Tools for Matching Readers to Texts Research-Based Practices

by Mesmer, Heidi Anne E.

• ISBN13: 9781593855970
• ISBN10: 1593855974
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-16
• Publisher: The Guilford Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Selecting reading materials at the appropriate level for each student is an essential component of promoting literacy, and a number of tools for determining text difficulty are now available. This unique, much-needed reference helps teachers choose from a wide array of approaches and implement them effectively. Provided is a thorough, integrative review of recently developed applications such as Lexiles, as well as traditional readability formulas and systems for beginning readers. Detailed vignettes clearly illustrate how teachers have used these tools in real classrooms and provide tips and pointers for success. Rich with charts, tables, and resources, this practical guide includes an appendix on two electronic book matching programs, Accelerated Reader and Reading Counts.

Author Biography

Heidi Anne E. Mesmer, PhD, is Assistant Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she conducts research and teaches literacy courses to graduate students. Since 1999 she has studied beginning reading materials and text difficulty. Dr. Mesmer has worked extensively with schools and teachers in funded projects. She was a Spencer Foundation/National Academy of Education postdoctoral fellow and a recipient of an Institute of Education Sciences/American Educational Research Association grant.

Table of Contents

Using Text Analysis Tools to Match Readers to Texts	p. 1
Text Analysis Tools: A Reference
Traditional Readability Formulas	p. 13
Second-Generation Readability Formulas: Lexiles and Degrees of Reading Power	p. 43
Textual Scaffolds for Beginning Readers: Qualitative Leveling, Decodability, and Vocabulary Control	p. 63
Choosing and Using Text Analysis Tools
Choosing Text Analysis Tools: Successful Schools	p. 97
Using Text Analysis Tools: Successful Primary Teachers	p. 112
Using Text Analysis Tools: Successful Intermediate Teachers	p. 129
Applications of Readability Formulas: Accelerated Reader and Reading Counts	p. 153
References	p. 164
Index	p. 177
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