A major flaw in this otherwise excellent book is the absence of
citations to the research the authors use to justify the importance of
their work. It is ironic that a book that deals with nonfiction lacks
the citations that a student, at any age, should know to provide when
writing a paper. Both authors have written numerous other books and
should have known better. One can only assume that the publisher
decided to forego the citations when providing the bibliography of
related books and web sites. The research is extremely persuasive, but
it would take a dedicated researcher to find the articles or books
referenced in the first three chapters.
This is one of the best buys a teacher or school librarian could
make and deserves to be on the bookshelf beside Boynton and Blevins’
other excellent book of the same title for grades 4 and up.
Pages: 160
Price: $21.99
ISBN: 0439376580
Reviewed by Rita Kohrman, Education Resources Librarian, Grand Valley
State University
Davis, Judy & Hill, Sharon. (2003).
The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing: Strategies, Structures,
and Solutions.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
This book strategically chronicles student growth in writing
through the course of a one year program. The book is easy to
understand and provides displays of student work. Davis and Hill
provide practical strategies for improving student achievement in
writing. They make it clear in the introduction that effective writing
instruction requires specific goals, detailed plans for the year, and a
clearly-defined structure and organization for the writing day (p. xx).
The first section of the book talks about “Getting a Handle on the
Essentials.” The authors begin by emphasizing the importance of
preparation. In order for a teacher to successfully guide students
through the writing process, clear goals must be established. The
writer’s tools are described as anything that supports the ongoing work
of the writer in the classroom. The notebooks, magazines, folders, and
peers all provide valuable assistance to a writer.
After providing a solid writing foundation, the authors then
emphasize ways of “Helping Students Become Writers.” The first part of
this section talks about getting students to write anything down on
paper. This task can be easily accomplished by having the students
write about familiar territory (family, photographs, literature
passages, etc.). The section finishes by describing the importance of
revision. Revision can not be emphasized enough, at any school level
(middle, secondary, postsecondary).
The final section offers suggestions for “Extending Writing
Possibilities.” Davis and Hill take the reader through three studies
(also described as genres) that involve a more in-depth awareness of
the writing process. The “Poetry Study” allows the student to examine
poetry and to discuss its impact. The “Feature Article Study” engages
the students in a more universal way of thinking about real-world
topics. The “Picture Book Study” helps the student to analyze picture
books so that they can create their own picture book (tell their own
story about an event). For each study, the authors use phases of
development to achieve student success.
During the "Poetry Study" the authors explain how the student can
achieve understanding through each phase of the study. In Phase One,
Immersion is observed when the students read many poems, share their
favorite poems with parents, and write in poetry form. During the
Inquiry and Analysis phase, students write new entries or poems in
response to their personal connection, use one side of the notebook to
imagine poems that might create a spin-off. In phase three the students
Move Beyond the Comfort Zone by gathering different anthologies that
might contain poems of a different nature than those they have been
reading, and write responses to the more challenging poems. The
Drafting and Revising phase allows students to move out of their
notebooks to draft poems, and use their poetry chart to review crafting
strategies of mentor poets. The final phase is Editing and Publishing,
here the students are self or peer editing, and deciding how to
illustrate the poems for publication.
When using the Feature Article Study, the authors offer the
following phases; Immersion, Inquiry, Developing an Idea, Drafting,
Revising and Crafting, Editing, and Publishing the Article. The
Picture Book Study uses similar phases; Immersion, Inquiry and
Analysis, Drafting/Envisioning the Structure of the Picture Book,
Revision, Studying the Art and Editing the Text, and Publishing.
In summary, the book offers many successful writing strategies
which can be used to enhance student writing. Many of the techniques
can be used for secondary, even college students taking a writing
course. The book is easy to read and versatile, so that a year-long
writing program can be developed, or users could pull certain chapters
for a customized writing curriculum. This book should be beneficial to
writing teachers everywhere.
