Exemplary teacher research has established that explicit teaching plays a vital role in the classroom, with particular benefits for struggling readers. This book is a practical resource for explaining reading to students who do not learn to read easily. Identified are twenty-two major skills and strategies associated with vocabulary development, comprehension, word recognition and fluency. Ways to explain each skill and strategy are illustrated with abundant concrete examples which teachers can use as starting points for developing lessons tailored to the needs, strengths and interests of their own students. The book also shows how to move from the teacher's explanations to the student's independent use of new concepts, and how to embed explicit teaching within a context of rich, engaging literacy experiences.
'As a primary school teacher with over 30 years of experience, I find the format of the book easy to follow, enabling one to find specific examples of how to explain the component parts of reading. I find the explanations for 'Inferring' and 'Main Idea' to be especially helpful... The 'Scaffolded Assistance' examples provide teachers with sensible approaches for differentiated instruction. Explaining Reading will definitely be a valuable resource in my professional reading collection for years to come.' - Betsy Hodulik, MA, primary school teacher, Spruce Run School, Clinton, New Jersey