Conversations: strategies for teaching, learning and evaluating
Regie Routman, Portsmouth: NH, Heinemann, 2000

Are you up for a literacy text that looks something like a cross between an old-fashioned ‘bumper’ book and a telephone directory? The main body of teaching comes in the white pages (over 600 pages) with 240 blue pages being devoted to teacher resources. The white pages are absolutely jammed packed with teaching advice on all areas of literacy. Here are a few:

• Using picture books to inspire personal narrative

• Organizing for writing

• Individual conferences

• Using textbooks and guides

• The role of the Language Arts coach

• Working with struggling readers

I dipped into this book because I was interested in finding out how teachers can mediate literature discussions. I found a great list of cues or prompts. Here are a few of them.

• Tell us what

• Tell us why you agree

• Let’s talk about

• Let’s discuss why

• So you’re saying

• Talk more about that.

These got me on the path on thinking how teachers can vary the ‘spiel’, getting away from the all pervasive question.

In short, this great resource is one to keep handy for dipping into whatever your literacy need happens to be. It seems to me that Routman’s text could truly be the teacher’s friend.

(Available through the University of Queensland library)