Teaching the Struggling Reader [Paperback]

"I like the section on how to motivate the struggling reader. That is often a topic of discussion in schools.  It is also difficult to find material on how to motivate a struggling reader, particularly as they get older.  Middle school and high school students that struggle with reading often need to be motivated.  This book can also be used in schools for a book study." -Reviewer 1

"I believe that one of the major assets is this text is clearly written and it is directed toward practicing or pre-professional teachers who work with struggling readers.  The level and tone of the writing are definitely appropriate for most students in classes that I teach. Another advantage of this text is that it presents many opportunities for blending theory and practice.  The author(s) often organize their activities and assessments into a before, during, and after reading format.  This arrangement is similar to how I approach teaching literacy education concepts and is, therefore, intuitively sensible to me for my teaching purposes. In addition, I think that the Case Studies and the other materials provided in the Figures are very helpful to the purpose of the text." -Reviewer 2

"The organization of this book is very good.  It moves from a brief discussion of basic information and terms to assessment (the first step in developing an approach to teaching struggling readers), and through the steps of reading practice and instruction.  From there, it continues to move outward from reading skill acquisition to motivation and family partnerships.  This movement from basic and specific to application to implication not only makes logical sense, it also creates a workable model for a teacher who has not had experience with developing a reading program or approach." -Reviewer 4

"It is a book I would recommend adopting as part of reading Master’s programs or staff development programs.  It is a good book that can address the needs of individuals, groups, and institutions.  It certainly does not address all the intricacies of reading instruction, but it provides an approach to develop a unified framework of instruction.  This should be the starting point for all instruction." -Reviewer 4

An innovative resource for literacy teachers, Teaching the Struggling Reader takes a novel approach to instruction--the reading program is based on the needs of the struggling reader, rather than the other way around.  Most teachers plan their reading lesson and then work in the needs of a struggling reader.  This book is for teachers looking for a more contemporary and inclusive way to teach reading.  Starting with assessment, the author shows you how to group readers by ability and need rather than by risk factors. Finally, you will save planning time by learning how to incorporate strategies that you already know into developing your lesson, rather than changing your style to accommodate the requirements of a particular reading program.