Pages: 272
Price: $25.00
ISBN: 0-325-00521-4
Reviewed by Brenda A. Martin, Assistant Professor of Education at the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She has experience teaching at
the middle, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Her current research
interests include learning styles, minority teachers, and student
achievement.
Freeman, David E. & Freeman Yvonne S. (2004).
Essential Linguistics: What You Need to Know to Teach Reading, ESL,
Spelling, Phonics, and Grammar.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
In this text, the authors’ stated goals are: “to provide teachers
with the linguistics concepts they need to help their students become
more proficient in their use of both oral and written language” and
“to suggest ways that teachers can help their students to take a
scientific approach to learning about language to conduct linguistic
inquiry” (p. xv). They do an admirable job of meeting their second
goal; but are a little less successful with the first.
In attempting to meet their first goal, the Freemans seem to have
difficulty finding the right balance between sufficient explanation of
complex linguistic concepts to aid teacher understanding and so much
detail that the reader loses the thread of their reasoning. For
example, in the chapter entitled “Implications from Phonology for
Teaching Reading and Teaching a Second Language,” the concepts of
allophones and assimilation are introduced. What begins as a clear
example using the phrase “keep cool” gradually loses the reader in an
extended discussion of positioning the tongue for each phoneme:
We invite readers to say “Keep
cool” and to notice exactly where the tongue hits the velum in each
word. Most speakers will feel that the point of contact is farther
forward for keep that for cool. Thus, the /k/ phoneme is produced at a
slightly different place in the mouth for each instance of this
phoneme…The allophones of /k/ are the result of a general process in
language called assimilation. Phonemes assimilate to neighboring
sounds. Just as immigrants may change some habits to become more like
the people in their new country, phonemes become similar to the
phonemes next to them. In this case, the /k/ in keep is produced
farther forward in the mouth because the following vowel sound, /iy/,
is a high, front vowel. The brain sends a message to block the air at
the velum to form /k/, but even as the tongue is moving to that
position, it is preparing for the next sound in the sequence. The
tongue doesn’t go all the way back along the velum because it is
getting ready to move to the front.
In producing cool, the tongue blocks the air to form /k/ at a point
farther back in the mouth because the following vowel, /uw/, is a high,
back sound. By stopping the air farther back along the velum, the
tongue is moving closer to the position to make the /uw/ sound. Thus,
the /k/ is assimilating to the /uw/ (p. 87).
In contrast to detailed descriptions of linguistic concepts that
lead to confusion rather than clarity; others are brilliantly done. The
Freemans provide an historic overview of the English writing system,
which sets the stage for an engaging discussion of the logic underlying
the American English spelling system. Their chapter on syntax
reconfigures traditional sentence parsing into easily understood “tree
diagrams” and makes explicit the connection between syntax and
morphological word categories to assist in reading. And, their
description of Chomsky’s theory of language acquisition is clear and
concise without being overly simplistic. They pepper their description
with multiple examples that help clarify difficult concepts:
Chomsky’s idea that language
was best described by a model with both a surface level and a deep
level came from his observation that many sentences are ambiguous.
Some sentences are ambiguous because an individual word has multiple
meanings. For example, if someone says, “There’s a fork in the road,”
he might mean that the road divides or that he sees and eating utensil
on the road. Other sentences, though, are ambiguous not because of the
multiple meanings of individual words, but because the sentence has two
possible underlying structures corresponding to the two meanings. For
example, “Visiting linguists can be boring” is a surface structure that
could have come from one of two underlying or deep structures
corresponding roughly to these meanings: “ linguists who visit can be
boring” and “Visiting a linguist can be boring” (p. 12).
The major strengths of this text emerge from the authors’ focus on
their goal of suggesting ways for teachers to incorporate linguistic
inquiry to help students learn about language. The Freemans provide
extensive recommendations for books, web sites, and ideas for
interactive, investigative activities for teaching reading and ESL.
For example, in their chapter on phonics, they list a number of books
to help “beginning readers learn the names of letters and begin to
associate letters with sounds” (p. 154). These include alphabet books
that use riddles to solve for each letter, alphabet books that focus on
ocean animals, alphabet books that focus on bugs, etc. Almost every
chapter includes descriptions of authentic activities designed to
promote student interest and understanding of linguistic constructions.
