Reading Instruction Books

This is great for all age levels. From able-to-read-age to adult. My only complaint is that I can't find more books like this! The stories are cute, the vocabulary building is almost effortless, and the illustrations are great:) I'm very happy to have found this book and highly recommend it to everyone:)

THIS A BEGINER'S BOOK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BUT I FIND IT GOOD FOR A QUICK REVIEW WHEN I AM NOT UP TO MORE ADVANCED READING.

I've already completed all 3 Rosetta Stone levels and I've been searching for german books that are pretty simple so I can practice my skills and learn some additional vocabulary. This book, while relatively short, is perfect. It keeps things simple so you don't need to continually check a dictionary, and the 2 page narratives are accompanied by drawings that make it interesting as well as visually contextual.
Highly recommended.

What will computers do to our minds? Will they make us smarter or will they, instead, reduce us to mindless button clickers? Is there anything we can do to influence the outcome? These are the questions motivating Andy DiSessa's thoughts in Changing Minds. The basic premise is simple. The invention of written language led eventually to wide-spread literacy and to a large advance in the capabilities of the human mind. Similarly the invention of computer-based communication tools could create a giant leap in human mental capacity. But that leap will only come about if we develop appropriate tools and establish a culture that encourages their widespread use. Current trends are not encouraging. Few suitable tools are being developed and there is no culture encouraging widespread use. In Changing Minds DiSessa describes the kinds of software we would need to develop if we were to reach for the next level in human mental capability. He describes efforts that have been made to create such software and provides examples of the exciting results that can be obtained when children are given access to such tools. But he also warns of the many obstacles blocking the path to this better future. In the end he is unsure that we will have the will to reach it. If Changing Minds were only about the future of the human mind it would be an important book, but it is much more. It is an opportunity to experience a particularly exciting mind of the present. Reading Changing Minds is rather like spending an intensive weekend with a new friend. Through this book you come to know Andy. You see how he thinks, discover what motivates him and learn many fascinating details about his life. Few authors have ever been able to bring a character to life as effectively as Andy brings forth himself. So pack your bags, bring a little calculus and physics if you can and prepare to enjoy an exciting new friendship.

An absolutely amazing book! Stimulating and engaging material is addressed in a totally approachable way. Truly new and complicated ideas are described with expressive and informal language making it greatly appealing to a reader at any level. The subject matter is extremely interesting and far broader than the book's focus on computers and education; it ranges from children, to product design, to the internet, to human/machine interface, to driving a car, and to the role computers will play in society in the future. All this fascinating material revolves around the author's ideas of a Computational Medium and Computational Literacy (which is very different from computer literacy as we usually use the term).

The ideas are powerful and, whether or not you agree with all the conclusions drawn, will likely change the way you think about computers. I work in a completely unrelated field, but the focus on education was still very engrossing and enlightening. Especially the many stories and anecdotes about actual children, and what they had done using the Boxer computational medium. The author points out that any high school algebra student can now easily perform the proofs on relative motion for which, had it been offered then, Galileo would have surely won the Nobel Prize, and proves unarguably that we must continue to modify and update our educational system to progress as a whole, and to take advantage of the new developments and efficiencies (such as algebra) of a society that is constantly evolving.

Changing Minds potentially offers invaluable insight, and at a minimum entertaining intellectual exercises, about computers and education. From web or software designers, to system builders, to CEOs, to technophiles, and to the teachers, administrators, parents, and students in our schools, everyone will take something away from this book. For anyone involved in (or interested in) either computers or education, this book is a must read!

What will computers do to our minds? Will they make us smarter or will they, instead, reduce us to mindless button clickers? Is there anything we can do to influence the outcome? These are the questions motivating Andy DiSessa's thoughts in Changing Minds. The basic premise is simple. The invention of written language led eventually to wide-spread literacy and to a large advance in the capabilities of the human mind. Similarly the invention of computer-based communication tools could create a giant leap in human mental capacity. But that leap will only come about if we develop appropriate tools and establish a culture that encourages their widespread use. Current trends are not encouraging. Few suitable tools are being developed and there is no culture encouraging widespread use. In Changing Minds DiSessa describes the kinds of software we would need to develop if we were to reach for the next level in human mental capability. He describes efforts that have been made to create such software and provides examples of the exciting results that can be obtained when children are given access to such tools. But he also warns of the many obstacles blocking the path to this better future. In the end he is unsure that we will have the will to reach it. If Changing Minds were only about the future of the human mind it would be an important book, but it is much more. It is an opportunity to experience a particularly exciting mind of the present. Reading Changing Minds is rather like spending an intensive weekend with a new friend. Through this book you come to know Andy. You see how he thinks, discover what motivates him and learn many fascinating details about his life. Few authors have ever been able to bring a character to life as effectively as Andy brings forth himself. So pack your bags, bring a little calculus and physics if you can and prepare to enjoy an exciting new friendship.

