"Furthermore, we have even not to risk the journey alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path.  And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god;  where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world. "    - Joseph Campbell"

My "Language Teacher" READING LIST . . .

I love reading books that challenge my thinking.  Unfortunately, with lesson planning and grading, my normal schedule leaves little time to indulge in a book.  It's a decadent afternoon that allows me to cozy up with a good read.  In fact, while doing my graduate work, I wrote a renaissance-styled sonnet, "A un libro..."  Reading is a guilty pleasure that I must make time to enjoy.  Some of these books have been recommended to me.  Others are books that I've read (or began to read) and have never had time to absorb or apply.  Still others are books that speak to those areas that I want to improve or learn more about.   I've even added some methods books that I wish had been written before I took my language methods course.   There are even a few "Just for fun" reads that reflect my latest obsession or travel destination.  I'm especially interested in those historical "people stories" that I hope will engage students.   Perhaps some of  my good reads  will also refresh, renew and reenergize you!  

To make it easier for you find a book on a topic that interests you, I've created some categories.  

Engaging Students - Motivation and Personality
  • What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy (2nd Ed) by James Paul Gee
  • To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
  • Teaching with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen
  • Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown  
  • Teach like a Pirate  by Dave Burgess
  • Total Participation Techniques: Making Every Student an Active Learner by Persida and William Himmele
  • Making Thinking Visible:  How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and Independence for All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church and Karin Morrison
  • Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain 
  • People Types and Tiger Stripes:  Using Psychological Type to Help Students Discover Their Unique Potential by Gordon D. Lawrence and Eleanor Sommer
  • Motivation & Learning by Rogers, Ludington and Graham
  • Making Learning Whole by David Perkins
  • The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything  by Sir Ken Robinson
  • Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction: A Teachers' Guide  by A. Cohen and  S. Weaver  (CARLA)
Presentations that Make a Difference
  • Resonate by Nancy Duarte
  • PresentationZen by Garr Reynolds
  • Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs
  • The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
  • Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo
  • Everyone Communicates - Few Connect by John C. Maxwell
Language Learning and Assessment
  • Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (5th Ed) by Colin Baker
  • Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education by Howard, Sugarman and Christian - CAL Center for Applied Linguistics
  • Languages and Children.  Making the Match:  New Languages for Young Learners K-8 by Helena Curtain and Carol Ann Dahlberg
  • Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment by Adair-Hauck, Glisan and Troyan
  • The Keys to Assessing Language Performance *  by Paul Sandrock
  • The Keys to Planning for Learning* by Donna Clementi and Laura Terrill  (this one is an on-going reference worthy of multi-reads)
  • Teaching Language in Context* by Alice Omaggio Hadley
  • The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language* by Steven Pinker
  • Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use*  by Stephen D. Krashen
  • Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen* by James F. Lee and Bill VanPatten
  • Lasting  Change in Foreign Language Education:  A Historical Case for Change in National Policy by J.L. Watzke
  • Proficiency-Oriented Language Instruction and Assessment:  A Curriculum Handbook for Teachers (www.carla.umn.edu)
  • From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship:  Essays and Reflections by Michael Byram
Teaching Strategies & Evaluation
  • Teacher's Handbook: Contextualized Language Instruction by Judith Shrum and Eileen Glisan
  • The Writing Thief: Using Mentor Text to Teach the Craft of Writing by Ruth Culham
  • Coaching Classroom Instruction by Marzano and Simms
  • Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement by Marzano, Pickering, Pollock
  • Formative Assessment & Standards-Based Grading by Robert J. Marzano
  •  Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding by Jay McTighe
  • The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong
Reflection and Innovation
  • Creating Innovators:  The Making of Young People who will Change the World by Tony Wagner.
  • The Power to Transform:  Leadership that Brings Learning and Schooling to Life by Stephanie Pac Marshall
  • What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain
  • Becoming a Reflective Teacher by Robert Marzano
  • Catching Up or Leading the Way:  American Education in the Age of Globalization by Yong Zhao
  • The Global Achievement Gap:  Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need and What We can Do About It by Tony Wagner
  • The Courage to Teach:  Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life by Parker Palm
  • Power Questions by Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas
  • Sparking  Student Creativity: Practical Ways to Promote Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving by Patti Drapeau 
  • Any of John Maxwell's books on Leadership *
Policy, Curriculum and Teacher Evaluation
  • Restructuring Schools for Linguistic Diversity by Miramontes, et al
  • The Foreign Language Educator in Society by Timothy Reagan and Terry Osborn
  • Ahead of the Curve edited by Douglas Reeves
  • Pathways to the Common Core:  Accelerating Achievement by Calkins, Ehrenworth and Lehman
  • Implementing the Framework for Teaching in Enhancing Professional Practice by Charlotte Danielson
Just for Fun
  • Raising Global Children by Stacie and Marshall Berdan
  • Lost City of the Incas by Hiram Bingham (memoir of the discovery of Machu Picchu)
  • DELE Exam Preparation book
  • French Lessons: A Memoir by Alice Kaplan  (reflections of a French teacher)
  • La tesis de Nancy by Ramón Sender  (critical look at Spain through the eyes of a surprised, enthusiastic American student)
  • Isabel de nina a reina by Susan Hastings
  • La Malinche by Isabel Allende
  • Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico by Camilla Townsend
  • The Boys from Dolores:  Fidel Castro's Schoolmates from Revolution to Exile by Patrick Symmes
  • Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia
  • Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire
  • Secrets in the Sand: The Young Women of Juarez by Marjorie Agosin
  • Tapestries of hope, threads of love: The Arpillera Movement in Chile by Marjorie Agosin