This brief, thought-provoking collection evaluates historical perspectives in reading to show how current reading practices have developed over time and provides an understanding of the development of significant issues in the field of literacy education. Richard Robinson carefully chose 46 selections with several aims in mind: to include the historical perspective so often neglected in other texts; to explain the evolution of reading practices and ideas across time as well as in terms of pedagogical development; and to illustrate the developing nature of literacy education.

Reading fluency has been identified as a key component of proficient reading. Research has consistently demonstrated significant and substantial correlations between reading fluency and overall reading achievement. Despite the great potential for fluency to have a significant outcome on students’ reading achievement, it continues to be not well understood by teachers, school administrators and policy makers. The chapters in this volume examine reading fluency from a variety of perspectives. The initial chapter sketches the history of fluency as a literacy instruction component. Following chapters examine recent studies and approaches to reading fluency, followed by chapters that explore actual fluency instruction models and the impact of fluency instruction. Assessment of reading fluency is critical for monitoring progress and identifying students in need of intervention. Two articles on assessment, one focused on word recognition and the other on prosody, expand our understanding of fluency measurement. Finally, a study from Turkey explores the relationship of various reading competencies, including fluency, in an integrated model of reading. Our hope for this volume is that it may spark a renewed interest in research into reading fluency and fluency instruction and move toward making fluency instruction an even more integral part of all literacy instruction.

A small set of important practices should be considered non-negotiable elements of daily reading instruction. The research base of these non-negotiables is described along with practical examples of their application. The non-negotiables do not require additional materials, time or funding, but can be integrated into any program in order to ensure every student has access to effective literacy instruction. This book can be used as a guide for program design and evaluation, as well as a source of ideas and (re)assurances for those currently engaged in the ongoing pursuit of effective literacy instruction for every reader, every day.

For ten years and in two classic books, Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell have described how to analyze the characteristics of texts and select just-right books to use for guided reading instruction. Now, for the first time, all of their thinking and research has been updated and brought together into Leveled Books, K-8 to form the ultimate guide to choosing and using books from kindergarten through middle school. Fountas and Pinnell take you through every aspect of leveled books, describing how to select and use them for different purposes in your literacy program and offering prototype descriptions of fiction and nonfiction books at each level. They share advice on: the role of leveled books in reading instruction, analyzing the characteristics of fiction and nonfiction texts, using benchmark books to assess instructional levels for guided reading, selecting books for both guided and independent reading, organizing high-quality classroom libraries, acquiring books and writing proposals to fund classroom-library purchases, creating a school book room. In addition, Fountas and Pinnell explain the leveling process in detail so that you can tentatively level any appropriate book that you want to use in your instruction. Best of all, Leveled Books, K-8 is one half of a new duo of resources that will change how you look at leveled books. Its companion-www.FountasandPinnellLeveledBooks.com-is a searchable and frequently updated website that includes more than 18,000 titles. With Leveled Books, K-8 you'll know how and why to choose books for your readers, and with www.FountasandPinnellLeveledBooks.com, you'll have the ideal tool at your fingertips for finding appropriate books for guided reading. Book jacket.

"Subject Areas/Keywords: assessments, decoding, elementary, English language learners, fluency, literacy instruction, oral reading, primary grades, prosody, reading comprehension, reading expressiveness, reading methods, secondary, struggling readers Description: This accessible guide brings together well-known authorities to examine what reading fluency is and how it can best be taught. Teachers get a clear, practical roadmap for navigating the often confusing terrain of this crucial aspect of balanced literacy instruction. Innovative approaches to instruction and assessment are described and illustrated with vivid examples from K-12 classrooms. The book debunks common misconceptions about fluency and clarifies its key role in comprehension. Effective practices are presented for developing fluency in specific populations, including English language learners, adolescents, and struggling readers"--

Contemporary Readings in Literacy Education is designed to provide students with high-quality journal and research articles in literacy education. The readings are contextualized with introductions and discussion questions by the editors of the text. The text will help instructors to easily integrate the latest research into their course in a meaningful way. This reader, with edited content and contextualizing material, makes the latest research more interesting and accessible to the students of literacy education.

The author details the classroom research cycle and provides tools and sample completed projects to help educators initiate their own research and improve literacy instruction.

Now in a revised and updated third edition incorporating a decade of additional research and classroom experience, this book has helped over 100,000 primary-grades teachers understand and successfully apply the science of reading in phonics instruction. Isabel L. Beck and Mark E. Beck present innovative approaches to assessing and teaching letter–sound relationships, blending, Word Building, multisyllabic decoding, fluency, and more. A wealth of reproducible forms and word lists can be copied from the book or downloaded and printed; the companion website also features supplemental word lists, word and syllable cards, and 30 illustrated Syllasearch stories. Engaging teacher anecdotes and end-of-chapter "Your Turn" activities enhance the book's utility as a professional development resource and course text. New to This Edition *Chapter on the key role of phonics in today's literacy programs--with a focus on what is needed for high-quality instruction aligned with the science of reading. *Chapter on extending Word Building instruction to small groups and individual students. *Extensive revision of the Syllasearch activity for decoding multisyllabic words. *Expanded reproducible and downloadable tools, including enhanced Word Building lists, new Syllasearch lists (with teaching tips), and eight new Syllasearch stories.