A Non-Workbook, Non-Textbook Approach to Teaching Language Arts: Grades 4 Through 8 and Up

First, a little story. Before IN THE MIDDLE arrived from Amazon, I gave a workshop on writing at an educational conference. Afterward, an attendee commented that my techniques reminded him of Nancie Atwell's. I told him I had just learned of her (though her book's been out since 1987), and asked how he liked her book. He said it was very informative, but he almost stopped reading it several times because she does not practice one of the skills she should be teaching [in fact, I don't think she even mentions it; perhaps she doesn't believe in it]: conciseness. Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about at the time.

Nancie's IN THE MIDDLE both bored and invigorated me. I had to skim portions of the long book (she advocates this for her student readers, too), but pretty much plodded along because she would often surprise me with hidden nuggets of helpful information. I also kept rereading portions of MY book to make comparisons.

I think my favorite chapter is Nine, "Reading Mini-Lessons." She mentions some prominent educators in the field of English/Reading, but we certainly agree on author Frank Smith's READING WITHOUT NONSENSE, which has been my "bible" on that subject.

I am sure she felt the need to include so much information to support or exemplify her approaches, but she does tend to be redundant/repetitive, too detailed, and just shared too much--though some may need that hand holding (reinforcement, I am sure she would call it). She will also introduce an idea, but sometimes not really explain it until the next chapter. I think there is something to be said for clarity and brevity.

Her situation (which may have allowed her more freedom) in almost-rural Maine and the skill and socio-economic levels of most of her teens may have made her techniques work better than in, let's say, an inner-city/socio-economically depressed, gang-like territory. Though I am not sure because I know a super teacher in a more urban setting that swears by her approaches, with some modifications.

Her enthusiasm is infectious, her dedication to each student evident, and her energy (has to be) boundless. Although it takes her a while, at times, she eventually makes most things clear and worth the effort of staying with the book.

I took notes as I was reading: criticizing (later crossing out most of these), praising, learning, and noting our similar and different approaches.

All in all, I think her book (and a few she mentions) should be mandatory reading for anyone intending to teach English or literature or reading or writing. In fact, it should be on the bookshelf of the teachers of teachers.

[Submitted by the author of the 2005 A NON-WORKBOOK, NON-TEXTBOOK APPROACH TO TEACHING LANGUAGE ARTS (GRADES 4-8 AND UP)--available at Amazon. ASIN:1587365219]

As a teacher, I had serious doubts about how writing was being taught by teachers, but I felt the shortcomings were my own. Nancie Atwell courageously observed what did and didn't work in her classroom, radically changed her way of teaching as a result and then wrote about it in this book. Any teacher from 3rd and up can adapt the ideas she shares in this book to devise a writing program that encourages students to write what they care about. I've used her ideas (mixed with my own) with great success.

This book, along with Linda Rief's Seeking Diversity, are two of the landmark books for Language Arts teachers. It is an eminently readable book with helpful, practical tips. Atwell's love of students, teaching, and her sense of humor shine through

This is a great book for beginners. I am not Jewish but I accompany my husband to shul every week and I find that this book really helped me to reognize the words and to be able to follow along in the prayerbook. True, the pronunciation is only Sephard, but my husband is Ashkenaz so he just corrected the pronunciation for me and I went from there. This book, along with a good transliterated prayer book, can really help improve your comprehension of the services.

This is the first book for anybody at the very beginning of learning Hebrew. You just can't beat this classic, timeless workbook. I taught myself to read Hebrew with it, and didn't need a teacher or a class. My 6 year old just finished the book in one day, and he knew nothing about the language before I gave him this book.

Hand this book and a sharp pencil to anybody with an IQ over 3 who never heard of the Hebrew language, and they'll come back to you "reading" (sounding out) Hebrew in 2 days. It's that easy.

