Striking a Balance: Best Practices for Early Literacy - Softcover

Cecil, Nancy Lee

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1890871435 ISBN 13: 9781890871437

Publisher: Routledge, 2003

Synopsis

In past years, whole language philosophy and direct instruction in basic literacy skills have often been presented as mutually exclusive approaches to instruction. In reality, many of the best teachers have responded to the individual needs of their students and have "struck a balance," combining the best practices from both approaches in their classrooms.

Striking a Balance: Best Practices for Early Literacy, Second Edition is written to help prepare pre-service and practicing teachers to meet the challenge of today’s diverse student population. This book helps readers to create balanced and comprehensive programs that place direct skills instruction within the context of rich and varied reading and writing experiences. Readable, thorough, and contemporary, this concise text addresses the core topics and issues of early literacy clearly and succinctly. Grounded in theory and research, Striking a Balance also shows readers how theory informs practice through their corresponding focus on classroom application.

The selected classroom examples of strategies, procedures, and activities represent the most effective practices according to current research and the host of outstanding teachers observed and interviewed in preparing these textbooks. Striking a Balance will enable readers to make sound, professional pedagogical choices based on state-of-the-art research on classroom practices.

About this title

About the Author

Author Nancy Cecil believes that one of the greatest tragedies of the present age is that most people do not recognize the life and death nature of teaching. Every moment in the lives of teachers and pupils brings critical decisions of motivation, reinforcement, reward, ego enhancement, and goal direction. The proper professional decisions of great teachers enhance learning and quality of life. We must begin to understand that doctors and lawyers have neither more nor less to do with life, death, and freedom than do teachers. Teaching, therefore, should be entrusted to only the most thoroughly prepared professionals.

Review

Striking a Balance has a good balance of theory and practice, and is clear, detailed, and precise. I have never used a better book! --Jeanne Clidas, Roberts Wesleyan College

As a former elementary education teacher, I am not impressed with books that are used in methods courses that are all theory. I think Nancy does an excellent job of of presenting the why?and then giving us lots of examples. [My students] really appreciate all the tips and have adapted the activities to suit their field classes. . . . My students and I are loving the books by Nancy Cecil. --Deb L. Marciano, Washington College

While novice teachers will particularly benefit from Cecil's well reseached and written overview of reading instruction, experienced teachers will also find the book useful as an overview of recent research as a source of new ideas. Student teachers who have this as a textbook will want to hang on to the book for reference as they begin their teaching careers. . . . Students will find this to be one of the best textbook investments they make. --Education Book Reviews

As a former elementary education teacher, I am not impressed with books that are used in methods courses that are all theory. I think Nancy does an excellent job of of presenting the why?and then giving us lots of examples. [My students] really appreciate all the tips and have adapted the activities to suit their field classes. . . . My students and I are loving the books by Nancy Cecil. --Deb L. Marciano, Washington College

While novice teachers will particularly benefit from Cecil's well reseached and written overview of reading instruction, experienced teachers will also find the book useful as an overview of recent research as a source of new ideas. Student teachers who have this as a textbook will want to hang on to the book for reference as they begin their teaching careers. . . . Students will find this to be one of the best textbook investments they make. --Education Book Reviews

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1890871435
• ISBN 13: 9781890871437
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 359