The Best Professional Literacy Resources for K-6 Teachers

The BEST Literacy Resources for K-6 Teachers

Below I have posted my affiliate links to the literacy resources that have proven time and time again to have engaging ideas for my students and that keep me motivated as a teacher. As with my math resource recommendations, they are easy to read and practical. You can turn to a chapter or a page and pick out the strategy you want to use with your whole class or small groups. I don’t enjoy professional reads that have chapter upon chapter of theories. Who has time for that? We want easy to implement ideas that are research backed and that will work in our classrooms and for our students. 

So here is my list! 

These first two books are currently my most used literacy resources for both reading and writing. They are constantly open on my table and beside me when I’m planning. They are both so well put together. 

The first one is The Reading Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers:

And by the same author, The Writing Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Writers

This book has been used extensively while teaching reading in primary: Reading with Meaning, 2nd edition: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades
For Word Work. I’ve been using this one a lot: Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (6th Edition) (Words Their Way Series) Then there’s this one for writing, it’s a bit of an oldie, but still a goodie. This is the 3 and Up version: 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide, Grades 3 and Up

And here is the primary grades one: 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades

This is another must have for Writing. Unfortunately it is only for primary grades (sorry upper grades teachers!) No More I’m Done! Fostering Independent Writers in the Primary GradesI also love, love, love this one for writing! It’s so easy to just flip to a strategy that I want to use and pull out a lesson:

Marvelous Minilessons for Teaching Beginning Writing, K-3

Here is the 4-6 version: Marvelous Minilessons for Teaching Intermediate Writing, Grades 4-6
And then there is this gem! This author is funny and provides so many tips for the common problems that arise in writer’s workshop. You won’t be sorry for purchasing this book! The Unstoppable Writing Teacher: Real Strategies for the Real Classroom

 And finally, there are the books I use to help guide my teaching for using reader’s and writer’s notebooks: Notebook Connections: Strategies for the Reader’s Notebook

And for writer’s notebook: Notebook Know-How: Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook

Are there other books I’ve read over the years that were great? Yes, absolutely. These books just happen to be the ones I use currently and I find they have the most value. What I don’t do is rely on any one resource. When I’m planning out a literacy focus I generally have all of these books open and I pick and choose the ideas and lessons that will work best for my students at the time. There are lessons in each book that I might use for one group of students but not another. And along with these resources I use many of my own writing and reading resources as well.

Check out these reads and I hope you and your students enjoy them as much as we are!

Stay tuned for the list of my favorite inquiry based learning professional reads!