This practical handbook shows teachers how to help students develop literacy skills they need in the real world, including:

• writing and deciphering messages — phone messages, thank you notes, directions, and letters
• making purchases — buying online, reading package labels, writing checks, writing an advertisement
• decoding all kinds of schedules, timetables, and guides

Aimed at meeting the needs of a diverse range of students, the book explores personal planning tools in twenty-five lessons that make a connection between the classroom and everyday communication. This unique guide fills in the gaps missing from traditional language arts classes and makes valuable connections between school and the real world.

Kathy Paterson is a teacher consultant in the areas of motivation, language arts, and drama. A former teacher and drama specialist, Kathy has over 35 years of classroom experience and is involved in teacher training with several universities. A popular speaker and writer on topics that range from differentiation to effective learning practices, Kathy's books have been translated in the Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Indonesia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden. Kathy lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Kathy Paterson's profile page