When the First Edition of this book was written, there was a great deal of controversy about the role of direct skill instruction in teaching children to read. In the past five years, scientific research and studies of effective teaching practices have quelled the controversy. Today, except of a few holdouts, there is general consensus that in addition to varied language- and literature-based activities, reading instruction should include explicit and systematic instruction in the basic skills that help students become fluent, automatic readers. Across the country, policy-makers, educators, and publishers have begun to respond. The real challenge is how to implement what we know are the best research-based practices in reading materials adopted, in training teachers, and in school leadership.



This Second Edition has grown out of the experiences of scores of dedicated teachers and their success in the classroom. It provides an updated overview of important research and instructional strategies that will bring all students to higher levels of literacy. Expanded sections on phonics instruction; connected practice with decodable text; fluency; multisyllabic word instruction; spelling; vocabulary and concept development; strategic reading; text organization; book discussions; and literacy benchmarks, assessment and intervention included. New tables are provided in Resource A. There are also revisions to the Frequently Asked Questions and the major points discussed in Resource B.