Preface ix

National Academy of Education’s Reading Sub-Committee Members xi

Acknowledgments xiii

About the Authors xv

1 Yet Another Report About Teacher Education? 1

2 Students Change: What are Teachers to Learn About Reading Development? 15

3 Students Vary: How Can Teachers Address All Their Needs? 123

4 Students Encounter Difficulties: When Teachers Need Specialized Knowledge 161

5 Learning to Use Reading Assessments Wisely 177

6 A Model of Professional Growth in Reading Education 201

Appendix 225

References 235

Name Index 295

Subject Index 301

KNOWLEDGE to SUPPORT the TEACHING of READING

It is generally accepted that reading with comprehension is key to success in all academic domains. This means that every teacher must be able to help students deepen their reading and writing skills. What is the core knowledge base teachers need for this task? Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading offers a definitive guide to reading and literacy preparation in teacher education and professional development.

Despite the current obsession with improving national educational standards for our children, an alarming number of teachers lack grounding in the fundamentals of theory and practice of reading and literacy. This book is a part of a major initiative of the National Academy of Education's Committee on Teacher Education, whose members have been charged with the task of creating a core knowledge base for teacher education. A subcommittee of experts on language and literacy developed Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading to delineate the essential knowledge about the development, acquisition, and teaching of language and literacy that all teachers need.

This important book links evidence about student accomplishments and effective instructional practices to teacher knowledge and teacher preparation. The editors include information for meeting the more challenging situations teachers may encounter when teaching reading. Written for teacher educators, the book defines teacher preparation as a developmental process that evolves from recurring cycles of learning, enactment, assessment, and reflection.

"This book should be read by teachers, teacher educators, and policy makers who are interested in ensuring that all teachers have the knowledge and skills necessary to teach all students to read."
--Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University, co-chair of the Committee on Teacher Education

"Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading could serve as a guide to those designing teacher education courses and programs and to those interested in hiring knowledgeable new teachers."
--George Hillocks, University of Chicago

"The authors know the literature very well…indeed, it is an excellent job of taking the research data and using them in a way that teachers can take advantage of."
--Walter Kintsch, University og Colorado, Boulder

KNOWLEDGE to SUPPORT the TEACHING of READING

It is generally accepted that reading with comprehension is key to success in all academic domains. This means that every teacher must be able to help students deepen their reading and writing skills. What is the core knowledge base teachers need for this task? Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading offers a definitive guide to reading and literacy preparation in teacher education and professional development.

Despite the current obsession with improving national educational standards for our children, an alarming number of teachers lack grounding in the fundamentals of theory and practice of reading and literacy. This book is a part of a major initiative of the National Academy of Education's Committee on Teacher Education, whose members have been charged with the task of creating a core knowledge base for teacher education. A subcommittee of experts on language and literacy developed Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading to delineate the essential knowledge about the development, acquisition, and teaching of language and literacy that all teachers need.

This important book links evidence about student accomplishments and effective instructional practices to teacher knowledge and teacher preparation. The editors include information for meeting the more challenging situations teachers may encounter when teaching reading. Written for teacher educators, the book defines teacher preparation as a developmental process that evolves from recurring cycles of learning, enactment, assessment, and reflection.