One activity is a text analysis of a history or social studies text
that helps students develop an awareness of how language shapes what is
learned through identification of “thinking/feeling verbs” within the
text and analysis of how the authors used those verbs to establish a
point of view. To assist ESL students develop academic vocabulary,
they provide several activities related to the study of cognates. To
help students acquire spelling rules, they recommend a scientific
approach whereby the students collect words, categorize them, and
attempt to develop a hypothesis (spelling rule) based on their data.
The selection of resources and activities are mostly drawn from actual
lessons of teachers the Freemans have worked with or observed.
The content of this text is straight forward, with little room for
critical analysis of the concepts presented. The authors make clear
their argument for the value of linguistic knowledge for teaching
reading, grammar, spelling and ESL. Early on they set up the dichotomy
of the traditional “word recognition” method of literacy and second
language development versus the “sociopsycholinguistic” approach, which
lends itself to incorporation of linguistic concepts. These two
approaches to literacy and ESL development provide the framework for
discussions of phonology, orthography, phonics, morphology, and syntax.
Throughout there is heavy emphasis on the sociopsycholinguistic
approach as the most effective. The activities offered at the end of
each chapter focus on interaction with or reinforcement of the concepts
presented within the chapter (e.g. “Some of the differences between
British and American English spelling are listed in this chapter. Look
at books published in England and compile a more complete list of
differences” (p. 128)). There are few questions that expand the
thinking of the teachers using this as a text. Activities/questions
are aimed at answering “how specific concepts may be applied,” not
“why teachers should apply specific concepts” or “with whom recommended
approaches might be more appropriate or less appropriate.” While the
Freeman’s linguistic-based arguments for the sociopsycholinguistic
approach are compelling, the lack of critical analysis is problematic.
There is the implicit assumption that this approach is the best for all
students; yet, various studies and reports have demonstrated that some
students are better served by the word recognition (or phonics)
approach (Liberman & Liberman, 1992). Different reading approaches may
be beneficial at different stages of child development, and children
from homes where literacy is not a focus may need the more structured,
didactic word recognition approach (Delpit, 1995; Stahl & Miller,
1989).
That being said, this is a worthy text. The fact that it is a
linguistic text written precisely for teachers makes it unique. The
authors make a strong argument for the linkage of linguistic
understanding and instruction in reading and ESL, and teachers will
find the instructional activities and resources outlined in the text
very beneficial.
References
Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the
classroom. NY: New York Press
Liberman, I.Y. &, Liberman, A. M. (1992). Whole language versus code
emphasis; Underlying assumptions and their implications for reading.
In P. Gough, L. Ehri, & R. Treiman (Eds.), Reading acquisition
(pp.343-366). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
Stahl, S. A. & Miller, P. A. (1989). Whole language and language
experience approaches for beginning readers: A quantitative synthesis.
Review of Educational Research, 59, 87-116.
Pages: 263
Price: $27.00
ISBN: 0-325-22374-6
Reviewed by J. Kay Fenimore-Smith, Assistant Professor of Education,
Whitman College.
Areas of interest include: First and second language development,
multicultural education, teacher education.
Gerber, Sterling. (2003).
Responsive Therapy: A Systematic Approach to Counseling Skills.
Second edition.
Boston: Houghton
Mifflin.
One of the most challenging tasks for counselor educators is
teaching microskills. Counselors in training must have a solid
foundation in counseling microskills if they are to be successful in
practicum and internship experiences; choosing an appropriate text can
be the cornerstone of teaching counseling microskills. Some texts are
too simple while others are too complex. Many texts on counseling
skills are too ingrained in one specific theory and fail to afford
students the opportunity to explore the variety of theoretical
approaches. Still other texts fail to make a connection between
specific counseling skills and the theoretical context necessary for
effective counseling interventions.
