Advancing Reading Achievement: Becoming Effective Teachers of Reading through Collective Study.

This book is intended to provide the content and structure for a group study of reading and instructional practices that advance reading achievement. The book includes concise summaries of research that reflect sound practices in reading instruction and the most current understanding of the process of reading. It pulls together much of what has been learned in recent years about reading and the teaching of reading. In the book, teachers engage in discussions about this content--the best way to gain the most from it is to join together and organize joint study of the research findings and plan and conduct "experiments" to try out useful ideas. Activities in the book for collectively studying reading are designed to build a professional culture of collaboration among those who participate in the study. The book finds this "professional learning community" highly beneficial in implementing new practices and developing the school's capacity to become self-diagnosing and self-renewing. The dual purposes of the book are: to make the best available research on effective reading instruction accessible to teachers and administrators; and to guide and support teachers and administrators as they form a professional learning community through the study and application of effective reading instruction. Includes a glossary of relevant terms. An Appendix contains: Recommended Study-Team Session Structure; Discussion Questions; Follow-Up and Collective Action Activities; Designing Action Research Projects; Refining Lessons through Reteaching: The Plan-Teach-Revise Reteach Cycle; Analysis of Reciprocal Teaching Script; and Assigning Action Responsibilities. Contains an extensive, focused bibliography. (NKA)