It's got to be the most painless way to learn a new alphabet. Grab a pen and pull up a sofa, you could breeze through this workbook while watching TV and eating pretzels. In an hour or two you'll be able to read any Hebrew word, (but, of course, you won't know what the word means, yet). The next step is to do a workbook like "Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way", another fine classic, and you're ready to impress the heck out of your new in-laws with any prayerbook.

There will never be a better, easier book for first-time introduction to the Hebrew alphabet and language.

The best part about this book was that one can really use it alone. It helps to turn the page and see the answer. They seem to have only Sephardi. I did not realise when I bought it, but luckily it helped my mother.

There is another book "Practice Drill and Review for Reading Hebrew: A Programmed Instruction Book" by Lillian W. Adler. It has more reading practices, but it is better to study with someone else.

As a Kindergarten teacher, I find this book invaluable as I plan for my readers/writers workshop. I think it would help any teacher in planning for a succesful reading and writing workshop. I even passed it around my school, and both new and seasoned teachers found it both practical and relevant. It is truly a "Comprehensive" resource!

This book has strategies and ideas for K-2, but can also be implemented in the 3-5 classroom. Very easy to read and understand. Antoinette has really outdone herself!

I have always been a successful teacher in the sense that my 1st graders always leave me reading fluently and working on grade level across the subjects. Yet, I personally never felt as if I knew where I was going from day to day. I would work very hard on my lesson plans for the upcoming week to turn in to my principal. Then I would wake up each day wondering what I was going to specifically teach and do with my students. So somehow I would figure something out each morning, stressed to the max. Sure, I knew my overall goal, but this book helped me to get it all planned out. Now, I can tell anyone what my class will be working on today, two weeks from today, or any given month of the school year. This summer I have only spent one week on my plans and I have my year and all the months for reading and writing planned. Now I've just got to use that information to plan my weeks. I have never felt so prepared for teaching as I do now. I feel like I have a goal and a specific plan of action to lead me to it. This is a "Must Have" for anyone as unorganized and unfocused as I was.

I completely agree with the other reviewers here. I am a relatively inexperienced guitarist. I really wanted to learn to play Simple Man. I have looked through on line tabs until I was blue. After I received this book I was up and playing the intro in 2 days. The TABs are very, very complete and include the cords they are playing out of to help you get their even faster. I'll never part with my copy of this book. It is a must have for anyone wanting to really play Skynyrd accurately. I highly recommend this book.

This is the ultimate collection for anyone who plays guitar. You should be ashamed of yourself if you do not have this book, or any other Lynyrd Skynyrd book. This book is like my Bible. The only thing it's missing is "That Smell," which is possibly the greated song for guitar ever written. But it does have "Free Bird." Anyone who plays guitar should know the solo from "Free Bird," even if it is too hard for you to play. 4 and a half minutes of just kick-[behind] guitar solos. Some other highlights of the book are "Sweet Home Alabama," "Tuesday's Gone," "Gimme Three Steps," and "What's Your name?" But all the songs in the book are incredible. I wasn't a real Lynyrd Skynyrd fan before I bought this book and learned all the solos and riffs, and now I respect them more than ever. You need this book. Don't be caught without it.

I agree with the above. For any classic player this is a must. It's second only to the Eagles Anthology that has EVERY song ever done by the group. I am still wishing it had That Smell as well, but it gives you even ghost notes you dont hear on the tracks. Piano, GTR1, GTR2, 2 GTR as 1. The book does it all. Now I can play the Free BirD Solo the way it was meant to be played, not to mention simple man, and gimmie three steps. Hands down the best Skynyrd book to by. Check out 3 Doors Down they are gettin gback to the classic rock sound also, and even do a cover of that smell on a live album. 5 out of 5 on this one! A++!

This book has been a huge help in making my shared reading more engaging. As a first year kindergarten teacher, I wasn't sure what to do with the book after Tuesday. This book has given so many opportunities to engage my children. It was recommended to me by my literacy coach. I'm so glad I bought it.

As a reading specialist, I am always looking for new ways to address balanced literacy. Brenda Parkes writes this easy to follow book for teachers in grades K-3 to help them understand the foundations of shared reading and incorporating it into their classrooms. The reference guide in the back of the book is great! It presents lists of both narrative and nonfiction books along with strategies and skills that can be taught with that title. This book is a must for any primary classroom attempting to incorporate balanced literacy.

