About
34
Publications
21,682
Reads
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126
Citations
Introduction
Mary Jo Fresch is Academy Professor and Professor Emeritus from The Ohio State University. Author of 22 books for teachers that focus on literacy instruction, Fresch provides professional learning workshops across the country for PreK-8 schools. Check the website (maryjofresch.com) for workshop offerings, her blog, available books, and free resources for teachers. BSEd (elementary education), MSEd (reading specialist), PhD (language, literacy, culture.
Current institution
Additional affiliations
June 2015 - December 2020
Education
September 1988 - June 1991
September 1975 - June 1978
June 1974 - June 1978
Publications
Publications (34)
Motivate young learners to develop fluency with funny short poems they can read with a partner. Follow this up with skill-building word ladders that focus on phonics and vocabulary, plus an engaging language arts mini-lesson on reading, writing, or word study, and you've got a comprehensive, strategic approach to teaching early literacy skills. Thi...
oung learners can't help but feel motivated when they're reading a funny short poem or story with a partner. Follow this up with skill-building word ladders that focus on phonics and vocabulary, plus an engaging language arts mini-lesson on reading, writing, or word study, and you've got a comprehensive, strategic approach to teaching early literac...
With this fun and practical book, grades 3–5 teachers have at hand both the research and the day-to-day practical activities that support a fascinating approach for empowering their students’ vocabulary.
Upper elementary students will develop a deeper understanding of how the English language works, enrich their vocabularies, and improve their read...
Research skills are important for all students to develop. Despite the increased emphasis on inquiry, few resources assist teachers in guiding students through the sequence of the vital first steps of writing. Some resources give general guidance, but robust, systematic instruction is needed. Modeled on the work of a children's author, the authors...
Poetry provides a different genre for content studies. This article suggests resources, lessons, and ideas for using poetry to teach content.
Study abroad opportunities provide students with an international experience tied to their major field of study. This article describes the shifts in attitudes and the reflective responses of one such experience for United States pre-service teachers who taught in a bilingual school in southern Chile. The pre-service teachers lived with a local fam...
BLOG entry: describes ideas for writing instruction
All students deserve learning experiences that empower them to be confident readers and writers. Balanced literacy provides equitable, differentiated instruction. By carefully planning word study, reading, and writing, teachers can meet the needs of all students.
Available at https://u.osu.edu/fresch.1/2017/12/30/getting-beyond-googling-it-developing-research-skills/
Available at http://u.osu.edu/fresch.1/2017/08/28/balanced-literacy-teaching-each-students-instruction-need/
Article can be viewed at http://u.osu.edu/fresch.1/2017/04/18/vocabulary-development-storytelling-word-histories/
Article can be viewed at
https://theredbench.teachercreatedmaterials.com/four-great-tips-for-your-balanced-literacy-instruction/
Article can be viewed at http://u.osu.edu/fresch.1/2016/08/19/picture-books-can-help-with-fourth-grade-slump/
This easy-to-follow guide is filled with practical approaches to help teachers transition towards a balanced literacy framework. Designed for both newer and veteran teachers alike, this straightforward book offers simple techniques and concrete strategies to nurture reading and writing skills through Shared/Guided/Independent Reading and Writing ac...
In this article, the authors describe seven activities that can be used to meet the CCSS for Vocabulary Acquisition and Use for Grades K through 2. These research-based, hands-on activities are designed to accommodate a variety of learners and to be adaptable across the three grade levels.
How can we keep students attentive, thoughtful, and inquisitive about learning in language arts? It certainly takes more than new standards and assessments. In this book, Mary Jo Fresch shows how you can use the joyful learning framework introduced in Engaging Minds in the Classroom to better engage students in reading, writing, speaking, listening...
Article can be viewed at
https://theredbench.teachercreatedmaterials.com/littlest-learners-big-learning/
One of the early steps in becoming a reader is the development of phonemic awareness. This article examines what phonemic awareness is, why it is important to develop in young literacy learners, and how we can nudge it along using poetry as a powerful way to play with language. (This article became a five book series called "Playing with Poetry: Ph...
This study includes a spelling inventory and attitude survey that were administered to pre-service education undergraduates. Analyzed using traditional performance levels as guidelines, no students scored at an independent level, 71% scored within an instructional level, and 29% scored at a frustration level. Inventory results and survey comments d...
Teachers' concerns regarding spelling instruction and the spelling abilities of their students were sought in a national survey. Using a random sample of teachers of grades one through five across all 50 states, respondents reported teaching practices, degree of agreement with theoretical statements, and responded to open-ended statements. Teachers...
This edited volume with contributors who are leading experts in the field reviews landmark studies, highlighting political and social pressures that have influenced research, policy, and classroom practice. Eleven chapters explore the historical underpinnings of the reading process, phonics, family literacy, guided reading, comprehension, fluency...
This article provides a case study perspective of one child's literacy learning over the first semester of first grade. This young learner moves from creating stories for picture books to reading, and from stringing letters to using letter names and spelling sight words. Drawing from this data, a cross-analysis of “what was going on at the same tim...
Information about current spelling instructional practices across the United States was sought in this national survey with a random sample of teachers of grades 1 through 5. Respondents reported current practices and noted their level of agreement or disagreement to theoretical statements about spelling. Teachers responded to open-ended statements...
Journal entries written by one child in kindergarten through fourth grade demonstrate her changing understandings about spelling.
Word sorting. .. sorting words. .. what do children make of this classroom practice? Fresch explores the space that lies between the teacher's hopes for this instructional strategy and the students' engagement with it.
Discusses numerous valuable resources on the Internet that are useful for teaching reading, including sites with: information on science and history; all of Grimm's fairy tales; and "Alice in Wonderland." Notes good search engines and several exciting literacy-related sites. (SR)
Examines how fifth-grade students at different stages of spelling approach open-word sorting activities with familiar words. Demonstrates the value of using open sorts as a means of assessing student thinking about words. Suggests that teachers should be careful using scaffolding techniques--they need to establish the nature and purpose of sorting...
Here's a spelling instruction strategy that assesses students' current knowledge and individualizes the study of words with common spelling patterns or rules.
A recent publishing trend in children's literature is an increasing number of stories that focus on experiences of particular cultures. These books bring new perspectives and voices to historical and current-day events. Two important issues are considered in this article. First, teachers guide literature discussions - influences from their culture...
Article explores the implicit and explicit ways teachers direct book discussions. Cultural differences can have significant impact on student participation
The purpose of this study was to observe first grade children self-selecting texts and activities during literacy learning. A case study approach was used to describe children's self-selection patterns as reading and writing strategies developed. Twenty-four weeks of observations of ten children self-selecting texts and literacy activities in a who...
