Shining a Light on Short Texts

Short texts are everywhere and so are the readers who love them!

Today's teachers are continually looking for resources to help support their literacy instruction in an engaging and effective way while also saving precious instructional hours and planning time. In Shining a Light on Short Texts, authors Julie Wright and Elizabeth Keim invite readers into the world of short texts and all they have to offer.

Part background information and part direct implementation, this treasure trove of resources introduces readers to a collection of short text types (from poems to comic strips to short stories to excerpts from trade books to infographics, and more) while showing them why this type of text can be so impactful, where to locate a variety of short texts, and how to plan instruction using them to meet students’ needs.

With a diverse collection of short texts to use as mentors alongside model planners embedded with ready-to-use lessons, Wright and Keim give teachers everything they need to get started, including:

● Descriptions and illustrations of multiple short text types

● 24 demonstration lessons grounded in 8 comprehension strategies

● Instructional examples built across three grade level bands (K–2, 3–5, and 6–8)

● Ideas for incorporating short texts sets for further study

● An extensive appendix with bonus lessons and resources

Teachers need solutions, and short texts are plentiful, low-cost, and come in a variety of interest levels and a wide range of text complexity. Shining a Light on Short Texts offers ready-to-use lessons while also establishing practices educators can easily replicate as they ultimately identify their own short text sources and create their own plans, based on their instructional focus and the unique needs of their readers.