In the second edition of his book, Responsive Therapy: A
Systematic Approach to Counseling Skills, Sterling Gerber has
created an excellent text for both the novice counselor in training and
the more experienced counselor. The text gives a clear presentation of
introductory through advanced counseling skills, organized in a
logically sequential format. Moreover, the integrationist approach
explicit in the responsive therapy model teaches the reader to use
advanced counseling skills to match a theoretically consistent
intervention with a specific client style and predicament.
Responsive Therapy is divided into two sections. The first
section is aimed at teaching the reader basic counseling skills.
Section II focuses on specific application strategies using the
responsive therapy approach. Each of these sections presents several
strengths of the text.
Section I: Learning Basic Skills
The first six chapters of Responsive Therapy comprise
Section I. Chapter one gives an overview of the responsive therapy
approach. The model is clearly explained through metaphor and
explanatory figures. The benefits of the method are made clear by
contrasting the responsive therapy model with eclecticism and
specialization in a specific theory; again, clever metaphors illuminate
the major points. The following chapters teach basic counseling skills
as utilized through different phases of the counseling process.
A predominant strength of Section I is Gerber’s introduction of the
Sequential Initiating Tracking and Enhancing (or SITE) skills. The
SITE skills are an organized and structured presentation of counseling
skills. The author spends four chapters illustrating the use of each
set of skills in their developmentally appropriate manner. The use of
analogies facilitates conceptual understanding of the skills and their
correct use within the context of the counseling process. Exercises in
the back of each of the chapters allow students to practice and refine
the set of skills in each subsequent chapter.
The SITE skills lend themselves to easy use within the setting of a
course. The sequential organization of the skills contributes to a
sound pedagogical design. Moreover, the skills build on each other as
students become more proficient, and so the text facilitates
developmentally appropriate counseling supervision.
The final chapter of Section I discusses the use of specific
counseling skills in the application of strategies for change. A
formidable strength of this chapter is the author’s discussion of the
four families of learning theory as they relate to counseling
interventions. The internal congruence model of mental health is
posited as a conceptual framework for a common goal of therapy. This
chapter then explains the perceptually based model of assessment and
acquaints the reader with the use of specific counseling skills in
response to unique client style and particular client circumstance.
Gerber groups four theory-pure methods according to their stylistic
techniques and underlying philosophies into the categories; (1)
Affective, (2) Behavioral, (3) Cognitive-Perceptual, and (4) Cognitive
Rationale/Linguistic. Each of these methods is described in greater
depth in Section II.
Section II: Application Strategies for Different Client
Circumstances and Styles
The five chapters in this section explain the responsive therapy
approach. Central to this method is the integration of unified and
theory-pure therapeutic approaches. The affective, behavioral,
cognitive-perceptual, and cognitive rational/linguistic conceptual
models are each described in greater detail in separate chapters. In
each chapter the author carefully and clearly presents the “families of
theory” (p. 174) and gives explicit theoretical interventions for the
category. Each intervention is underscored by the common learning
principles within each family. The core of each chapter, however, is
the application of theoretically appropriate interventions and
strategies within the specific categories.
For example, in Chapter 9 Gerber discusses the use of the ‘empty
chair’ technique within the cognitive perceptual model. Clients have
not engaged in talking with a person who is not present (often because
the person is deceased) and this has resulted in ‘unfinished business.’
The empty chair intervention creates an experiential frame for the
client and allows the client to gain insight, thus alleviating the
cognitive-perceptual deficit as well as processing feelings from an
affective overload. In this manner, an intervention is appropriated to
match client style and circumstance using the responsive therapy
method.
The major strength of this section is in the approach itself. In
addition to the advantage of incorporating elements of relevant
learning theory into the counseling process, the text teaches students
ways of utilizing counseling theories in a theoretically consistent
manner. The responsive therapy approach allows students to employ
effective theoretical strategies and techniques in a unique fashion.
