Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students in Grades 4 to 8

Based on its highly successful parent text, this comprehensive, practical text provides its readers with step-by-step guidance for teaching children in grades 4 to 8 all major aspects of reading and writing. In response to today's needs to tailor instruction for the middle grades (4-8), this new text features sample lessons for virtually every major literacy skill/strategy and offers numerous reinforcement suggestions and generous listings of materials appropriate for the middle grades. The text presents the theories behind the methods, so readers will be free to choose, adapt, and/or construct their own approaches as they create a balanced evidence-based program of literacy instruction. Because understanding one's own literacy processes can lead to more effective teaching, the text invites readers to examine their reading and writing processes. Because language is the basis for literacy, the text emphasizes language development at all levels. Given the current emphasis on “Leaving No Child Behind,” the text explores techniques and materials for helping below-level readers and writers. Included are listings of intervention programs for older struggling readers and suggestions for helping middle school students who are still having difficulty with decoding skills. With classrooms becoming increasingly diverse, the text details age-appropriate techniques for working with English language learners and at-risk students. Emphasis has also been placed on fostering comprehension and matching readers with appropriate texts. Because of the impact of the standards movement and related assessment issues, a full chapter is devoted to assessment. Lists of standards and assessment suggestions are provided at the end of each chapter on instructional techniques. Appendix B contains a series of informal measures of key skills.

Table of Contents:
Each chapter begins with “Anticipation Guide,” and “Using What you Know;" and concludes with “Summary,” “Extending and Applying,” “Developing a Professional Portfolio,” and “Developing a Resource File.” 1. The Nature of Literacy and Today's Children. The Nature of Reading. Importance of Literacy Models. Approach Taken by This Text. Stages of Reading Development. Status of Literacy. Standards Movement. A Reading and Writing Program for Today's Students. 2. Evaluation. The Nature of Evaluation. Placement Information. Norm-Referenced versus Criterion-Referenced Tests. Judging Assessment Measures. Reporting Performance. Functional Level Assessment. Other Methods of Assessment. Self-Evaluation Evaluating Writing. Portfolios. Basal Reader Assessment. Screening and Diagnostic Instruments and Classroom Based Assessment. 3. Teaching Phonics, High-Frequency Words, and Syllabic Analysis. How Words Are Read. Teaching the Word-Building Approach. Using Word Analysis References. Using an Integrated Approach. Teaching Phonics to English Language Learners. Strategy Instruction. Adapting Basal Reader Instruction. High-Frequency Words. Building Fluency. Syllabic Analysis. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 4. Building Vocabulary. The Need for Vocabulary Instruction. Stages of Word Knowledge. Seven Principles of Developing Vocabulary. Techniques for Teaching Words. A Planned Program. Remembering Vocabulary. Teaching Special Features of Words. Learning How to Learn Words. Supplying Corrrective Feedback. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 5. Comprehension: Theory and Strategies. The Process of Comprehending. Comprehension Strategies. Learning Environment. Integration of Strategies. Importance of Affective Factors. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 6. Comprehension: Text Structures and Teaching Procedures. Nature of the Text. The Role of Questions in Comprehension. Frameworks for Fostering Comprehension. The Cloze Procedure. Critical Reading. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 7. Reading and Writing in the Content Areas of Study Skills. Overall Goals of Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas. Children's Books in the Content Areas. Group Inventory Placement. Instructional Techniques. Teaching Content-Area Knowledge. Reading for Conceptual Change. Writing to Learn. Sheltered English. Reading to Remember. Fostering Retention. SQ3R: A Theory-Based Study Strategy. Study Habits. Expressive Study Skills. Metacognitive Study Strategies. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 8. Reading Literature. Experiencing Literature. Types of Literature. Voluntary Reading. The Importance of Sharing and Instruction in Developing Avid Readers. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 9. Approaches to Teaching Reading. Changing Approaches to Teaching Reading. Basal Approach. Literature-Based Approach. Individualized Reading-Reading Workshop. Language-Experience Approach. Whole Language. Guided Reading. Four Blocks. An Integrated Approach. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. 10. Writing and Reading. The Roots of Writing. Guided Writing. The Process Approach to Writing. Writing Workshop. Thinking and Reading Like a Writer. Interpersonal Writing. Improving Expository Writing. Guiding the Writing of Reports. Assessing and Improving Writing: The Key Traits Approach. Technology and Writing. Reading Helps Writing. A Full Menu. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. Essential Standards. Assessment. 11. Diversity in the Classroom. Teaching All Students. Students at Risk. Students with Learning Disabilities. Gifted and Talented. Inclusion. Intervention Programs. Help for Struggling Readers and Writers. 12. Creating and Managing a Literacy Program. Constructing a Literacy Program. Managing a Literacy Program. Literacy and Technology. Literacy in Today's and Tomorrow's World. Professional Development. Essential Standards. Appendix A: Graded Listing of 800+ Children's Books. Appendix B: Informal Assessment of Key Skills and Strategies. References. Index. Photo Credits.