READING
INSTRUCTION ESSENTIALS
by ANITA
P. DAVIS
3rd edition, 260 pages, $27.95 
ISBN 978-0-89641-407-5
Reading
Instruction Essentials, now in its third edition, is a
unique introductory textbook for courses in the teaching of reading
for elementary, early childhood, and special education majors.
This book is well suited for the core requirements for majors.
I is eclectic and does not advocate one way to teach reading.
Unlike competition, this book is compatible with the movement
away from whole language instruction.
Although
this text describes whole language, phonics, sight word method,
linguistics and the modified alphabet approach to teaching reading,
it also suggests that the teacher should use a variety of methods
and should base instruction on the needs of the child.
Published before the International Reading Resolution of History
of Reading, Reading Instruction Essentials conforms
with the IRA Resolution which advocates a historical view of
reading instruction in developmental reading courses. This book
also profiles important people in the history of reading/literacy
education.
Reading Instruction Essentials is an interactive
text which meets the learning styles of the many college students
who will use it. For example:
-
There
is a programmed chapter in which students complete exercises
on measurement and statistics, check their answers, and
rework any incorrect problems.
-
There
are phonics worksheets with answers. Students who find that
their answers are not in agreement with the textbook answers
can re-read and re-work the pages again in order that they
can help the auditory learners who profit from phonics instruction.
-
At
the end of each chapter there are "Some Things to Think
About and Do." These exercises have students creating goals,
preparing commercials, evaluating reading programs, and
even surveying magazines for children in the local library.
Reading Instruction Essentials is also a valuablereference
volume with many practical materials needed by any teacher,
tutor, or parent who instructs others in reading. Some of these
indispensable features include a complete glossary, an index,
criteria for evaluating textbooks, ways to identify learning
styles of students, models for setting up good comprehension
questions, directions for constructing cloze tests and informal
reading inventories, songs to supplement reading instruction,
patterns for tachistoscopes, guides for individualizing reading,
suggestions as to sight words and phonic generalizations to
teach indicentally or sequentially, readability formulas, recommendations
for content area reading instruction, a scope and sequence chart,
writing models, informal inventories for assessing students,
and overviews of current popular reading programs.
CONTENTS
-
PRE-TEST
What Do I Believe About Reading and Reading Instruction?
-
Chapter
1: WHAT IS READING?
Three Reading Frameworks (Materials, Literacy, Methods)
Three Approaches to Reading (Skills-based, Meaning-based,
Eclectic)
Summary
Things to Think About
-
Chapter
2: FIVE METHODS OF TEACHING READING: A SKILL-BASED APPROACH
Method I: The Phonics Method
Method II: The Sight Word Method
Method III: The Modified Alphabet Method
Method IV: Linguistic Method
Methid V: The Eclectic Method
Evaluating and Assessing Methods for the Classroom
Summary
Some Things to Think About
-
Chapter
3: WHOLE LANGUAGE
Characteristics of Whole Language Instruction
History of Whole Language
Research on Whole Language
Summary
Some Things to Do
-
Chapter
4: EMERGENT LITERACY STAGE ONE: READING READINESS
Proponents and Opponents of Reading Readiness
Factor One: Visual Readiness (Symptoms of Poor Vision, Vision
Tests, Levels of Learning, Sight Words, Color Discrimination,
Visual Learners)
Factor Two: Auditory Readiness and/or Attending and/or Following
Directions
(Symptoms of Hearing Difficulties, Hearing Tests, Attending,
Auditory Learners)
Factor Three: Left-to-right Directionality
Factor Four: Being Read Aloud to by Parents and Teachers
Other Factors Affecting Reading Readiness
Summary
Things To Think About and Do
-
Chapter
5: STAGE TWO: BEGINNING READING
Typically Associated Grade Level
Diagnostic Devices (Informal evaluation, formal tests)
Content of the beginning reading period
Recognition of letters of the alphabet and their sounds consonant
blends, consonant digraphs, structural analysis techniques,
sight words, context, semantics, syntax)
Summary
Things to Think About and Do
-
Chapter
6: STAGE THREE: INCREASING READING SKILLS STAGE
Typically associated grade level
Diagnostic Instruments (informal evaluation, formal tests)
Content of the rapid skills period
Summary
Things to Think About and Do
-
Chapter
7: STAGE FOUR: ADVANCED READING STAGE
Typically associated grade level
Content of the Wide Reading Period (all vowel sounds, all
consonant sounds, structural analysis, sight words)
Summary
Things to Think About and Do
-
Chapter
8: STAGE FIVE: READING REFINEMENT
-
Chapter
9: WRITING IN THE CLASSROOM
Order in Lanugage Arts Development
Writing Instruction from 1970s through 1990s
Invented Spelling
Stages in Writing
Governing Principles for Teaching Writing
Teaching Writing through Literature
Summary
Things to Do
-
Chapter
10: READING COMPREHENSION
Purposes of Reading Instruction
View One: Being Able to Identify Written Words
View Two Bringing Meaning to the Page
View Three: Identify Words and Get Meaning from Pages
Lowest Level: The Literal Level
Highest Level: Critical-creative Level
Propaganda Devices
Bloom's Taxonomy
Assessing Comprehension
Higher Level Thinking Skills (mapping, webbing, metacognitive
activities, puzzles, riddles and "think alouds")
Summary
Things to Do
-
Chapter
11: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THEM
Rates of Learning
Learning Levels
Providing for Learning Levels in the Schools
Learning Styles
Summary
Things To Do
-
Chapter
12: MEASUREMENT, STATISTICS AND EVALUATION FOR READING TEACHERS
Format of the Chapter
Evaluation, assessment, measurement, statistics, and test
interpretation
Answers
-
Chapter
13: CONTENT AREA READING
Content area teachers concern number one: Assigned texts are
unsuited to the students
Response to concern number one
Content area teachers concern number two: Students are unable
to read content area materials
Response to concern number two
Why students cannot read content area materials
Ways to help students who are unable to read the content area
materials
Content area teachers and concern number three: Teachers feel
curiculum pressures and believe they do not have time to help
students with reading
Response to concern number three
Content area teachers and concern number four: Teachers have
not had necessary preparation to teach students to read the
texts
Response to concern number four
Summary
-
Chapter
14: OTHER APPROACHES TO READING INSTRUCTION
Approach 1: Four Blocks Approach (Guided Reading, Self-selected
Reading, Writing, Working with Words)
Approach 2: Reading Recovery
Approach 3: Success
Approach 4: Thematic Instruction
Approach 5: Reading Programs Promoted through Media
Summary
Things to Think About and Do
-
Appendix
A: ANSWERS TO SELECTED PROBLEMS
-
Post-Test:
WHAT DO I BELIEVE ABOUT READING INSTRUCTION
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GLOSSARY
-
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . .
Anita
P. Davis is
a professor of Education at Converse College, Spartanburg, South
Carolina. She received her Ed.D. from Duke University.
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