regularly check the education section of my local Half Price Books!

What are your favorite books for teaching ELA? Share in the comments below!