Brenda Parkes pushes our thinking about the practice of shared reading. Using poetry, traditional tales, contemporary fiction and non-fiction texts are just the beginning to a language-rich classroom supporting young readers and writers. Do you ever find yourself stuck in the 5 day cycle of shared reading? You have to read Chapter 4 to learn about the "3 text model." Brenda's questioning is brilliant as she gently guides children as they become strategic readers. She also guides us as we become strategic teachers! The "Author's Perspective" pages support our understanding of how her big books were developed. This is a must have resource. You will change your thinking about shared reading - guaranteed!

Dr. Davis approaches this text employing an organized and proficient methodology to communicate large amounts of data in an efficient way. If you are planning on taking the praxis test, this book is an absolute necessity. She has several years of teaching expertise, and is evident in this book.

I have the privilege of experiencing Dr. Davis' expertise in teaching reading firsthand. I am currently enrolled in her course entitled Teaching Reading where we use her text, Reading Instruction Essentials. Not only is this text easy to read due to clearly deliniated chapters and its straightforward tone, but it is also a resource educators will use again and again. Much of the information included in this book covers the skills and knowledge needed for those taking the Praxis II.
Dr. Davis' book covers the whole language and the phonics approach as well as the four stages of emergent literacy. She delves into writing in the classroom, reading comprehension, how to accommodate individual differences and even measurement, statistics and evaluation.
I would heartily reccommend this book to everyone in the educational field, especially those in the fields of early childhood and elementary. This is a resource no teacher of reading should be without.

This textbook, which released a second edition in 1999, is a well-organized and thorough introduction to the subject of the teaching of reading. Drawing from important people in the history of literacy, the book covers different methods, stages, and approaches to reading in a most readable and logical format. Included are practice exercises, bibliographies, biographies, a glossary and much more for the teacher in training. A wonderful college reference book!

I have been collecting postcards or greeting cards that had images of women reading to be pictures of heaven on earth. This book is a treasure chest. I had no idea what a common or frequent topic for art it is. The reproductions are crisp and the colors are beautiful. I highly recommend it for any woman who considers any moments lost in a book to be the loveliest way to enjoy life.

If you're a reading woman, then you'll love this book. It combines 2 of my favorite past-times, reading and art appreciation, in a wonderful, unique way. Not only is there fantastic art, past and present, for you to enjoy looking at, but there is also an interesting commentary accompanying each painting, drawing, or photograph. These commentaries help you understand and fully appreciate the artwork on many different levels. There are discussions about different eras depicted through art, the role of women throughout the times, and analysis of symbols in the paintings to give you a well-rounded view of woman's place in society as represented through art. If these commentaries were not present, you could still enjoy the outstanding pictures in this book, but the commentaries are really fascinating and add tremendous value to your appreciation. And don't miss reading the introductory pages-- there's so much information there that is enjoyable. One of my favorites is a photo of Marilyn Monroe, in halter top and shorts, intently reading James Joyce. A great coffee table art book, but so much more, because you can also read it.

Featuring 200 beautiful color images of artwork from the Middle Ages to the present, Reading Women is a celebration of women's love of books as depicted in paintings and drawings. Each eye-catching illustration has a facing page offering a brief history of the art, and a smattering of critical interpretation by editor, educator, and author Stefan Bollman. A forward by award-winning author Karen Joy Fowler is the perfect final touch to this masterpiece collection, making Reading Women highly recommended for personal and community library artbook collections.

item arrived as promised, before last shipping date and exactly in condition promised

This is a the great second sight reading book of a 2 book series. I highly recomend as you learn musicality whilst learning to sight read. You learn the different playing positions.

I teach classical guitar and have found this book to be one of those "rare jewels" I sometimes am fortunate to come upon. This has to be one of the best books for understanding how to read classical guitar music notation, learning how to play up the neck in higher positions, phrasing, familiar and less frequently used tempo terms such as "Placidamente" (peacefully), and "Giocoso" (playfully). It also contains some excellent rhythm exercises and much, much more. It does not begin at the beginner's level but starts off on the very first page with intervals of a tenth, chord reading, and rhythmic reading in two voices. Every page is absolutely loaded with useful information and exercises that will make you slow down and really think about what you are doing and why. I cannot say enough good things about this book and it holds a very cherished place among my many other music books. I use it frequently to the point that many of the pages are now a bit worn-looking, but if you want to really become not just a good guitarist, but a great one, this book will definitely help you advance to those higher levels of musicality most guitarists never go.