This model allows students to avoid having to either (a) to wed
themselves to a particular theoretical orientation and not allow
themselves to draw upon different theoretical approaches that may be
particularly effective in specific situations or (b) to piece together
an eclectic approach comprised of sometimes contradictory (and
subsequently ineffective) techniques from theories with juxtaposed
theoretical/philosophical contexts. Used within the integrationist
framework, the responsive therapy approach affords the advantageous of
both choices while avoiding the drawbacks of eclecticism or theory
discipleship.
Weaknesses
Like all texts, this book has some weaknesses. While the author
does a nice job of incorporating multiple theoretical approaches into
the perceptually based assessment model and responsive therapy method,
some counseling theories are missing. Notably, Narrative Therapy and
Systems Theory are not mentioned in the text. Although such approaches
may have philosophical underpinnings that might not be directly in line
with the integrationist/responsive therapy method, it is possible to
address the potential use of these more ‘modern’ theories within the
responsive therapy framework. Interestingly the author has made
comparisons with alternate approaches previously (Gerber & Basham,
1999).
Another weakness of the text is the failure to discuss cross-
cultural implications for the responsive therapy approach. The
responsive therapy method would appear to have potential as a
culturally responsive method as a result of the consideration of client
‘style.’ Implicit in matching intervention to client circumstance and
style would be the consideration of the client “worldview” (Sue & Sue,
1999) and the cross-cultural implications therein. The author does not
address these considerations, however.
Conclusion
Despite the few, previously mentioned weaknesses, Responsive
Therapy: A Systematic Approach to Counseling Skills is a well-
written text with considerable strengths and meaningful implications
for counselor educators. As a well-organized, structured presentation
of counseling skills, the text can be incorporated into a counselor
education program in a developmentally advantageous fashion. The
progression of SITE skills into the perceptually based assessment model
and subsequently the responsive therapy approach is similar to the
application of Bloom’s taxonomy to counseling supervision (Granello,
2000). The organization of the Responsive Therapy text may very
well contribute to the cognitive processes that assist counselors in
moving from novice to expert (Etringer & Hildebrand, 1995). At the
very least, Sterling Gerber’s text is a significant contribution to the
task of teaching counseling skills and an impressive introduction to
counseling theory. As such, the text is a benefit to any counselor
educator.
References
Etringer, B. D., Hillerbrand, E. & Claiborn, C. D. (1995). The
transition from novice to expert counselor. Counselor Education and
Supervision, 35, 4-17.
Gerber, S. K. & Basham, A. (1999). Responsive therapy and motivational
interviewing: Postmodernist paradigms. Journal of Counseling and
Development, 77, 418-423.
Granello, D. H. (2000). Encouraging the cognitive development of
supervisees: Using Bloom’s taxonomy in supervision. Counselor
Education and Supervision, 40, 31-46.
Sue, Derald-Wing & Sue, David (1999). Counseling the culturally
different: Theory and practice. (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Pages: 267
Price: $47.16
ISBN: 0-618-13119-1
Reviewed by Chris Wood, Ohio State University
The author
wishes to thank Dr. Joel Levin of the University of Arizona for his
editorial assistance with this review.
LeCount, David E. (2004).
Dream Writing Assignments: 600+ Prompts for Creative Writing.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
David LeCount states that “even if creative writing cannot be
taught, I don’t doubt that under the right circumstances it can be
encouraged, valued, resurrected, and at the very least, not killed off”
(p. 4). Dream Writing Assignments serves as a resource of
writing topics and story starters most appropriate for high school
juniors and seniors, and easily adaptable for middle school students.
The book reminds me of the National Council of Teacher’s of English
publication, What Can I Write About? The prompts in the NCTE
title are organized by traditional writing formats, while LeCount’s
text focuses more on creativity and imagination than on format.
Guidelines for writing Haiku, Senryu, and Tanka are included in the
introduction along with a list of websites for further exploration of
these poetry forms. Unfortunately, some of the websites listed have
changed addresses or no longer exist. To summarize LeCount’s
introduction in Tanka format:
- Physics, calculus:
- Immediate use unclear –
- Imagination:
- Seldom valued, encouraged,
- A great humanizing problem solver.
