Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading: Preparing Teachers for a Changing World.

KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF READING: Preparing Teachers for a Changing World. Sponsored by the National Academy of Education, Catherine E. Snow, Peg Griffin, and M. Susan Burns, Editors. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005. 304 pp. $30.00. This book is a collaborative effort by a group of reading, literacy, and language experts, along with teacher educators, to link the current evidence about student performance and research-based, effective, instructional practices. It is intended as a companion text to Preparing Teachers for a Changing World (Darling-Hammond, Bransford, LePage, Hammerness, and Duffy; Jossey-Bass, 2005). Its purpose is to aid in the instruction of reading teachers at all levels. The book is applicable to both the novice and experienced teacher, as it reinforces the notion that teachers' styles mature with reflection and self-analysis as their careers develop.

Acknowledging that all students come to school with a variety of experiences, the book explains how students combine oral language and written symbols with prior experiences to create comprehension and literacy. Models of the developmental phases of reading are presented to indicate the different rates at which reading and fluency are acquired.

In addition to different developmental rates, the book addresses barriers to learning that students may experience, such as limitations in English language acquisition and limited economic resources. Vignettes describe effective instructional strategies for low-performing students.

Student reading assessment across the grades is explored as paramount for teacher reflection and student instruction. Teacher awareness and competency in administering assessments and evaluating student performance is important for accurate diagnosis of student progress. A variety of reading assessments are listed to help teachers understand the differences in assessment methods. The characteristics of effective preservice teacher programs and staff development models are outlined on a continuum of professional development. This begins with recruitment into a teacher education program and continues as teachers develop expertise through practice over time and continued professional development.

The authors have presented a thoroughly researched book that provides practical instructional strategies, which combine pedagogy with pragmatic approaches to teaching reading. Although technical in arrangement, it is readable and provides a common basis for literacy terms that are pertinent for all teachers of reading. Reviewed by Teresa Shockley, 5th-grade teacher in the Walnut Valley Unified School District and doctoral student at Azusa Pacific University, CA