Reading Essentials

by Routman, Regie

• ISBN13: 9780325004921
• ISBN10: 0325004927
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-04
• Publisher: HEINEMAN EDUCATIONAL BOOKS

Summary

In this easy-to-read and research-based text, Regie Routman provides clarity, support, specific demonstrations, and confidence to teachers so they can teach reading well and get high test scores too - regardless of the reading program they use. Detailed lessons, immediately doable ideas, teaching tips, and lots of practical suggestions make this an essential text for excellent and enjoyable teaching and learning.

Author Biography

REGIE ROUTMAN is an internationally respected teacher and author who speaks at major educational conferences and conducts full day workshops for educators. Her current work and focus involves weeklong school residencies where she does daily demonstration teaching in classrooms, coaches teachers, and facilitates ongoing professional conversations. Currently, she lives in Seattle, WA. Regie's teaching experience of almost thirty-five years includes being a classroom teacher (for most of the elementary grades), a reading specialist, a learning disabilities tutor, a Reading Recovery teacher, a language arts resource and mentor teacher, and a staff developer. Her books are widely acclaimed as providing a solid, theory-based understanding of language learning along with a wealth of practical ideas and extensive, annotated resources. Because Regie writes in an honest, personal, and encouraging voice based on her daily experiences in classrooms, teachers find her books

