Why is it that more people can’t read and write? Why are there still so many vastly different methods of teaching literacy? Why do people still argue about it? Reading for Life examines these three questions, addressing the less evidence supported ideas about teaching reading and writing which are still alive and well in schools all over the world. This accessible guide bridges the gap between research and practice, translating academic findings into practical suggestions and ready-to-use techniques. Written in an approachable style and with informative graphics, vignettes and interviews woven throughout, this book covers: the components of literacy, including phonics, vocabulary and fluency the history of approaches to literacy teaching and an overview of the key figures government-level inquiries into the provision of reading and writing teaching the mindset which leads to acceptance of poor practice the essential components of an effective literacy program with practical advice on selecting resources to get the job done well Reading for Life helps educational practitioners make informed decisions about which teaching methods to reject and select, and empowers parents to ask the right questions of professionals and policy makers. This book is a timely exploration of poor teaching methods and is an innovative, fresh assessment of how high quality literacy teaching can be provided for all.

An approach to literacy that understands it as lived and experienced in the everyday across varied spaces and populations. This book approaches literacy as lived and experienced in the everyday. A living literacies approach draws not only on such official, schooled activities as reading, writing, speaking, and listening but also on such routine, tacit activities as scrolling through Instagram, watching news footage, and listening to music. It goes beyond well-worn framings of literacy as an object of study to reimagine literacy as constantly in motion, vital, and dynamic, filled with affective intensities. A lived literacies approach implies a turn to activism, to hopeful practice, and to creativity. The authors examine literacies through a series of active verbs: seeing, disrupting, hoping, knowing, creating, and making. Case studies--ranging from an exploration of photography as a way to shift perspectives to a project in which adults teach young people how to fish--show lived literacies in both theory and practice. With these chapters, Pahl and Rowsell, along with contributors Collier, Pool, Rasool, and Trzecak, make it possible to see literacy in everyday activities, woven into the modes of seeing and knowing. By disruption and activism, literacy can encompass a wide array of practices--exchanging information at a school gate or making a collage. Grounding theory in the sites and spaces of their research, working with artists, photographers, poets, and makers, the authors issue a call to action for literacy education.

From Best-Selling Author Donna Norton! Drawing on her expertise in using children's literature to foster literacy in today's classrooms, Donna Norton has crafted a contemporary, application-rich textbook that will prepare future teachers to "put reading first" and provide high-quality, research-based instruction in reading and the language arts. "Book Earns High Praise From Reviewers" "A great number of activities listed at the end of each chapter provide students with many opportunities to discuss the chapter content, apply to field work, and reflect." - Shelley Hong Xu, CSU Long Beach "Chapter 3, Assessment. This chapter is so current, it is scary! This chapter helps to give a clear, but realistic picture of the types of assessments our students will be faced with in the public schools." - Carol L. Butterfield, Ph.D., Central WA University This publication marks a major advance over existing reading methods texts. It broadens the context of literacy with meticulously chosen examples of children's literature, real (and very detailed) lesson plans, classroom tested instructional units, and vividly illustrated examples. Read All About It feature demonstrates that reading is a current and dynamic field of study. Lesson Plans are clear, concise examples of how a master teacher systematically creates a lesson plan based on specific books. Differentiating Instruction provides relevant, practical material on: ELL; Struggling Readers and Writers; and Gifted and Accelerated Readers and Writers.

Through data-based theory development, Literacy for Life examines the process through which life change happens, based on in-depth profiles of five participants in an adult literacy education program. The authors explore why some adults seem to experience change more positively and profoundly than others. They also address the nature and role of shame in inhibiting change, and the role of the environment and community. This book places learners at the center of their own learning and change, rather than the educator or educational program. Most importantly, this book will help educators understand the complex process through which adults use literacy to change their lives, not just their test scores.

An award-winning journalist and literacy advocate provides a clear, step-by-step guide to helping your child thrive as a reader and a learner. When her child went off to school, Maya Smart was shocked to discover that a good education in America is a long shot, in ways that few parents fully appreciate. Our current approach to literacy offers too little, too late, and attempting to play catch-up when our kids get to kindergarten can no longer be our default strategy. We have to start at the top. The brain architecture for reading develops rapidly during infancy, and early language experiences are critical to building it. That means parents’ work as children’s first teachers begins from day one too—and we need deeper knowledge to play our positions. Reading for Our Lives challenges the bath-book-bed mantra and the idea that reading aloud to our kids is enough to ensure school readiness. Instead, it gives parents easy, immediate, and accessible ways to nurture language and literacy development from the start. Through personal stories, historical accounts, scholarly research, and practical tips, this book presents the life-and-death urgency of literacy, investigates inequity in reading achievement, and illuminates a path to a true, transformative education for all.

This book lays out a new vision for the teaching of English, building on themes central to Wilhelm's influential "You Gotta BE The Book." With portraits of teachers and students, as well as practical strategies and advice, they provide a roadmap to educational transformation far beyond the field of English. --from publisher description

This book addresses critical questions facing public education at the twenty-first century.