Reading Basics for All Teachers: Supporting the Common Core

Reading Basics for All Teachers: Supporting the Common Core guides teachers as they provide literacy instruction in every subject area. The components of the reading process are analyzed and provide the reader with an understanding of foundational reading skills as well as the shifts in literacy instruction. With the increased importance of complex texts and the use of textual evidence in support of comprehension, every teacher needs to be prepared to champion literacy development. Each chapter analyzes one of the strands of the literacy process. The characteristics and impact of oral language, phonological awareness, decoding, phonics and word analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension are addressed in depth. The strands that students must master to become proficient readers are examined in each chapter. Classroom visits and literary connections help the reader visualize the strands’ impact on instruction. Then the overarching why is addressed by analyzing research supporting the instruction in each of the strands. Assessments and activities are incorporated to support the understanding and implementation of each strand in order to move readers from theory to practice. As readers tie the strands of reading together to form an understanding of the entire process, they will see how their instructional practices can impact effective literacy instruction in every subject area.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1- The Literacy Mosaic Literary Connection Classroom Visit Literacy Development Literacy Development as a Physiological Process Literacy Development as a Linguistic Process Literacy Development as a Cognitive Process Literacy Development as a Psychological Process Literacy Development as a Social and Cultural Process Creating the Literacy Mosaic Planning for Instruction What Makes Text Complex? References Chapter 2- Oral Language Classroom Scenario Literary Connection Oral Language Continuum Language Difficulties Assessing Oral Language Informal Assessment SOLOM Language Organizes Thought K-12 Language Development Oral Language Activities Telephone Game Book Talks Text Detectives Jigsaw Rate the Characters Reporter Brain Dump Say it Another Way Read Aloud Toe the Line References Chapter 3- Phonological Awareness Classroom Visit Literary Connection What is Phonological Awareness? Teacher Knowledge Survey Answers Continuum of Phonological Awareness Assessments Phonemic Awareness Activities Sound Counting (Elkonin Boxes) Change or Take Away Game Rhyming Word Games Syllable Say Game The Long and the Short of It Game Phoneme Match Phoneme Race Sound Chain Word Tiles References Chapter 4- Decoding, Phonics, and Word Analysis Literary Connection Classroom Scenario What is Decoding? Literary Connection What is Phonics? Types of Phonics Instruction Phonics Knowledge Teacher Knowledge Survey Answers Where Should Phonics Instruction Begin? Grapheme-Phoneme Relationships Vowel Combinations Making Multiple Sounds Morphemes Syllabic Instruction Assessments Passage for Phonics Assessment – Student Copy Passage for Phonics Assessment – Teacher Copy Phonics Activities Syllable War Build a Word Winning Vowel Teams Add to a Word Suffix Race Wrapping Up the C Sh Checkers Divide and Conquer References Chapter 5- Fluency Classroom Visit Literary Connection What is Fluency? What Research Says Assessing Fluency Oral Reading Fluency Oral Reading Rate by Grade Hudson, Lane, and Pullen Checklist Fluency Activities Speed Read Alphabet Match Make the Match Sound Match Speed Read Treasure Chest Say it Louder! Find the Phrase Group Them Radio Announcer Reader’s Theater References Chapter 6- Vocabulary Classroom Visit Literary Connection Vocabulary Knowledge Types of Vocabulary Vocabulary Tiers Vocabulary Assessment Informal Cloze Tests Maze Tests Vocabulary Knowledge Scales Vocabulary Activities Snowball Fight Race to the Apex! Word Sorts Autumn Leaves Seven Most Important Words Frayer Puzzles Conversation Vocabulary Homophone Match Multiple Meaning Word Spoons Sticking Together Quick Draw References Chapter 7- Comprehension Classroom Visit Literary Connection Factors that Impact Comprehension Text Reader and the Text Common Core and Comprehension Instructional Shifts Close Reading Identifying Appropriate Texts Quantitative Factors Qualitative Factors Feature Overlap Scaffolding Comprehension QARs Text-Dependent Questions Literacy Practices Read Alouds Shared Reading Guided Reading Word Study Writing Before, During and After Reading Before Reading During Reading After Reading Assessment Formal Assessments Informal Assessments Progress Monitoring Comprehension Assessments for Classroom Use Oral Retelllings Content-Area Reading Inventory Comprehension Activities Cubes Indirect Characterization Give One- Get One Inference Venn Diagrams Word Splash RAFT Shape Up Review ABC Organizer Semantic Feature Analysis Concept Map References Chapter 8- The Literacy Mosaic References

About the Author :
Lin Carver is the Reading Program Administrator at Saint Leo University for the Master's in Reading program where she instructs and designs courses for both public and private school teachers. She earned her PhD in Literacy from Walden University and her research and presentation agenda focuses on literacy, technology, and assessment. In her more than thirty years in education, she has served students at the elementary, middle, high school, and graduate levels as a teacher, reading specialist, literacy coach, and professor. Lin works hand-in-hand with K-12 public schools as a literacy consultant. Lauren Pantoja is an Information Communication and Technology Literacy Coach at Chasco Middle School in Pasco County, Florida where she also teaches Advanced Language Arts. During her thirty years in education, she has taught elementary school, exceptional student education, and middle and high school reading, drama, English, and English for speakers of other languages. In addition to being an academic coach, Lauren designs and teaches courses for adults seeking reading endorsement. As a Nationally Board Certified teacher, she has served as a National Literacy Project Support Teacher for the Teacher2Teacher Initiative and serves on the Saint Leo University Advisory Board. Lauren has been the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award at three secondary schools and has been recognized for Best Practices in Teaching English Students of Other Languages.

Review :
While this book is most suited for school librarians and teachers involved in literacy, it is an interesting read for public librarians who may not be familiar with early literacy struggles and teaching strategies. For public librarians, reading this book will give them surface knowledge of teaching literacy to students. Reading Basics for All Teachers examines readers of all ages, however, the primary focus is on younger readers (elementary school age), although the activity strategies could be aged up for older (middle school and high school age) struggling readers. If a professional is interested in gaining further knowledge of early literacy, this is a great starting place. Reading Basics for all Teachers is an excellent resource for all instructors as they support readers in any content area. Theories, easy to implement strategies, and activities help to deepen the reader’s understanding of the reading process. Learning to read and comprehend rigorous texts are complex and ever developing processes that are adeptly addressed. This book will help teachers meet the rigors of 21st century literacy. A knowledgeable teacher can make all the difference in student success! Reading Basics for All Teachers: Supporting the Common Core by Melinda Carver and Lauren Pantoja, effectively addresses classroom visits and literary connections to help readers envision the strands’ impact on instruction. Moreover, the book provides leaders and teachers with useful assessments and activities to support the understanding and implementation of each strand to move from the theoretical ideal of each strand to the practical reality of the classroom.       In Reading Basics for All Teachers:  Supporting the Common Core, Carver and Pantoja provide the necessary link between what teachers do and research supports as necessary components for literacy success.  Readers will find each chapter full of engaging strategies that are evidence-based.  This book is much more than a comprehensive set of strategies -- it is a necessary handbook that will help teachers make informed and effective decisions about Common Core implementation with creative and successful results.  This book is a gem with techniques that are immediately applicable in the classroom.