Beginning Reading: A Balanced Approach to Teaching Reading during the First Three Years at School

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

An extremely engaging and well-researched guide to teaching children to read in the first three years. Most children learn to read, irrespective of the method of instruction. Yet up to a fifth of children struggle with reading in their first few years at school. Unfortunately, those who struggle in the early years will continue to struggle throughout their school career. Yola Center offers a systematic, research-based guide to teaching reading in the first three years of school. Her aim is to ensure that teachers can work with at-risk or reluctant readers in the regular classroom as effectively as with children for whom reading seems to come naturally. Taking an analytic approach to reading, Beginning Reading shows how children can be moved through the key stages of early reading acquisition. Each chapter includes an overview of relevant research, practical classroom strategies and guidelines for lesson planning. Center adopts a balanced view of reading instruction, stressing the importance of phonological processes at the beginning of literacy instruction, as well as semantic and syntactic ones. This supports at risk children in regular classrooms, who are provided with the maximum opportunity to develop the accurate and fluent word recognition skills that are needed in order to extract meaning from print.

Reviews

Mentioned in Today's Books, "Book Register" (Abstract and Index), June 2006 -- Today's Books "Book Register"
'Yola Center is one of those rare educators who is equally comfortable with research and with practice. In this book she presents practical, down-to-earth strategies for teaching all children to read, and gives readers both the evidence base behind effective strategies and clear, compelling descriptions of what effective practice looks like in the classroom. ' Robert Slavin, Co-Director of the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, Johns Hopkins University, USA * Blurb from reviewer *
'At last! A book that attempts to combine an overview of recent research findings and their implications for the teaching of reading with sensible and practical suggestions for classroom teachers. This book will be a useful addition to reading lists for those involved in teacher education.' Morag Stuart, Institute of Education, University of London, UK * Blurb from reviewer *
'This is an excellent book. It comprehensively reviews the research literature and shows how to apply it to the nuts and bolts of teaching reading in the first few years of school. It is a must-read for teachers.' Professor Tom Nicholson, Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, New Zealand * Blurb from reviewer *
'This is an invaluable guide and resource for early years teachers. It addresses gaps in teacher training and support in this most central and pervasive area of early childhood education. This book provides a well organised, engaging and balanced program for developing literacy skills in children in the first few years of schooling which will lead them effectively into fluent reading and writing. It offers a road map without being too prescriptive and while allowing free and creative approaches within its framework.' Professor Margot Prior AO, University of Melbourne, Australia * Blurb from reviewer *
'adopts a balanced view' * Education Today *

Author Bio

Yola Center is Associate Professor in the School of Education at Macquarie University, Sydney. She has published widely on early literacy issues.