Middle Grades Language Arts Book (BNB)
Mindprint Rating
Tags
ELA: Reading
All Ages
Workbook
Skills
Expressive Language
Verbal Reasoning
Mindprint Expert Review
Pros
- Workbook provides a great variety and selection of passages.
- Questions will make students stop and think and not just re-state answers from the passage
- Back of the book has a glossary of key literary terms.
Considerations
- Book is not specifically aligned with standards.
- Pages can be crowded given the illustrations and all black-and-white text.
Mindprint Expert Review
This is an excellent workbook to help students improve their reading comprehension skills. The passages are an enjoyable mixture of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories and excerpts from classic literature. The book explains concepts, point of view, fact vs. opinion, etc. In some cases, the authors explain the value of reading that type of literature in a way students would appreciate. Passages are all less than a page and each page has compelling illustrations. Unfortunately, some students struggling with visual skills may find some of the pages too crowded. This book will make students stop and think about what they read, rather than simply trying to read for answers.
Academic Benefits
Improves academic skills
- Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
- Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
- Presents educational concepts accurately
- Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
- Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
- Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
- Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)
Fun
Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range
- Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
- Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
- Includes reward stickers
- Visually stimulating and appealing (uses student-centered pictures, colors, and themes)
- Graphics and overall feel of the workbook is appropriate for the target age range
- Relative to most workbooks, fun to use from a child's perspective
- Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
- Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option
Easy to Use
Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range
- Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
- Student should be able to use independently after first use
- Specific topics/lessons are easy to find
- Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
- Overall - Easy to use
Cognitive Concerns
May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs
- Visual Discrimination
- Words used during activity can be too small or difficult to read
Manufacturer Description
These comprehensive resources use exciting adventures and delightful characters to teach essential skills to middle grade students. Features fundamental math skills such as Geometry & Measurement, Problem Solving, Whole Numbers & Integers, Fractions & Decimals, Graphing, Statistics & Probability, and Pre-Algebra. Language skills include Words & Vocabulary, Grammar & Usage, Study & Research, Reading Comprehension, Writing and Spelling.