In this episode, host Gary R. Gray Jr. speaks with Katie Wood Ray and Stella Villalba, coauthors of the recently published Wondrous Words: Reimagining Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom. They explore what it means to read like a writer, discussing how teachers can help young writers learn from mentor texts, notice craft moves, and build a deeper understanding of author’s purpose and style. Listeners will come away with fresh ideas for nurturing voice, choice, and joy in the elementary writing workshop.
Want to read instead of listen? Download the transcript.
Follow the QR code or click here to order your copy of Wondrous Words: Reimagining Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom.
Biographies
Katie Wood Ray is a former teacher, editor, and the author or coauthor of ten books on the teaching of writing. For many years she worked alongside teachers to develop child-centered methods for teaching writing that were grounded in the beautiful trial and error of classroom practice. Her books are filled with the stories and artifacts of children—mostly in rural Appalachia where she lives—growing into confident writers under the influence of teachers who nurtured that growth in daily writing workshops. As an editor, she helped other teacher-writers share their work in professional books and was the series editor for the dynamic Classroom Essentials series at Heinemann. She has a PhD in elementary language and literacy from the University of South Carolina (1992) and is a longtime member of NCTE.
Stella Villalba was raised and nurtured in a bicultural and bilingual household. Born in Argentina to parents from Paraguay, Stella learned that being a multilingual learner is a superpower, and it’s through those lenses that she teaches, listens, and leads every day. She believes that multilingual learners deserve an equitable education that protects and honors their languages, literacies, and lived experiences.
She has taught in Dual Education schools and in English as a Second Language programs. She is currently a teacher leader and a staff developer, coaching and mentoring educators to be ready for a global education that is rooted in multilingualism, biliteracy, and culturally and community-sustaining pedagogy. She has a BA in foreign language teaching; an MA in language, literacy, and culture; and is currently pursuing a PhD degree at The Ohio State University in equity and multicultural studies.
Two things that bring Stella joy are conferring with a child and reading a large stack of picturebooks.
