Reading Essentials: The Specifics You Need to Teach Reading Well

With all the controversy and confusion over "best practice" issues in teaching reading, someone with the necessary experience, the ability to take the long view, and most of all a level head is essential to set things straight. This is where Regie Routman steps in: giving clarity, support, specific demonstrations, and confidence to teachers so they can teach reading in a manner that is consistent with research and learning theory and respectful of students' needs, interests, and abilities. In Reading Essentials, she realistically describes how to achieve these goals―and get high test scores too.

Based on her continuing work teaching in schools, Routman proves that good teaching doesn't have to mean lots of hours spent planning. What's necessary is good thinking―thinking about what matters to kids, what kids need to know, how we can move them forward, and how to ensure that they comprehend and enjoy what they read―including struggling students. Readers will discover research-based strategies, immediately doable ideas, and detailed lessons―all based on an instructional framework that includes:

• demonstrations
• shared demonstrations
• guided practice
• independent practice.

Thoughout the text, Routman emphasizes the use of professional common sense and demonstrates how to maximize your time, making the most of every teachable moment. Practical, philosophical, and political, Reading Essentials gets to the heart of what excellent reading instruction is all about―and puts the fun back into your teaching.

Regie Routman has more than forty-five years of experience working in diverse, underperforming schools across the U.S. and Canada as an educational leader, mentor teacher, literacy coach, classroom teacher, and teacher of students with learning differences. Her current work involves on-site demonstrations of highly effective literacy and leadership practices and side-by-side mentoring and coaching of principals and lead teachers in order to improve reading and writing engagement, achievement, and enjoyment for all learners. Her many research-based books and resources have supported hundreds of thousands of teachers, principals, and educators at all levels to create and sustain trusting, intellectual school cultures where hearing all the voices and ongoing, professional learning are priorities. 

Regie's books include her Essentials series—Reading Essentials, Writing Essentials, and Teaching Essentials, published by Heinemann, and Literacy Essentials.

Regie expertly developed and delivers online professional learning through her Transforming Our Teaching video-based literacy series. Regie also presents two popular Heinemann on-demand courses: Transforming Our Teaching Through Reading to Understand, Grades K–6; and, Transforming Our Teaching Through Reading-Writing Connections, Grades K-1.

Browse all of Regie's Heinemann Online PD offerings alongside her correlating Professional Development Notebooks on Heinemann's Regie Routman Series page.

For full information on Regie’s publications including her Transforming Our Teaching video-based, literacy series and on-demand courses, PD offerings, and blogs, see www.regieroutman.org.

You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook @regieroutman.