Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction - Softcover

Lemov, Doug; Driggs, Colleen; Woolway, Erica

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1119104246 ISBN 13: 9781119104247

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2016

Synopsis

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ WITH PRECISION AND INSIGHT

The world we are preparing our students to succeed in is one bound together by words and phrases. Our students learn their literature, history, math, science, or art via a firm foundation of strong reading skills. When we teach students to read with precision, rigor, and insight, we are truly handing over the key to the kingdom. Of all the subjects we teach reading is first among equals.

Grounded in advice from effective classrooms nationwide, enhanced with more than 40 video clips, Reading Reconsidered takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This 'Core of the Core' comprises the first half of the book and instructs educators on how to teach students to: read harder texts, 'closely read' texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts.

The second half of Reading Reconsidered reinforces these principles, coupling them with the 'fundamentals' of reading instruction―a host of techniques and subject specific tools to reconsider how teachers approach such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. Reading Reconsidered breaks an overly broad issue into clear, easy-to-implement approaches. Filled with practical tools, including:  

• 44 video clips of exemplar teachers demonstrating the techniques and principles in their classrooms (note: for online access of this content, please visit my.teachlikeachampion.com)
• Recommended book lists
• Downloadable tips and templates on key topics like reading nonfiction, vocabulary instruction, and literary terms and definitions.

Reading Reconsidered provides the framework necessary for teachers to ensure that students forge futures as lifelong readers.

About this title

About the Author

DOUG LEMOV is a managing director of Uncommon Schools and leads its Teach Like a Champion team, designing and implementing teacher training based on the study of high-performing teachers. He is the author of Teach Like a Champion 2.0 and coauthor of Practice Perfect.

COLLEEN DRIGGS is a director of professional development for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. Prior to joining the Teach Like a Champion team she was a middle school science and literacy teacher.

ERICA WOOLWAY is the chief academic officer for the Teach Like a Champion team at Uncommon Schools. She is a coauthor of Practice Perfect. Erica began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher and then worked as a school counselor and dean.

From the Back Cover

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ LIKE CHAMPIONS WITH RIGOR, INDEPENDENCE, PRECISION, AND INSIGHT

In Reading Reconsidered, Doug Lemov, author of the groundbreaking Teach Like a Champion, and his coauthors, Colleen Driggs and Erica Woolway, reveal the most productive ideas gleaned from the most effective teachers of reading. This book takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This "Core of the Core" shows how to teach students to: read harder texts, closely read texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts.

The authors also focus on the "fundamentals" of reading instruction techniques and subject specific tools that reconsider approaches to such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. Filled with practical tools and over 40 video clips from real classrooms, this book provides the framework we need to ensure our students forge futures as lifelong readers.

"Teaching children to read is our most challenging task in education. This book is a 'must-read' for K 12 educators trying to crack this very tough nut!"
Terry Grier, superintendent of schools, Houston Independent School District

"Reading Reconsidered provokes us into thinking in new ways about that most foundational of academic skills: making sense of the written word. The authors offer a fresh perspective on reading that is both intellectually stimulating and relentlessly practical."
Annie Murphy Paul, education journalist and blogger

From the Inside Flap

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ LIKE CHAMPIONS—WITH RIGOR, INDEPENDENCE, PRECISION, AND INSIGHT

In Reading Reconsidered, Doug Lemov, author of the groundbreaking Teach Like a Champion, and his coauthors, Colleen Driggs and Erica Woolway, reveal the most productive ideas gleaned from the most effective teachers of reading. This book takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This "Core of the Core" shows how to teach students to: read harder texts, closely read texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts.

The authors also focus on the "fundamentals" of reading instruction—techniques and subject specific tools that reconsider approaches to such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. Filled with practical tools and over 40 video clips from real classrooms, this book provides the framework we need to ensure our students forge futures as lifelong readers.

"Teaching children to read is our most challenging task in education. This book is a 'must-read' for K–12 educators trying to crack this very tough nut!"
—Terry Grier, superintendent of schools, Houston Independent School District

"Reading Reconsidered provokes us into thinking in new ways about that most foundational of academic skills: making sense of the written word. The authors offer a fresh perspective on reading that is both intellectually stimulating and relentlessly practical."
—Annie Murphy Paul, education journalist and blogger

Reviews

Lemov, Woolway, and Driggs believe that reading instruction needs a serious makeover. They argue that current literacy instruction delegates too much choice to students amid "benignly appealing youth fiction written after 1980" while nonfiction and older fiction texts (the stuff of college) are a mere afterthought. The authors call on educators to focus on "the core of the core": harder texts, close reading, more nonfiction, and frequent writing in response to reading as the main approach to ameliorate declining SAT scores. Part 1 details this instructional core, while part 2 gets into the nitty-gritty of teaching strategies: vocabulary instruction, approaches to "independent" reading, text annotation, and more. Each chapter is broken into discrete modules for study and implementation, accompanied by a collection of videos from the classrooms of UnCommon School teachers. The authors clearly demonstrate a respect for teachers and students. With many references to E.D. Hirsch, readers may be concerned that a revival of the traditional canon is on the horizon. However, the authors advocate for an "internal canon" selected purposefully by teachers. While many of the strategies are supported by relevant research in the field, there is scant reference made to research on the importance of student choice in reading. VERDICT Though the context for change might be debatable, many of the instructional strategies may offer ideas for teaching.—Ernie Cox, Prairie Creek Intermediate School, Cedar Rapids, IA

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1119104246
• ISBN 13: 9781119104247
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448