What I’m Reading this Summer: Professional Development Books for Reading Teachers
Before I became a teacher — from childhood to adulthood — I was an avid reader. At one point, I would read a book a day! Sadly, once I became a classroom teacher, I slowly stopped reading for enjoyment and began to view reading as a punitive task rather than an activity that I enjoyed. I was reading so much as a teacher: lesson plans, research articles, and professional development books for reading teachers, etc…
I was burned out on reading.
But, after the passing of my husband, I decided to read again to help ease my mind. And now with my new role as Literacy Coach, I find myself reading even more, reading the latest professional development books for Reading Specialists to stay current on literacy laws and best practices.
Here’s the list of books I’m reading this summer as a Literacy Coach to get ready for the next school year (When I was ordering, I even snuck a few “just for fun” books into my cart as well!)
Best Professional Development Books for Teachers of Reading
MTSS for Reading Intervention: A Leader’s Toolkit for Schoolwide Success by Sarah Brown& Stephanie Stollar
I have been excitedly waiting for this book. Honestly, this is the education book of the summer! While working in schools over the years - not only as a reading specialist but as an intervention coordinator - I wish I had this book when I was building schools’ initial schoolwide intervention framework. If you are a school leader, intervention coordinator, or reading specialist/interventionist looking to effectively implement school-wide interventions, this book is for you.
Literacy Unlocked: How to Implement the Science of Reading with Young Learners by Amie Burkholder
This is another must-read book of the summer! Given the current educational landscape, many educators have received little SOR (Science of Reading) training at the university. The majority of their SOR training has either been independent or on-the-job. If you are new to SOR or just looking for new and effective ways to integrate SOR into your classroom, this is the book for you.
Teaching Phonics & Word Study in the Intermediate Grades by Wiley Blevins
I had the pleasure of meeting Wiley Blevins at a reading conference, and I shared with him my district’s struggle with implementing phonics and word study in upper elementary. After our conversation, I began to create a word study block for my district that could be integrated into their literacy block. Oftentimes, phonics and word study are overlooked in grades 3-5 and are viewed as a “K-2 only” task. However, there are too many students being promoted to upper elementary with significant gaps in their literacy skills, leaving 3-5 teachers with the challenging task of filling in these phonic gaps. If you can relate, you NEED to read this book.
The PD Book by Lori Cohen and Elena Aguilar
This book is a reading requirement for my state’s literacy coaches’ network. To be honest, I struggled reading this book at first because it has a lot of pedagogy (I actually stopped reading the book for a bit…). However, I decided to continue reading it because it has a wealth of information. I would highly suggest reading this book if you are a new literacy coach, an instructional coach, or if you lead PDs at your school or district level.
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
A fun fact about me... I am an avid Wizard of Oz fan! I love the movie and The Wiz rendition as well, but I also like the original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which the movie is based. So, this is a book I picked just for enjoyment. Finding Dorothy is a fictional account of the inspiration behind The Wonderful Wizard of Oz books, told through the perspective of L. Frank Baum’s wife, Maud. The story covers the time Maud was a little girl and through adulthood, including when she became a mentor to Judy Garland.
Ready to Add to Your Stack of PD Books for Reading Teachers?
I hope some of these titles resonate with you and inspire your own summer reading journey. Whether you’ve already read a few or just added them to your to-be-read list, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know which books stood out to you - or if you have a favorite professional development read I should check out next.
Want More Insight on Reading Interventions? Read This Next…
If you're in the mood for more honest reflection and actionable ideas, don’t miss my post:What I Would Change About My Past Reading Interventions. It’s a candid look at the mistakes I made early on—and what I do differently now to better support my students.
