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Raising Reading Achievement in Middle and High Schools
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Raising Reading Achievement in Middle and High Schools
Five Simple-to-Follow Strategies

Second Edition


December 2006 | 224 pages | Corwin
Raising literacy levels in secondary schools has taken on a new urgency. Recognized author, Elaine K. McEwan, focuses her revised second edition on broadening and enhancing the "five big ideas" for winning the battle against illiteracy, with reflection and discussion questions for reinforcement.

With new research and programmes designed for adolescent learners, this update provides suggestions and developmental tools for administrators to effectively strengthen reading curriculum and teaching. Reading specialists, special education teachers, literacy coaches, intervention specialists, and central office administrators can also use this essential tool for evaluating middle and high school reading programs and formulating school and district improvement goals.

McEwan has enhanced the five strategies of the first edition with seven cognitive strategies of highly effective readers and more than 20 "teaching for learning" tips to infuse into daily content instruction. This indispensable guide helps educators:

• Understand the current state of reading achievement

• Alter the instructional planning and delivery system

• Motivate all students to read, and teach them how to read to learn

• Create reading cultures in schools

An invaluable resource for site-based literacy and improvement teams, and for educators without a reading curriculum background, this comprehensive book encourages leadership and creativity to achieve high levels of literacy in today's classroom.

 
List of Teaching for Learning Tips
 
Preface
A Change in Focus

 
The Goals of This Book

 
Who This Book Is For

 
What This Book Is Not

 
Overview of the Contents

 
A New Feature

 
The Challenge

 
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
1. Reading Achievement: Where Do We Stand?
Raising Achievement Expectations

 
The State of Reading Achievement in the Nation

 
The Response of Educators

 
The State of Reading Achievement in the States

 
Roadblocks to Raising Achievement in Middle and High Schools

 
The Responsibility of School Leaders

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
2. Focus on Changing What You Can Change
Change the Educational Paradigm

 
Change How Goals Are Set

 
Change How Teachers Teach

 
Change the Curriculum and How It Is Chosen

 
Change the Alignment of the Curriculum

 
Change the Amount of Time Allocated to Reading Instruction

 
Change Where Strategic Reading Instruction Is Provided

 
Change How Learning Is Assessed

 
Change Expectations for Students

 
Change How Professional Development Is Provided

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
3. Teach the Students Who Can’t Read How to Read
How Children Learn to Read: A Short Lesson

 
Failing to Learn

 
Programs to Remediate Struggling Secondary Students

 
Find the Students in Special Education Who Can’t Read and Teach Them to Read

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
4. Teach Every Student How to Read to Learn
Reading to Learn and Cognitive Strategies

 
The Strategic Teacher

 
How to Teach Cognitive Strategies

 
Reading to Learn and Vocabulary Development

 
Reading to Learn and Knowledge Acquisition

 
How We Can Engage More Students in Reading to Learn

 
Cognitive Strategy Instruction at Alief Hastings High School

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
5. Motivate Every Student to Read in the Zone
The Value of Reading a Lot

 
Reading in the Zone

 
The Importance of Reading Challenging Fiction and Nonfiction

 
The Importance of Accountability

 
Motivating Students to Read a Lot

 
Engaging Students in Reading

 
Skills to Read With Confidence and Success

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
6. Create a Reading Culture in Your School
Pay Attention to the Basic Beliefs and Core Values of Stakeholders

 
Determine What Needs to Be Changed

 
Identify the Roadblocks to Change

 
Hire a Strong (Assertive) Instructional Leader

 
Hold Everyone Accountable

 
Make a Plan

 
Don’t Forget the Parents and Kids

 
Assess for Learning

 
Press Academically and Be Instructionally Tenacious

 
Getting the Job Done at Griffin Middle School

 
Reflection and Discussion Questions

 
 
Resource A. Assessment Tools
Resource A.1: Prereading Assessment Form

 
Resource A.2: Prereading Assessment Key

 
Resource A.3: Postreading Assessment Form

 
Resource A.4: Postreading Assessment Key

 
 
Resource B. Programs for Learning to Read in Secondary School
Benchmark Program

 
Corrective Reading

 
Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

 
Language!®

 
Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

 
Reading Is FAME

 
Reasoning and Writing

 
REWARDS (Reading Excellence: Word Attack and Rate Development Strategies)

 
The Spalding Method

 
Spelling Through Morphographs

 
 
Resource C. Creating a Strong Reading Culture: A Process Exercise
Description

 
Application

 
Time Required

 
Materials

 
Administration Directions

 
 
References
 
Index

"Makes a distinct contribution to the field and should be mandatory reading for each and every building principal for every middle, junior high, and high school in the United States."

Erin Rivers, Principal
De La Salle Middle School, Mission, KS

"Provides a compelling case for strategies and goals based upon research and student achievement. The author offers real school case studies and the goals are clear and understandable."

Rosemarie Young, Former President
NAESP

"The book is based on 20 research-based reading strategies, incorporating these into a teacher's daily curriculum and routines and helping teachers with students who can't seem to learn to read. A 'must-have' reference."

California Bookwatch, December 2006

"Offers a reinforcing translation of available results into a practical guide that motivates school administrators and teachers to put research findings into actions."

PsycCRITIQUES, July 2007, Vol. 52(28)
American Psychological Association

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1


For instructors

This book is not available as an inspection copy. For more information contact your local sales representative.

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