New Product Review: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Into Literature Texas

Learning List recently reviewed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Literature Texas, which was submitted for state adoption in Texas in response the Texas Education Agency’s Proclamation 2019 call for K-8 English language arts and reading (ELAR) products aligned to the new ELAR Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Into Literature is a comprehensive product that supports ELAR instruction in grades 6-8. Content is available in print and digital formats. Learning List reviewed online resources. Instruction develops students’ reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills using authentic texts from a variety of genres.

At each grade level, Into Literature is presented in six units that center on an Essential Question that links reading selections, frames the unit’s theme, and connects to students’ experiences. For example, a grade 7 unit titled “Change Agents” considers the question: “What inspires you to make a difference?” Units address cross-curricular topics such as the Civil War in an eighth-grade unit titled “The Fight for Freedom” and space science in a sixth-grade unit titled “The Terror and Wonder of Space.” Units include literary and informational texts and a set of “Studios” (e.g., “Reading Studio”) that integrate activities in the domains of literacy (i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking) as well as vocabulary and grammar.  [Read more…]

Lessons are organized around age-appropriate authentic texts that support reading instruction and serve as mentor texts for student writing. Reading selections include a variety of genres (e.g., historical fiction, narrative non-fiction) and representations of diverse cultures and characters. Critical vocabulary is highlighted in the text and hyperlinked to definitions in eBooks. Texts include vivid visual elements, numbered paragraphs and stanzas, and embedded prompts that help students analyze and understand what they are reading, such as an “Analyze Point of View” prompt that asks students to consider whether a story’s narrator is reliable and to explain their reasoning. eBooks have note taking, bookmarking, and highlighting tools and a word processing feature that allow students to respond to prompts in their texts. Teachers may activate audio readers.

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt*

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company committed to delivering integrated solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children’s books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world.

Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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