The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.

Collects thirty-two articles for teachers of struggling readers, covering such topics as literacy interventions, diverse student needs, motivation and ownership, reading for meaning, accuracy and fluency, and family and community collaboration.

Assessment is an integral part of instruction. For the past decade, the focus on assessment--particularly via high-stakes mandated tests--has shifted away from the classroom and left teachers feeling like they are drowning in data. Assessment is, and needs to be again, much more than a number. Assessment in Perspective is about moving beyond the numbers and using assessment to find the stories they tell. This book helps teachers sort through the myriad of available assessments and use each to understand different facets of their readers. It discusses how to use a range of assessment types--from reading conference notes and student work to running records and state tests--together to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of a reader. The authors share a framework for thinking about the purpose, method, and types of different assessments. They also address the questions they ask when choosing or analyzing assessments: - What type of tool do we need: diagnostic, formative, or summative; formal or informal; quantitative or qualitative? - How do we use multiple assessments together to provide an in-depth picture of a reader? - When and how are we giving the assessment? - Do we want to be able to compare our readers to a standard score, or do we need to diagnose a reader's needs? - Which area of reading does this tool assess? - How can we use the information from assessments to inform our instruction? - What information does a particular assessment tell us, and what doesn't it tell us? - What additional information do we need about a reader to understand his or her learning needs? The book emphasizes the importance of triangulating data by using varied sources, both formal and informal, and across multiple intervals. It explains the power of looking at different types of assessments side-by-side with displays to find patterns or inconsistencies. What's more, students are included as valuable sources of data. Letting students in on the process of assessment is key to helping them set goals, monitor their own progress, and celebrate growth. When assessment is viewed in this way, instruction can meet high standards and still be developmentally appropriate.

Teaching Struggling and At-Risk Readers: A Direct Instruction Approach is designed to provide specific information to assist educators in being effective teachers of reading with all of their students. This three-part book provides information on incorporating instructional design and delivery principles into daily instruction for students at the beginning and primary stages of reading. It discusses: Structuring initial teaching procedures so teaching presentations are clear and foster a high degree of interaction between teachers and students. Using language and demonstration techniques that can be understood by all students. Sequencing the instruction of reading content to ensure essential skills and knowledge are taught in an aligned and coherent manner. Using techniques that provide adequate practice and review for students in developing high levels of fluency and accuracy.

While most children learn to read fairly well, there remain many young Americans whose futures are imperiled because they do not read well enough to meet the demands of our competitive, technology-driven society. This book explores the problem within the context of social, historical, cultural, and biological factors. Recommendations address the identification of groups of children at risk, effective instruction for the preschool and early grades, effective approaches to dialects and bilingualism, the importance of these findings for the professional development of teachers, and gaps that remain in our understanding of how children learn to read. Implications for parents, teachers, schools, communities, the media, and government at all levels are discussed. The book examines the epidemiology of reading problems and introduces the concepts used by experts in the field. In a clear and readable narrative, word identification, comprehension, and other processes in normal reading development are discussed. Against the background of normal progress, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children examines factors that put children at risk of poor reading. It explores in detail how literacy can be fostered from birth through kindergarten and the primary grades, including evaluation of philosophies, systems, and materials commonly used to teach reading.

Presents methods of helping third through sixth graders with literacy problems, covering such topics as motivation, small-group instruction, differentiated instruction, and standardized tests.