Focus on Text

Amy Benjamin is a national education consultant and author of twelve books on teaching literacy. Before becoming a consultant, she was an award-winning English teacher in Montrose, New York.

• Part One: About the Reading Standards of the Common CoreChapter 1: Inside Classrooms: How Exactly Has the Common Core Been Changing America’s Classrooms?Chapter 2: Text Complexity and Readability MeasurementsChapter 3: On Babies and Bathwater: Correcting Misunderstandings about the Common CoreChapter 4: Assessments for the Reading StandardsPart Two: The Reading StandardsChapter 5: The Need for Phonics Instruction with Academic ReadingChapter 6: Reading Standards 1-3: Key Ideas and DetailsChapter 7: Reading Standards 4-6: Craft and StructureChapter 8: Reading Standards 7-9: Integration of Knowledge and IdeasChapter 9: Reading Standard 10: Range of Reading and Level of Text ComplexityStandard 10Appendix A: The Other Literacy Standards Appendix B: The Reading Standards Grade-by-GradeReferences

"As schools and teachers begin the process of aligning to the Common Core, Amy Benjamin gives teachers a clear understanding of what close reading means. In her book, she gives help in developing both summative and formative assessments that they can use to help their students raise their level of competence with close reading of complex texts. This book emphasizes best teaching practices and suggestions for helping teachers scaffold lessons for all students in the age of the Common Core." --Victor Jaccarino, Educational Consultant, Eastern Suffolk BOCES NTI Team, past president of the New York State English council, past president of the Long Island language arts council, and retired chair of English at Herricks Public Schools"Focus on Text is an excellent resource for teachers and instructional leaders who are working to align instruction and assessment to the Common Core. The book provides learning activities that engage students in the proficiencies outlined in the Common Core, and assessments that measure the level of proficiency students have gained when working within a particular reading standard. Amy Benjamin helps teachers understand what kinds of practices and assessments are rigorous enough to help students truly master the standards." --Mary O’Meara, English Department Chairperson, Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools, NY"Amy Benjamin has been gracious in regularly providing wise counsel responding to literacy and Common Core questions in my EdWeek teacher advice column. It's always a treat when you can get a whole book-full of it!"--Larry Ferlazzo, award-winning teacher, blogger, and author of Helping Students Motivate Themselves