This fifth edition fills a void by being a ready reference for prospective teachers and literacy education professionals, who want a clear, overall perspective of instructional procedures and who approach their teaching with a view of experimentation and decision making. This book is intended to be an on-going reference to be used in conjunction with almost any literacy education course. It is designed to afford the reader an active role in examining and evaluating instructional techniques. The authors do not expect readers to become familiar with all of the strategies or practices presented in the text; rather, they recommend reading it selectively and reflectively. Students should select the units and strategies they wish to review and evaluate.