Reaching High [antikvár]

Scribner Reading Series The philosophy ofthe SCRIBNER READING SERIES is based on years of research and practice embodying the best of long established principles of phonics-decoding as well as the more recent relevant research on comprehension and instruction. These results can be best expressed in three basic tenets of sound reading instruction. 1. Children should be taught a systematic means of unlocking new words (Phonics-Decoding/Word Identification). 2. Children should be taught comprehension skills and be given an opportunity to practice these skills (Comprehension). 3. Children should be given an opportunity to apply their reading skills in a variety of reading situations using the best of traditional and modern literature as well as content area material (Application/Extension). These tenets, which form the basis for the SCRIBNER READING SERIES, are supported by the synthesis of research commissioned by the National Academy of Education entitled. Becoming a Nation of Readers. 1. Phonics-Decoding/Word Identification "Teachers of beginning reading should present well-designed phonics instruction . and it shou Id be completed by the end of second grade for most children " (page 118) And how, according to the Commission, should phonics be taught? According to the Report, "isolating the sounds associated with most letters and teaching children to blend the soundsof letters togetherto try to identify words are useful instructional strategies." (page 42) With regard to phonics and reading selections forthe beginning reader, the Commission states that "the important point is that a high proportion of the words in the earliest selections children read should conform to the phonics they have already been taught." These principles of phonics instruction describe the basic methodology of the SCRIBNER READING SERIES— a method which draws on each modality of learning to reinforce decoding. 2. Comprehension "Teachers should devote more time to comprehension instruction" (page 118) and they "need to teach comprehension strategies directly" (page 81). "Direct instruction in comprehension means explaining the steps in a thought process that give birth to comprehension. It may mean that a teacher models the strategy by thinking aloud about how he or she is going about understanding a passage. The Instructor includes information on why and when to use a strategy." (page 72) Teachers using the SCRIBNER READING SERIES will find clear directions about how to explain, model, and guide students in comprehension strategies. To facilitate comprehension, important words are introduced prior to reading. Further, reading skills for each selection have been determined on the basis of their importance for successfully understanding the text. 3. Application/Extension "The most logical place for instruction in most reading and thinking strategies is in social studies and science rather than in separate lessons about reading. The reason is that the strategies are useful mainly when the student is grappling with important but unfamiliar context." (page 73) The SCRIBNER READING SERIES provides the students with reading instruction using science and social studies material, as well as selections from math and other content areas. Early emphasis on phonics/decoding enables students to deal with unfamiliar content vocabulary confidently, and independently; thus they are not dependent on memorizing whole words. The SCRIBNER READING SERIES provides students with exposure to both classic and modern literature. Teachers will find opportunities to provide students with "activities to Interest children in books, guidance in choosing books and time set aside during the school day for independent reading." (page 79) This emphasis on quality literature is true not only in the short selections, but also in the longer "Just aTaste" selections, which encourage the reading of complete books and include specific teaching plans to guide that process. Finally, the Commission report says, "Writing activities, in particular, should be Integrated into the reading period Students can write about the material they have just read about in their basal readers. Or they can write about other topics." (page 79) To make writing activities meaningful, the SCRIBNER READING SERIES provides both selection-related suggestions for the students and directed lessons for the teacher. We believe that you will enjoy teaching with the SCRIBNER READING SERIES. Its timely approach, combined with the classroom recommendations ofthe Commission on Reading, can truly develop "a nation of readers." liihl-ib