Becoming a Teacher of Reading

Description

I. TEACHING BEGINS WITH YOU.

II. TEACHING EARLY READERS.

III. TEACHING INTERPRETIVE READERS.

IV. TEACHING CRITICAL READERS.

V. BECOMING A TEACHER OF READING.

APPENDICES.

This core reading methods text takes an integrated, developmental approach to reading instruction, an approach supported by the text’s unique organization: Early Readers (grades K-2), Interpretive Readers (grades 3-5), and Critical Readers (grades 6-8). These sections weave together discussions of skills, strategies, and assessment procedures that support literacy growth, consistently grounding discussions in the INTASC principles. Basing their presentation on the social constructivist theory, the authors place readers squarely in the reading classroom, ground their theoretical discussions with self-regulating pedagogy, and provide readers with a wealth of classroom vignettes, examples, and activities.

Features fit into the text’s workshop approach.

• Connections: What’s Next? This chapter-ending graphic charts the developmental framework, organizing information for each developmental stage while illustrating the overlap among stages.
• For Your Portfolio suggests portfolio entries that align with the INTASC principles as well as the IRA/NCTE standards, and chronicle your learning in the course.
• See for Yourself offers interactive learning activities that connect ideas from the text to actual and virtual classrooms.
• Assessment is integrated throughout the text; look for assessment icons in the margins.

A core text for introduction to reading and beginning reading courses.

This new, developmentally organized, social-constructivist reading methods text follows children’s literacy progress as they develop from being early readers to being interpretive readers to being independent, critically thinking readers. It weaves together integrated discussion of skills, strategies, and assessment procedures. The authors place the reader squarely in today’s reading classroom, grounding theoretical discussions with self-regulating pedagogy and connects ideas to Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles, as well as IRA/NCTE Standards. The result is a polished, engaging text that will quickly instill in future teachers the joy of helping children learn to read and read to learn.

• Developmental organization reflects the way children’s literacy evolves–Divides coverage into Early Readers, Interpretive Readers, and Critical Readers,addressing key literacy topics as they affect each learning stage.

  • Helps students make connections between three main stages of literacy development, emphasizes the overlap between stages, and examines how literacy and teaching reading evolves concomitant with children’s learning.

• Connections: What’s Next sections after each chapter–Chart the developmental framework of coverage for each chapter.

  • Assists readers to organize what they’re learning according to what is involved in teaching children at each developmental stage–clearly illustrates the “blur” between the lines of development.

• A photo essay about a practicing teacher–Begins each developmental section, highlighting this teacher’s successes and challenges in teaching reading–includes Advice for New Teachers question-and-answer section.

  • Places the future teacher in a real classroom–helps students understand how text–advocated strategies and tactics play out with a diverse group of children–answers the questions preservice teachers most often ask.

• You Try It and See for Yourself features–Appear in every chapter.

  • Provides readers with opportunities to apply what they’ve learned and connect text ideas to what happens in actual classrooms.

• Margin Notes in each chapter–Contain definitions of terms and provocative questions.

  • Encourages readers to reflect on what they’re learning in light of their own developing knowledge and beliefs.

• For Your Portfolio sections throughout the text–Engage students in experiences that lead to creation of a standards-based (INTASC and IRA/NCTE) teaching portfolio–includes recommendations for turning learning portfolios into job-search portfolios.

  • Enables students to engage in constructive, productive self-assessment using highly-respected standards as performance-based criteria.

• Integration of such issues as diversity and assessment–Practiced throughout the text.

  • Models the text-advocated integrated approach to teaching–students learn to practice “integrated teaching” by experiencing an “integrated text.”

• To Learn More features at end of chapters–List websites that expand upon text material.

  • Keeps students abreast of the wealth of Internet tools available to the classroom teacher.

Susan Davis Lenski is a professor at Illinois State University, in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in reading, writing, language arts, and literacy theory. Dr. Lenski brings 20 years of experience as a public school teacher to her work as a professor, writer, and researcher. As a result of her practical experience and her grounding in theory, Dr. Lenski is a popular speaker for professional development programs and has consulted in the United States, Canada, and Guatemala.

Dr. Lenski has been recognized for her work by a variety of organizations. For her work in schools as a teacher, she received the Nila Banton Smith Award and led her school to receive an Exemplary Reading Program Award, both from the International Reading Association. In Illinois, Dr. Lenski was inducted into the Illinois Reading Hall of Fame, and at Illinois State University, Dr. Lenski was named Outstanding Researcher.

Dr. Lenski has coauthored six books, including Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources, and has published more than 50 articles in state and national journals. Her research interests include intertextuality during reading and writing, incorporating strategies into classroom practice, middle level reading, and preparing culturally responsive teachers.

Susan L. Nierstheimer is an assistant professor at Purdue University in West Lafeyette, Indiana. She teaches literacy courses to both undergraduate and graduate students and also conducts professional development workshops for classroom teachers.

A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Dr. Nierstheimer received her Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1996. While working on her doctorate, she received three outstanding teaching awards. Along with a team of literacy instructors, Dr. Nierstheimer also received Purdue’s university-wide award, Helping Students Learn: Innovations in Teaching, for designing the innovation titled “The Impact of Authentic Assessment on Teaching and Learning.”

Dr. Nierstheimer has done extensive work in professional development schools. As a member of the faculty at Illinois State University, she directed a 4-year, pilot PDS project with one cohort of students at Glenn Elementary School, Normal, Illinois, from the undergraduates’ freshman year until their year-long, senior internship. The Glenn PDS project received the Those Who Excel award from the Illinois State Board of Education in 1999, which salutes those who have made outstanding contributions to education in Illinois.

Dr. Nierstheimer’s research interests include preparing exemplary literacy teachers, helping young readers who find learning to read difficult, and forming partnerships with classroom teachers to improve literacy instruction. She has published numerous articles and has presented her research at local, state, and national levels.