In this groundbreaking new book, Richard Gentry clears the fog that has long shrouded early literacy development and illuminates beginning reading instruction with major new insights from decades of research. Gentry's unifying, comprehensive theory shows how reading and writing develop in fi ve phases:

The former National Director of Education for Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics. presents his do-it-yourself program for increasing reading speed and boosting comprehension. This program distills fundamental principles and skills chat can be learned at home with the help of the drills and exercises provided. And because it lets readers choose their own materials and set their own pace, it's the ideal method for busy people juggling a full schedule.

Literacy is a skill for all time, for all people. It is an integral part of our lives, whether we are students or adult professionals. Giving all educators the breadth of knowledge and practical tools that help students strengthen their literacy skills is the focus of Read, Write, Lead. Drawing on her experience as a mentor teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and staff developer, author Regie Routman offers time-tested advice on how to develop a schoolwide learning culture that leads to more effective reading and writing across the curriculum. She explains how every school—including yours—can: implement instructional practices that lead to better engagement and achievement in reading and writing for all students, from kindergarten through high school, including second-language and struggling learners; build Professional Literacy Communities of educators working together to create sustainable school change through professional learning based on shared beliefs; reduce the need for intervention through daily practices that ensure success, even for our most vulnerable learners; and embed the language of productive feedback in responsive instruction, conferences, and observations in order to accelerate learning for students, teachers, and leaders. In their own voices, teachers, principals, literacy specialists, and students offer real-life examples of changes that led to dramatic improvement in literacy skills and—perhaps just as important--increased joy in teaching and learning. Scattered throughout the book are “Quick Wins”--ideas and actions that can yield positive, affirming results while tackling the tough work of long-term change.

Breakthrough to Meaning is exactly what teachers are looking for: a resource full of new, thoughtful strategies that help children interact with texts in deeper, more authentic ways. - Donald H. Graves I especially liked the emphasis on teacher demonstration and how teachers challenged children to broaden their perspectives and to develop an understanding of other points of view. - Carol Avery What if there were a single literacy strategy that helped learners of all ages across all contexts read critically, write reflectively, think deeply - and, yes, even improve their performance on standardized reading and writing assessments? There is. It's called the subtext strategy, and in Breakthrough to Meaning, you'll find out how it can help children improve in virtually every aspect of their learning. The power of the subtext strategy is its ability to use numerous entryways into learning - including not only reading and writing but also art and drama - to bridge the multiple literacies kids bring to school and the demands of conventional print. It's a fresh, manageable way to work depth and breadth into literacy instruction while building students' skills and abilities in important areas such as critical literacy, reading and writing narratives or persuasive essays, media literacy, and standardized testing. Subtexting leads children to explore different perspectives, helping them understand characters, authors, and situations, even ones quite unlike their own. They'll also learn to think and write in more informed and sensitive ways as they respond to an audience's needs, making Breakthrough to Meaning ideal for tackling a variety of genres, including on-demand writing. Breakthrough to Meaning's smart, specific, and easy-to-implement subtext-based reading, writing, and thinking lessons address the major needs of the contemporary classroom. It includes practical instructional strategies, links to national content standards, vignettes of teachers and students using subtexting, techniques for improving the assessment and instruction of English language learners through subtexting, as well as graphic organizers, charts, and compelling examples of student work. Breakthrough to Meaning is a novel and practical across-the-curriculum resource that improves students' abilities to make meaning, respond to texts, and write in powerful ways.

What Is The Reading Breakthrough? The Reading Breakthrough is the beginning of a journey to bring joy back into education for children - and adults - alike. You do not need an advanced degree to set you and your child on this path. To succeed, all you must have is a desire and willingness to follow the map this book provides. You'll learn how to transform any struggling or reluctant reader into a more passionate and proficient reader, using The Reading Breakthrough. But transformation begins with commitment. And commitment begins with establishing routines. Remember, resolutions fail. Rituals - routines - succeed. No matter what you do - whether you're a parent or teacher, an administrator or concerned community member, an older sibling or advanced student - you are always a teacher and a role model. Anybody has the ability to become a better reader - and an avid one. But you need to learn how to make reading a daily ritual, a habit. The Reading Breakthrough will help you help your child become a more confident and avid reader... The Reading Breakthrough will show you how to increase your child's reading with simple, easy-to-implement ideas... The Reading Breakthrough will teach you how to make reading a life-long obsession for your child rather than a dreaded chore mandated at school. As Walt Disney once said: "There is more treasure found in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." A wealth of knowledge and enjoyment awaits your child, and this book will guide you to that treasure.

