Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students, Loose-Leaf Version

by Thomas G. Gunning

The Eighth Edition of this authoritative, best-selling resource from distinguished author Tom Gunning gives aspiring and practicing teachers the help they need to become highly effective teachers--so that their students become proficient readers and writers well on their way to preparing for college and careers. Drawing on landmark research that focuses on highly effective practices, such as setting goals, monitoring progress, and teaching strategies, Gunning's "Teaching Literacy Strategies for All Students" is packed with step-by-step guidance for teaching reading and writing, including 30 sample lessons that cover virtually every major literacy skill and strategy, incorporating the key elements of effective assessment and instruction. The book emphasizes how to adapt instruction for struggling readers and writers, English language learners, and special needs students; stresses effective steps teachers can use to implement Response to Intervention; and familiarizes teachers with the reading and writing requirements stemming from the widely-adopted Common Core State Standards.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction

624 pages, Unbound

First published July 1, 1999

Reviews

[Julia S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty much all of the advice on early reading instruction in this book is worthless. The author has a very poor understanding of what good phonics-based reading instruction entails.

Instead, I'd suggest "Why Our Children Can't Read" by Diane McGuinness, or "Early Reading Instruction" also by Diane McGuinness.

[Molly]

i found this to be an easy, informative read for a class for my masters, if at times almost too broad for its own good - it spent a single chapter on something that had been a whole course for me, so there were some sections i felt the urge to skim. but lots of great good ideas to try so a net-win overall!

[Heather R · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was more a list of ideas of things to do in a classroom. I don’t feel like I can teach reading and writing any better now after finishing the book. I am glad it’s a rental.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was informative and useful. It has a wide breadth of beginning information and is probably most useful for those studying to become teachers instead of experienced teachers. Chapter titles are: the nature of literacy; teaching all students; assessing for learning; fostering emergent/early literacy; teaching phonics, high-frequency words, and syllabic analysis; building vocabulary; comprehension: theory and strategies; comprehension: text structures and teaching procedures; reading and writing in the content areas and study skills; reading literature; approaches to teaching reading; writing and reading; creating and managing a literacy program.

This book is geared towards elementary teaching, and I felt it was especially focused on the earlier elementary grades. However, this provided a solid foundation for understanding just how we learn to read, and come to understand what reading even is. I appreciated the insights into assisting English Language Learners.

Each chapter begins with an "anticipation guide" with a set of questions to get the reader thinking. There are helping "FYI" sections that highlight main points and tips. Key vocabulary words are bolded within the text and re-emphasized in their own boxes. There are lists, steps, and examples. I felt the text was too didactic and detailed at times, but perhaps I just need time to use what I learned in a hands-on way. Overall, it is a quality text.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I teach high school English and am pursuing a graduate degree to become a Reading Specialist. I'm committed to staying in the classroom, as administrative roles don't interest me. Instead, I am using the skills learned from my courses to enhance my teaching, and my reviews of these coursework texts will assess their effectiveness in that goal. I found this book to be an invaluable guide that deepened my knowledge and provided practical strategies for supporting diverse learners in the classroom. Gunning covers various topics, from foundational concepts in literacy development to evidence-based strategies for teaching reading and writing across different grade levels and content areas. Each chapter has research-based insights and practical examples, making complex concepts accessible and applicable to real-world classroom settings. I am confident that the insights and strategies I have gained from this book will make me a more effective and impactful teacher. My only criticism is that it leans heavily on younger grades.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for learning about how to teach comprehension to students. The book focuses extensively on strategies and does it in a way that is very relevant and implementable for urban classrooms. I didn't read the whole thing -- probably about half the chapters -- but I will definitely keep it and refer to it in the future because it is an excellent resource.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good resource for an overview of literacy and instruction methods. I recommend this text to first-year and aspiring teachers.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Used in my Intermediate Language Arts Methods course at the University Center. Disappointed - had more about beginning reading than intermediate!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for a class I am taking. It was very information and had a lot of great ideas.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only text book I actually enjoyed reading. Professors take note!!