LeCount is interested in students finding their voice as writers.
Many of his writing prompts refer to animals, often turtles. I’m sure
there is no accident there, as he is trying to draw students out of
their shell to find their own unique voices. The text is loosely
organized into broad categories: discoveries, likes, advice column,
headlines, Asian literature, advertisements, myths, and a catch-all
category named "national
defiler." The subjects cover the gamut from science, history, current
issues and political science, to religion, art, music, and language.
The book can easily be used by non-writing teachers as a means of
bringing writing into other subjects.
LeCount provides a bibliography of related works that are worth
investigating, and includes a few students’ writing samples. In the
afterward, he states, “Forms…teach obedience while imagination teaches
freedom” (p. 122). LeCount definitely sparked my curiosity, and
challenged me to dust off my writing journal. I believe that his book
will inspire writing teachers and students alike.
Pages: 128
Price: $12.00
ISBN: 0-86709-557-1
Reviewed by Kathy Irwin, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Phenix, Jo. (2002).
The Reading Teacher’s Handbook.
Markham, Ontario: Pembroke
Publishers, distributed by Stenhouse.
A book’s title can succinctly convey an author’s purpose for
writing the book. The title of this book, The Reading Teacher’s
Handbook is a misleading title for potential readers or buyers. The
book is not a handbook. It is an activity book. Furthermore, the book
is not intended for all teachers who teach reading; instead, it is
targeted for teachers who teach beginning reading across the curriculum
or for substitute teachers who need practical ideas. Teachers who
specialized in reading will not find this book particularly useful, as
they will have already been exposed to the information. Teachers
working with emergent readers will not find the activities or lists in
this book to be of value, as the book does not cover alphabetic
principles or sounding.
Chapters include:- Understanding the Reading Process
- Organizing the Reading Environment
- Preparing for
Reading
- Reading the Selection
- Developing
Comprehension
- Developing Language Skills
- Encouraging
Reluctant Readers
Reproducibles
Index
The book is a collection of ideas, strategies, and hand-on
activities for teaching beginning reading although the author falls
short of being prescriptive. However, prescriptive writing is often
what users of activity books want and need, for example, the book would
benefit from a reproducible list of recommended books by reading level
as well as a list of books by phonics features. While there is text
and some line drawing illustrations, lists predominate and deliver the
information and tips, for example, the “Reading Buddies List” (p. 26)
includes: listen to their buddy read without jumping in to correct
every time a miscue is made, read aloud, read in unison, help with
difficult works, help with book selection and library visits. The line
drawings throughout the book break up white space; however, they are
not used often enough to enrich understanding of a recommended
activity.
Chapter 5 focusing on developing comprehension is the longest
chapter. The author states, “It is important for children also to know
the kinds of thinking and response that are appropriate for each kind
of text they read. When should they accept everything they read as
truth, and when should they question the motives of the writer? When
are they at liberty to form their own viewpoints about their reading?
When should everyone agree on what is in the text, and when are
reactions likely to vary? Is there always only one correct meaning?”
(p.33) With these questions driving the chapter, Phenix outlines ways
to develop comprehension by reflecting, talking, writing as well as
using related readings, incorporating drama, and creating visuals to
make the classroom an interesting place, and give students a variety of
ways to think, talk, read, and write. The activities here are
fundamentally in agreement with reading research and the activities are
sound.
Two sections of reproducible materials are also included in the
book - one for students and one for teachers. The latter section also
incorporates materials that teachers might share with parents. It is
formatted as a list and outlines practical pointers about integrating
reading into activities “at home.” The index is minimal, but
sufficient.
I end this review by echoing the author’s reminder that the time
children spend reading in school isn't adequate to help them become
fluent readers, and that the most important goal is to encourage
children to become individuals who will choose reading as an activity.