Table of Contents

A Note About Notes	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
One The Essential Reading Life
Simplify Your Teaching Life	3	(8)
Why Reading Essentials?	4	(3)
Be as Knowledgeable as You Can Be	5	(1)
There Is No One ``Right'' or Best Way	6	(1)
Question Research	6	(1)
Teach What's Essential to the Well-Being of the Child as a Learner and a Developing Person	7	(2)
What About Learners with Special Needs?	8	(1)
Teach to the Child, Not the Label	9	(1)
View Teaching as an Art Supported by Science	9	(2)
Bond with Your Students	11	(12)
How Does Bonding Work?	13	(1)
Work Your Magic with Students	13	(4)
Ensure Early Success for Every Child	14	(1)
Model Respect	15	(1)
Encourage Shared Decision Making	16	(1)
Bring in Stories	17	(3)
Tell the Stories of Your Life	17	(1)
Value Children's Stories	18	(1)
Read Stories Aloud	18	(2)
Get to Know Your Students as Readers	20	(1)
Learn About Student's Reading Lives at Home	21	(1)
Enjoy Your Students	21	(1)
Celebrate Your Life	22	(1)
Share Your Reading Life	23	(18)
Tell Students Why You Read	24	(1)
Share Your Reading Habits	25	(16)
Let Students Know What You Are Reading and What You Will Read Next	25	(1)
Share Your Passion for Reading	26	(1)
Discuss the Importance and Pleasure of Having a Personal Library	27	(1)
Talk About Favorite Authors and Favorite Books	27	(3)
Talk About How Book Clubs Work	30	(1)
Explain How You Choose Books to Read	30	(2)
Read a Variety of Genres	32	(1)
Maintain a Reading Record	33	(4)
Show Your Students How You Read	37	(1)
Demonstrate Your Pleasure in Reading	37	(4)
Two The Essential Reading Day
Teach with a Sense of Urgency	41	(22)
Do More Teaching	42	(1)
Rely on an Optimal Learning Model	43	(4)
Demonstration	45	(1)
Shared Demonstration	45	(1)
Guided Practice	46	(1)
Independent Practice	46	(1)
Understand and Apply the Learning Model	47	(3)
Work Toward Independence	48	(1)
Promote Joy in Learning	48	(1)
Put the Learning Model into Action	49	(1)
Integrate Basic Skills into Challenging, Relevant Curriculum	50	(2)
Focus on Language Acquisition, Not Just Letters and Sounds	51	(1)
Ground Phonemic Awareness Work in Language Play	51	(1)
Maximize Whole-Class Teaching	52	(1)
Include Interactive Reading	52	(1)
Connect Reading with Writing	53	(4)
How Much Written Response Is Appropriate?	54	(1)
Create Your Own Texts for Shared, Guided, and Independent Reading	54	(1)
Put It into Action: An Integrated Reading--Writing Lesson	55	(2)
Summary of Reading--Writing Activities	57	(5)
Text-Solving Activities	57	(3)
Word-Solving Activities	60	(2)
Raise Your Expectations	62	(1)
Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library	63	(19)
Classroom Libraries and Books Improve Reading Achievement	64	(2)
Expand Access for Struggling Readers	65	(1)
Be Sure to Include and Value ``Light Reading''	65	(1)
Take a Critical Look at Your Classroom Library	66	(7)
Provide Lots of Choices and Books	67	(1)
Find Out Students' Favorite Authors, Series, and Book Titles	68	(1)
Pay Attention to Students' Interests and De-emphasize Leveled Books	69	(1)
Include Lots of Nonfiction	70	(1)
Make Books and Book Talk ``Hot'' in Your Classroom	71	(2)
Make Classroom and School Libraries Attractive, Comfortable, and Accessible for Reading	73	(8)
Involve Your Students in Library Design and Organization	75	(4)
Teach Students How to Care for Books	79	(1)
Start a Summer Reading Program	80	(1)
Classroom Libraries Simplify Guided Reading	81	(1)
There Is No Substitute for Quality Books	81	(1)
Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading	82	(16)
Students Need to Do More Reading	83	(2)
Struggling Readers Need Much More Time to Read	84	(1)
What Do We Mean by an Independent Reading Program?	85	(2)
Research Strongly Supports Independent Reading	85	(1)
Connect Independent Reading with Teaching and Evaluating	86	(1)
Notice Where Independent Reading Fits in the Optimal Learning Model	86	(1)
An Independent Reading Program Is Essential	87	(4)
Set Up Classroom Procedures	88	(1)
Value Independent Reading in Kindergarten	89	(2)
Depend on Partner Reading	91	(2)
Evaluate Partner Reading	93	(1)
Teach Students How to Select ``Just-Right'' Books	93	(5)
Establish Selection Guidelines	94	(2)
Demonstrate That Reading Words Accurately Is Not Enough	96	(1)
Don't Underestimate the Importance of Choice	97	(1)
Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner	98	(19)
Make Assessment Work for You and Your Students	99	(1)
Make Assessment and Evaluation a Daily Routine	100	(1)
Regularly Evaluate Students Regarding the Texts They Are Reading	100	(4)
Conduct Informal Reading Conferences	101	(3)
A Framework for an Informal Reading Conference	104	(4)
Child-Friendly Reading Goals	106	(1)
Teach Intentionally	107	(1)
Try Some Informal Reading Conferences	108	(1)
Use Standards and High-Stakes Testing to Improve Comprehension	108	(3)
Make Ongoing Accountability Central to Teaching Reading	111	(6)
Have a School Policy in Place	111	(1)
Work to Change Cumbersome District Policies	112	(5)
Three Teaching Essentials
Teach Comprehension	117	(13)
Teach Comprehension Right from the Start	117	(1)
Start with the Texts Students Are Reading	118	(1)
Demonstrate That Proficient Readers Use Many Strategies	118	(3)
Be Careful About How You Teach Comprehension	119	(1)
