Beyond the Bedtime Story: Promoting Reading Development during the Middle School Years

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Beyond the Bedtime Story: Understanding and Promoting Reading Development During the Middle School Years was written for educators, parents, and all who care about promoting the reading development of middle school students. The book fills a much-needed void in scholarly literature by considering the unique developmental nature of early adolescence. Although the authors highlight many of the challenges with promoting reading achievement during the middle school transition years, their hope is that this user-friendly book will suggest ways that reading can remain a critical part of middle school students lives, both in and out of school, so that we can create a nation of life-long readers. This book also encourages practitioners and family members to accept the challenge of creatively engaging reluctant readers so that all middle school students will share in the literacy legacy begun in preschools and elementary schools and offers practical strategies to build this legacy.

Reviews

Written by a collection of educators, school administrators, and advocates, this slim volume walks through problems and solutions to a decline in reading during the middle school years. . . .[W]ith its emphasis on the inclusion of scholarly articles, it provides ideal research support for anyone interested in working with administration, grants, and policy changes for school libraries. * VOYA *
Intended for parents and teachers of middle school students, this book provides practical suggestions on how to foster a love of reading in early adolescents. The authors draw on research in the fields of literacy education and adolescent psychology. * Children's Literature Association Quarterly *
Beyond the Bedtime Story: Understanding and Promoting Reading Development During the Middle School Transition Years is a must read for parents and educators of early adolescents. By distilling the truth about demanding rigor, higher standards, and greater accountability, Young and Michael provocatively examine the barriers to middle school literacy while articulating promising strategies to evade, eliminate, or transform these all-too-common roadblocks. -- Carol Merlone, EdD, superintendent of schools, Ansonia Public Schools, Asonia, CT
Amid the flurry of friends, parties, hormones, and all the additional changes that occur in adolescence, some students may hit a middle grades malaise leading to an academic slump. Such a malaise can certainly influence preteens desire to read. Studies show what common sense tells us: the more students read and comprehend what they read, the more academically proficient they will become. Reading can become an even bigger battle in middle school, especially for the reluctant reader with learning disabilities and attention disorders. Beyond the Bedtime Story is a tribute to the art of teaching reading, an immensely important contribution to an adolescents education. The teaching of reading has tremendous power when it comes to fulfilling the development of all aspects of a learners language ability, and its importance to the entirety of human life in this day and age cannot be overstated. -- Judith L. Klimkiewicz, EdD, senior consultant for K-12 College/Career Education and Workforce Development, Commissioner's Office, Massachusetts, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, superintendent of schools, retired, Nashoba Valley Technical School District, MA
Beyond the Bedtime Story: Understanding and Promoting Reading Development During the Middle School Transition Years provides a solid overview of the research, context, and processes essential for teaching reading effectively and achieving literacy-related goals at the middle school level. This book is an excellent resource for understanding how middle school students learn, how to use appropriate middle school pedagogy for typical and atypical learners, and how to engage parents in the processes that promote reading success during middle school, where reading to learn in all content areas is a necessary skill for interdisciplinary success throughout the educational spectrum. -- Lynne M. Celli, PhD, associate dean for graduate education programs, Endicott College, Beverly, MA
At a time when a growing number of middle school students are not demonstrating strong reading skills, parents and teachers are searching for explanations and solutions. This book unlocks the reasons why many middle schoolers do not read, providing parents and teachers with an understanding of the social, emotional, psychological, and educational factors that influence reading development. Tapping into research on early adolescent development theory, brain functioning, and reading disabilities, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the underlying causes of poor reading. It also suggests strategies and programs that can be used both at school and at home to support reading development at the middle school level, making Beyond the Bedtime Story an important book for teachers and parents of reluctant or struggling middle school readers. -- Nadine Bonda, PhD, underperforming schools consultant, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Author Bio

Dr. Nicholas D. Young has worked in diverse educational roles for over twenty years, including serving as a director of student services, principal, graduate professor, dean, and superintendent of schools. He holds numerous degrees from Austin Peay State University, Westfield State University, Western New England University, Union Institute & University, and American International College, including a Ph.D. in educational administration and an Ed.D. in psychology. Dr. Young has published widely, recently co-authoring Collapsing Educational Boundaries from Preschool to Ph.D.: Building Bridges Across the Educational Spectrum, Learning Style Perspectives: Impact In the Classroom (3rd edition), and Transforming Special Education Practices: A Primer for School Administrators and Policy Makers. Dr. Christine N. Michael is a thirty-year educational veteran with a variety of professional experiences. She holds degrees from Brown University, Rhode Island College, Union Institute & University, and the University of Connecticut, where she earned a Ph.D. in education and human development and family relations. Previous work has included middle and high school teaching, higher education administration, college teaching, educational consulting, literacy development, Head Start, Upward Bound, GED preparation, and the federal Trio programs. She is currently the Program Director of Low Residency Programs at American International College.