3. Using Mentor Texts to Enhance Your Literacy Block

Our classrooms are full of invaluable tools that can equip our students with critical thinking skills and spark a lifelong love of reading and writing. Can you guess what these tools are? It’s mentor texts!Utilizing the right mentor texts can completely transform your instruction and your students’ experiences with literacy. In this episode, we will explore the purpose behind using mentor texts, what research says about their effectiveness, how to choose the right ones, and unique ways to incorporate them into your literacy block. After listening, you can save time rummaging through your library by grabbing my free list of mentor texts. Enjoy bringing the magic of reading to life in your classroom!Episode Highlights:02:17 - Defining what a mentor text really is (hint: not all picture books are mentor texts!)04:34 - Why mentor texts should be an essential component in our instruction09:10 -  What the research says about mentor texts12:37 - What goes into choosing the right mentor texts, plus a free resource that has done the hard work for you!20:56 - Actionable and unique ways that you can use mentor textsResources:Free Mentor Text ListThe Building Comprehension HubFree Close Reading GuidebookThe Literacy Lounge Facebook groupLeave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts!Show Notes: https://cieraharristeaching.com/episode3Mentioned in this episode:The Thinking Reader* is a must-have for teachers looking to bridge the gap between phonics and deep comprehension. Packed with research-backed strategies, this book helps students think critically and truly understand what they read. https://cieraharristeaching.com/the-thinking-reader/