Balance Explicit Instruction with Lots of Time for Application	119	(1)
Teach and Apply Your Own Comprehension Processes	120	(1)
Make Your Reading/Thinking Process Visible	121	(6)
Teach Rereading as the Single Most Useful Strategy	122	(1)
Use Writing to Help Recall Key Points	123	(1)
Teach Students to Survey Text Before They Begin to Read	123	(1)
Make Connections	124	(1)
Teach Self-Monitoring as Crucial to Understanding	124	(2)
Interact with Peers to Increase Comprehension and Enjoyment	126	(1)
Use Texts That Are Easy Enough and Meaningful Enough to Support Comprehension	127	(2)
Keep Fluency in Perspective	128	(1)
Teach Students How to Ask Significant Questions	128	(1)
Use Caution and Common Sense When Teaching Strategies	129	(1)
Emphasize Shared Reading	130	(20)
Make Shared Reading an Integral Part of Your Reading Program	130	(3)
Notice Where Shared Reading Fits in the Optimal Learning Model	131	(1)
Use Shared Reading to Demonstrate Reading of All Kinds of Texts	132	(1)
Add Shared Reading Aloud	133	(1)
A Framework for Shared Reading Aloud for All Grades	134	(5)
Observe Shared Reading Aloud in Action	139	(11)
Enjoy a Picture Book in a Shared Read-Aloud	139	(4)
Present an Informational Book Through a Shared Read-Aloud	143	(4)
Introduce a Literary Genre Through a Shared Read-Aloud	147	(2)
Evaluate Shared Reading Aloud	149	(1)
Examine Guided Reading	150	(35)
Clarify Guided Reading for Yourself	150	(2)
Understand Where Guided Reading Fits in the Optimal Learning Model	151	(1)
Be Cautious About How You Group Children	152	(1)
Create Opportunities for Flexible Grouping	153	(1)
Choose Books for Guided Reading Carefully	153	(3)
Examine Your Book Collection for Quality	154	(1)
Qualities of an Excellent Text for Guided Reading	155	(1)
Establish a Workable Schedule	156	(3)
Broaden Your Groups and Shorten the Time You Meet with Them	157	(1)
Examine Your Instructional Reading Schedule	157	(2)
Be Flexible About Guided Reading in Kindergarten	159	(1)
Make Management Easy and Meaningful	160	(3)
Have Students Spend Most of Reading Time Reading	160	(3)
Make Sure Your Literacy Centers Are Worth the Time They Take	163	(1)
Make Sure Your Management Techniques Are ``Manageable''	163	(4)
Model Exactly What You Expect Students to Do	163	(2)
Evaluate How Well Students Not in a Guided Reading Group Have Managed Themselves	165	(2)
Plan Your Guided Reading Lessons with a Focus on Meaning	167	(3)
Some Important Purposes for Guided Reading	168	(2)
A Framework for Thinking About a Guided Reading Lesson	170	(2)
Essential Materials for Guided Reading	172	(3)
Excerpts From Guided Reading Groups	175	(10)
Grade 1: Readers Who Struggle	175	(3)
Grade 1: High-Achieving Readers	178	(2)
Grade 2: Average Readers	180	(2)
Grade 4: High Average Readers	182	(3)
Four Advocacy Is Also Essential
Build on Best Practice, Know the Research, and Use Programs as a Resource	185	(16)
Build on Best Practices in Teaching Reading	186	(5)
Be Knowledgeable About Relevant Research	187	(2)
Be Informed About the Influential National Reading Panel Report	189	(2)
Know and Apply the Research on Effective Teaching	191	(1)
Use Programs Only as a Resource	191	(9)
Take a Close Look at Your Commercial Basal Reader	193	(1)
Become Knowledgeable About Direct Instruction	193	(2)
Ask Questions Before Any Program Adoption	195	(3)
A Word About Computerized Reading-Incentive Programs	198	(2)
Take Professional Responsibility for What You Believe	200	(1)
You Only Have So Much Time	201	(19)
Live an Interesting Life	202	(1)
Spend Most of Your Time Thinking	202	(3)
Trust Your Own Experiences to Help You Plan Well	203	(1)
Keep Work Meaningful	203	(1)
Keep Work Simple	204	(1)
Make Every Minute Count	205	(7)
Use All Time Spent with Your Students to Teach and Assess	205	(1)
Make Ongoing Evaluation Part of Every Literacy Activity	205	(1)
Keep a Lively Pace	206	(1)
Create Structures That Maximize Participation and Learning	207	(1)
Fight for More Time for Students Who Struggle	207	(1)
Use Transitional Periods as Teaching Times	208	(1)
Introduce ``Mystery Words''	208	(1)
Make Work Done While Waiting for the Bell to Ring Sensible and Pleasurable	209	(1)
Make Resources in the Room Useful and Easy to Access	210	(1)
Minimize Coloring	210	(1)
Reduce Interruptions	211	(1)
Reevaluate Time Blocks	211	(1)
Look at Your Schedule Carefully	212	(1)
Make Time for Ongoing Professional Development	212	(1)
Sample Teacher Schedules	213	(5)
Take Part in Schoolwide Conversations	216	(1)
Make Time for Personal and Professional Reading	217	(1)
Do Less, More Effectively	218	(2)
Build in Time to Reflect	218	(1)
Cultivate a Love of Learning	218	(2)
Enjoy!	220	(1)
Without Human Caring, the Best Science Is Minimally Effective	221
Appendices
A. Selected Strategies for Struggling Readers	2	(1)
B. 12 Practices of the Most Effective Teachers	3	(1)
Letters to Parents
C. Why Independent Reading Is Necessary	4	(1)
D. Help Your Child Choose a ``Just-Right'' Book and Encourage Home Reading	5	(1)
Choosing Books
E. Use the Goldilocks Strategy to Choose Books	6	(1)
F. Choosing Books for Independent Reading	7	(1)
G. SSR Reading	8	(1)
Reading Forms
H. Informal Reading Conference	9	(1)
I. Reading Log	10	(1)
J. Monthly Recording	11	(1)
Brief Definitions of Terms	12	(5)
Notes	17
Index	1