The Thoughtful Education Guide to Reading for Meaning

"With Reading for Meaning, there is no more of the ′in one eye, out the other′ type of reading that so many students are guilty of, because this approach fosters students′ active engagement before, during, and after reading. Students exposed to this method over time internalize reading strategies that are essential for making meaning from complex text. In short, Reading for Meaning helps students learn from their textbooks while it prepares them to learn for life." —Nancy Spaniak, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233, IL Strengthen reading comprehension with a powerful, proven approach! How can teachers help every student gain the most from school reading assignments? This book presents the Reading for Meaning approach—a practical, step-by-step method that helps students acquire the skills used by the most proficient readers and measurably improves their academic performance. Drawing on years of school-tested experience, the authors provide teachers with insights on preparing students to better understand complex reading material, gather evidence from readings to build an argument, fully participate in class discussions, and write more effectively. This resource includes: Relevant, foundational research on reading comprehension Applications in all subject areas, with examples from literature, math, science, and social studies Classroom-ready templates, checklists, sample readings and detailed examples of Reading for Meaning in action Recommendations for appropriate assessments Learn how to implement Reading for Meaning during classroom instruction and support students in becoming better readers, thinkers, and communicators!

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Authors Preface Introduction: The Knowing-Doing Gap 1. Introducing Reading for Meaning 2. Experiencing Reading for Meaning 3. Planning a Reading for Meaning Lesson 4. How Reading for Meaning Helps Students Develop Better Explanations, Craft More Persuasive Essays, and Raise Test Scores 5. Variations and Extensions 6. Support Pages References Index

About the Author :
Harvey F. Silver, president of Silver Strong & Associates and Thoughtful Education Press, was named one of the 100 most influential teachers in the country. He has conducted numerous workshops for school districts and state education departments throughout the United States. He was the principal consultant for the Georgia Critical Thinking Skills Program and the Kentucky Thoughtful Education Teacher Leadership Program. Silver is the author of several educational bestsellers, including So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences and Teaching Styles and Strategies, both published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Design. With Richard Strong, Silver developed The Thoughtful Classroom—a renowned professional development program based on the commitment to “make students as important as standards.” Dr. Elizabeth C. Reilly serves as director of the doctoral program in Educational Leadership for Social Justice and is a professor of education at Loyola Marymount University. Elizabeth has served as an associate professor at Pepperdine University and she established the joint doctoral program in Leadership for Educational Equity at the University of California, Berkeley. Today, Elizabeth presents and researches internationally on education; leadership; organizational culture and change; and corporate social responsibility. She works with leaders of multinationals, government, non-governmental organizations, and education on five continents. Elizabeth is the author and co-author of several books and journal articles on education and leadership in a global society. Matthew J. Perini, director of publishing at Silver Strong & Associates, has authored curriculum guides, articles, and research studies on a wide range of topics, including learning styles, multiple intelligences, and effective teaching practices. Strong, Silver, and Perini have recently collaborated on Discovering Nonfiction: 25 Powerful Teaching Strategies, Grades 2-6; So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences; and Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strat­egies for Raising Student Achievement.

Review :
“With Reading for Meaning, there is no more of the ‘in one eye, out the other’ type of reading that so many students are guilty of, because this approach fosters students’ active engagement before, during, and after reading. Students exposed to this method over time internalize reading strategies that are essential for making meaning from complex text. In short, Reading for Meaning helps students learn from their textbooks while it prepares them to learn for life.” "Reading for Meaning has become a weekly activity for my classroom. I use it to supplement our reading series. I find that the children in my classroom are starting to discuss the book. They will talk about why they agree or disagree with each other, and they always have good evidence to back it up. They also enjoy Reading for Meaning. When we have a week that we do not have Reading for Meaning, they get upset. This is a very useful tool that makes the children in my classroom able to think deeper into the stories and express their thoughts."