Meet Author Maria Walther
Amanda and I have been fans of Maria Walther since she first published her books The Ramped-Up Read Aloud: What to Notice as You Turn the Page in 2018 and Shake Up Shared Reading: Expanding on Read Alouds to Encourage Student Independence in 2022. Now with this year’s release of her newest book, More Ramped Up Read Aloud: Building Knowledge and Boosting Comprehension, we thought it was time for you to meet her as well.
Maria taught first grade for over three decades. With a doctoral degree from Northern Illinois University, she is now a literacy consultant and researcher. You’ll often find her as a presenter at many literacy conferences. We finally had the pleasure of meeting her when we both presented at the 2024 NCTE conference in Boston this past November.
(l-r) Linda Szakmary, Maria Walther, and Amanda Kovac at NCTE Conference Boston, Nov 2024
Maria is a kindred spirit. Like us, she believes in the power and JOY of interactive read aloud - not only to teach skills and concepts, but also to create a community of lifelong readers who love books.
In The Ramped-Up Read Aloud and More Ramped-Up Read Alouds, Maria presents her lessons in an easy-to-read two page spread. Like JOYcabulary, her lessons follow a before, during, and after reading format. She too suggests ways to extend a book to content areas, word work, and even art. An added feature is her list of similar titles for each lesson book.
While her lessons themselves are a gold mine, be sure to read the beginning chapter to learn the how and the why of effective read alouds. Even in our busy teaching days, you’ll learn the research behind why intentional read aloud is a “high priority literacy routine” that deserves a “permanent time slot in your daily schedule.”
You may also want to check out A Year for the Books: Routines and Mindsets for Creating Student Centered Reading Communities co-written with her daughter Katie Walther. Here you’ll learn about building student-centered reading communities K-8. You even get access to PDcasts for each chapter.
Be sure to follow Maria on Instagram or X @mariapwalther. You can also find helpful resources on her website.
If you love JOYcabulary, we know you’ll love Maria as much as we do!
The Ramped-Up Read Aloud: What to Notice as You Turn the Page by Maria Walther
“In this remarkable resource, Maria Walther shares two page read aloud experiences for 101 picture books that tune you into what to notice, say, and wonder in order to bolster students’ literacy exponentially.”
More Ramped-Up Read Alouds: Building Knowledge and Boosting Comprehension by Maria Walther
“Backed by the latest research, this indispensable guide equips educators with the knowledge and tools to make read alouds a cornerstone of their teaching practice. More Ramped-Up Read Alouds includes lessons focused on foundational reading concepts like phonological awareness and decoding along with a new chapter on integrating literacy with STEAM.”
Shake Up Shared Reading: Expanding on Read Alouds to Encourage Student Independence by Maria Walther
“Veteran teacher Maria Walther offers teachers a simple but robust scaffolding for moving from teacher-led demonstration of read aloud to student-led discovery of literacy skills―across the bridge of shared reading. This easily adaptable structure features short, targeted bursts of shared reading that are connected to and planned as a follow-up to a read-aloud experience.”
A Year for the Books: Routines and Mindsets for Creating Student Centered Reading Communities by Katie Walther and Maria Walther
“With a focus on fostering a deep love for reading and prioritizing student growth… [this] is a must-have for educators from kindergarten through middle school… Starting with the first few weeks of school, each chapter highlights multiple ways to embed literacy experiences across the entire year that prioritize learners and literacy.”
