Struggling Readers: Assessment and Instruction in Grades K-6(Solving Problems in the Teaching of Literacy)

This practical book focuses on three distinct types of struggling readers that teachers will instantly recognize from their own classrooms--the Catch-On Reader, the Catch-Up Reader, and the Stalled Reader. Detailed case studies bring to life the specific problems these students are likely to face and illustrate research-based instructional strategies that can help get learning back on track. The book also illuminates the causes and consequences of literacy difficulties, giving K-6 teachers a better understanding of how to meet the needs of each child. A comprehensive appendix provides dozens of informal assessment devices, ready to photocopy and use. Other user-friendly features include annotated bibliographies of key research, descriptions of commercial materials and curricula designed for each type of learner, and information on technology resources.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Part I: Catch-On Readers. Who Are the Catch-On Readers in Your Classroom? Helping Catch-On Readers with Basic Print Concepts. Helping Catch-On Readers in Word Recognition. Helping Catch-On Readers Using Language Experience Approaches. Helping Catch-On Readers by Integrating Reading and Writing. Thinking through Case Studies of Catch-On Readers. Additional Resources for Helping Catch-On Readers. Part II: Catch-Up Readers. Who Are the Catch-Up Readers in Your Classroom? Helping Catch-Up Readers with Word Recognition. Helping Catch-Up Readers with Vocabulary. Helping Catch-Up Readers with Story Comprehension. Helping Catch-Up Readers with Content Area Reading. Thinking through Case Studies of Catch-Up Readers. Additional Resources for Helping Catch-Up Readers. Part III: Stalled Readers. Who Are the Stalled Readers in Your Classroom? Helping Stalled Readers with Word Recognition. Helping Stalled Readers Using Context-Based Approaches. Helping Stalled Readers with Reading Comprehension Difficulties. Thinking through Case Studies of Stalled Readers. Additional Resources for Helping Stalled Readers. Appendix: Assessment Devices.

About the Author :
Ernest Balajthy, EdD, is Director of the Reading and Literacy Center and Professor of Education at the State University of New York at Geneseo. He teaches reading, literacy, and educational computing courses. His specializations include technology applications in reading and writing, comprehension processes and strategies, and secondary and college literacy instruction. He is the editor of the "Issues in Technology" column that appears in the journal Reading and Writing Quarterly and is the author of two books on computer applications in reading and language arts. Sally Lipa-Wade, PhD, is the recently retired Director of the Reading and Literacy Center at the State University of New York at Geneseo. She continues to teach undergraduate and graduate reading and literacy courses as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern Florida. During her time at Geneseo, the Reading and Literacy Center became well known for the training provided to elementary classroom teachers and reading/literacy specialists. Rather than centering on specific reading programs or methodologies, the center stresses a "what's right" approach for individuals' reading development.

Review :
"This outstanding, well-researched book will help teachers and reading specialists improve the skills of all students, including those with severe reading and writing difficulties. It offers highly personalized descriptions of children's literacy problems as well as practical, clearly depicted assessment and instructional procedures that should make any teacher or consultant more effective. The book's logical structure, thought-provoking case studies, and wealth of valuable information make it a 'must have' for undergraduate and graduate education students as well as professionals."--Howard Margolis, EdD, Queens College of the City University of New York "An excellent resource for a first course in how to address instruction for K-6 students who do not profit from a typical classroom reading program. The authors effectively delineate the three principal types of struggling readers and lead the reader through assessment, interpretation of instructional needs, and differentiation of instruction. This clearly written text will be appropriate for both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in corrective or remedial reading."--Diane J. Sawyer, PhD, Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia, Middle Tennessee State University "There is no greater concern in today's classrooms than helping struggling readers become eager and competent readers. But with so many children and so many needs in each classroom, it can be hard to know where to begin. Balajthy and Lipa-Wade address this problem head-on! They show how understanding struggling readers in terms of three broad categories will enable teachers to address individual needs. Case studies frame the in-depth discussions of how to assess and instruct each type of struggling reader. Written in a clear, approachable style, and with a wealth of teacher-friendly informal assessment tools, this book is perfect for courses on assessment and instruction. Balajthy and Lipa-Wade have created a wonderful resource for novice and experienced teachers alike."--Mariam Jean Dreher, PhD, University of Maryland, College Park "The strength of the book lies in the rich and stimulating case studies that vividly exemplify diagnostic standards, allowing teachers to discern patterns among struggling readers. Experienced K-6 teachers should find it extremely helpful to compare the case studies with their real-life teaching experiences, while preservice teachers will become aware of what variations in reading and literacy development can be anticipated in the classroom....An excellent book, providing teachers and reading experts with unique approaches and methods to deal with children's reading difficulties during the primary grades. The book will also stimulate further pedagogical interventions, discussions, and advancement in the field of reading research."--"Canadian Journal of Education" "An excellent resource for both experienced and novice teachers."--"Curriculum Connections" "In this timely publication, the authors address the topic head on, focusing specifically on the identification, assessment, and instructional needs of struggling readers; those students for whom literacy is a difficult, and all too often, frustrating task....The text includes in-depth descriptions, case studies, and suggested strategies for meeting the needs of students....an important contribution to the field. This book would be an appropriate supplementary text at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Beyond this, it will hold an appeal for practicing classroom teachers who want to better understand and meet the unique needs of their students for whom reading is a struggle."--"Childhood Education" "This text provides a resource for teachers who wish to understand...struggling readers and how better to help themlearn to read....Curriculum developers and other administrators responsible for school design and curriculum who are willing to loosen controls over teaching would also benefit from reading this book."--"Education Review"