With the consistent help of many people and a variety of resources, a
confident reader can be cultivated. My closing advice is to use this
book and other resources such as the activities featured on the
websites for Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS),
Children’s Book Council, and the University of Virginia Education
Library.
http://pals.virginia
.edu/scores/Activities/
http://www.cbcbooks
.org/html/13excotomg.html
h
ttp://www.lib.virginia.edu/education/collections/activity.htm
Pages: 80
Price: $16.50
ISBN: 1-55138-145-1
Reviewed by Kay A. Buchanan, Information Services Librarian,
University of Virginia, Education Library
Ruzzo, Karen, & Sacco, Mary Anne. (2004).
Significant Studies for Second Grade: Reading and Writing
Investigations For Children.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
In Significant Studies for Second Grade: Reading and Writing
Investigations for Children, Karen Ruzzo and Mary Anne Sacco invite
readers into their second grade classrooms to observe the recursive
nature of their planning and teaching. Two reading studies (dialogue
and non-fiction) are presented in Part 1 of the book, followed by two
writing studies (setting and content area writing) in Part 2. The
authors skillfully weave their planning processes for reading and
writing workshop with the voices of their students to create an in
depth account of a complete school year. For teachers inexperienced
with the workshop format, or longing to make the experience more
productive for their students, this book is an excellent resource.
The authors have a dual purpose in writing this book: first to
explain “thoughtful planning and explicit teaching and their effect on
student learning” (p. 1); and secondly, to tell a “story that takes
place in the classroom, bringing, through the voices of our second
graders, this planning and explicit teaching to life” (p. 1). An
unusual feature of this book is the inclusion of a new teacher’s
perspective. At the conclusion of each unit of study, a second year
teacher reflects on her time as a student teacher in Sacco’s class,
noting what she learned from her observations and participation, and
how she has adapted what she learned for her own classroom.
It would have been easy to enjoy this book primarily as a story –
to delight in what these young students had to say about what they were
learning about reading and writing, to admire their teachers’ careful
attention to their student’s needs- and to loose track of the
particulars of planning. Ruzzo and Sacco prevent this from happening
by organizing the book on two levels. First, each chapter begins with
an overview of the unit of study (each from between 5 and 7 weeks), as
well as detailed day-to-day plans for each week of the study. The
authors make frequent use of graphics and diagrams to record student
responses, and to highlight components of workshop including daily
goals/objectives, ideas for mini-lessons, student work assignments
during workshop, and opportunities for whole-group and partner sharing.
In addition, numerous photographs are included showing children at
work, examples of student work, class charts, word walls, and bulletin
boards. The authors include an extensive appendix of useful
reproducible forms for student and teacher use.
As a story, this book is a rich account of planning, teaching, and
learning in a second grade classroom. By chronicling their thought
process as they plan, the authors introduce readers to their notion of
“thoughtful planning and explicit teaching.” As an example, when
planning a unit on dialogue, the authors realized that their young
students were having difficulty identifying which characters were
speaking, resulting in poor comprehension. They explain to us:
It was clear that if we wanted our children to read
fluently and deepen their comprehension, we needed to design an
investigative study to specifically address written conversation –
dialogue. So we took it on, searching professional books for
guidance…none gave us the road map we needed to launch an in-depth
investigation. We knew this work had to come from our own experience
as teachers, so we examined texts and thought long and hard about how
writers write dialogue and how we would instruct children to read it
with greater fluency. (p. 21)
This book has many strong points. First, the authors’ ability to
reveal their thinking as they interact with their students and
collaborate with each other to make instructional decisions – a process
they call thoughtful planning and explicit teaching - is a powerful
model for pre-service and in-service teachers alike. Secondly, the
inclusion of student work samples and vignettes of student
conversations allows readers the opportunity to observe student
learning over the course of a year. Finally, Ruzzo and Sacco provide a
structured model for reading and writing workshop that could be applied
throughout the primary grades.
Pages: 248
Price: $25.00
ISBN: 0-325-00512-5
Reviewed by Whitney Donnelly, a PhD candidate at the University of
California Davis. Her interests include the effects of testing and
accountability policy on school organization; and the nature of
collaborative work arrangements among adults in school settings.
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