Raise a Child Who Loves to Read How do kids really learn to read? And how can you encourage interest in reading and writing from the start? In Raising Confident Readers, based on the five phases of literacy development, Dr. J. Richard Gentry provides fun and easy ways to teach your child to read and write successfully. When it comes to language, the most critical brain growth happens in early childhood. Raising Confident Readers shows you how to activate and accelerate this capacity for learning: The key is to introduce the right activities at the right time. Whether your child is a baby or toddler, in preschool or kindergarten, or first or second grade, Dr. Gentry helps you identify your child's literacy phase and take the next steps to build writing, reading, and spelling skills. You'll discover: How your child's brain learns to read—and why encouraging drawing and scribbling is as essential as reading aloud The best at-home activities to develop literacy early, naturally, and joyfully Recommended children's books for each phase Strategies for overcoming dyslexia, delayed reading, and other challenges Checklists and a milestones diary to celebrate your child's progress As your child moves through the five phases, they'll soon be sounding out and spelling words correctly, reading chapter books independently, and writing creative stories on their own. Complete with samples of children's writing throughout, Raising Confident Readers is an essential resource to foster your child's lifelong love of reading.

As a boy, Raun Kaufman was diagnosed by multiple experts as severely autistic, with an IQ below 30, and destined to spend his life in an institution. Years later, Raun graduated with a degree in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University and has become a passionate and articulate autism expert and educator with no trace of his former condition. So what happened? Thanks to The Son-Rise Program, a revolutionary method created by his parents, Raun experienced a full recovery from autism. (His story was recounted in the best-selling book Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues and in the award-winning NBC television movie Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love.) In Autism Breakthrough, Raun presents the ground-breaking principles behind the program that helped him and thousands of other families with special children. Autism, he explains, is frequently misunderstood as a behavioral disorder when, in fact, it is a social relational disorder. Raun explains what it feels like to be autistic and shows how and why The Son-Rise Program works. A step-by-step guide with clear, practical strategies that readers can apply immediately—in some cases, parents see changes in their children in as little as one day—Autism Breakthrough makes it possible for these special children to defy their original often-very-limited prognoses. Parents and educators learn how to enable their children to create meaningful, caring relationships, vastly expand their communications, and to participate successfully in the world. An important work of hope, science, and progress, Autism Breakthrough presents the powerful ideas and practical applications that have already changed the lives of families all over the world.

Inspire students to develop as writers in the sixth grade classroom with these engaging and creative writing lessons. This classroom-tested resource shows positive results in students' writing and simplifies the planning of writing instruction. It contains detailed information on how to establish and manage daily Writer's Workshop and includes consistent, structured instruction to encourage students to actively participate in the writing process. Specific lessons to help students develop the traits of quality writing are also included.

Inspire students to develop as writers in the first grade classroom with these engaging and creative writing lessons. This classroom-tested resource shows positive results in students' writing and simplifies the planning of writing instruction. It contains detailed information on how to establish and manage daily Writer's Workshop and includes consistent, structured instruction to encourage students to actively participate in the writing process. Specific lessons to help students develop the traits of quality writing are also included. This resource develops college and career readiness skills and is aligned to today's standards.

Inspire students to develop as writers in the sixth grade classroom with these engaging and creative writing lessons. This classroom-tested resource shows positive results in students' writing and simplifies the planning of writing instruction. It contains detailed information on how to establish and manage daily Writer's Workshop and includes consistent, structured instruction to encourage students to actively participate in the writing process. Specific lessons to help students develop the traits of quality writing are also included. This resource develops college and career readiness skills and is aligned to today's standards.