Reading with Writing in Mind

"Many literacy experts are familiar with Ken Macrorie's classic Writing to Be Read (3rd ed., 1986). In a twist, this book embraces the idea that writing improves when students learn to read better through close reading and critical thinking practices that go beyond mere comprehension. The authors promote inclusive teaching practices in literacy instruction through the principles of universal design for learning (UDL), a multisensory approach to teaching, and scaffolded literacy activities for special needs students. Chapters cover language arts teaching, content area reading and writing, essay writing, poetry, vocabulary, sentence structure, and the use of reading skills to edit one's own writing. Each chapter includes background information for teachers about why selected literacy practices work. All activities are preceded by learning objectives and are followed up with suggestions for assessment. Text boxes contain ideas for adjusting materials for students with special needs. The authors align reading and writing standards with Common Core. They devote a lot of material to motivating students with ""authentic writing experiences"" by allowing them to choose what to write about and how they wish to write. Recommended for preservice teachers and teachers in the field. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and practitioners. The authors of Reading with Writing in Mind have written a book that will help teachers and students understand the importance of academic literacy across all content areas. However, they don't stop by simply telling us about the importance of literacy--they show us how to achieve that goal. Reading, writing, and critical thinking are woven together and framed by instructional support tools: strategy lessons, instructional design, help for students who need extra support, and assessments. As an added bonus, the book is filled with a wide variety of texts and links to give teachers an opportunity to find ways to apply these tools in their own classrooms. The instructional strategies in this thoughtful and engaging book support the reading/writing connection and remind us that in order to become confident and competent readers and writers, students need to write frequently and think critically across the content areas. This book reminds us that building students' literacy skills can and must be done by educators in every discipline. By including many specific strategies and real classroom examples, Charron, Fenton, and Harris provide all teachers with resources needed to integrate the teaching of literacy in any content area. This text is an immensely useful and enlivening overview of techniques and tools that teachers in all content areas will find useful in doing their disciplinary work. The unique contribution of this book is the promotion of wide-awake reading in service of developing competent and reflective writers of all kinds of texts. The approach starts with the foregrounding of purpose, and is highly motivating and assistive in ways that will transform teacher practice--but even more importantly--that will transform student attitudes, engagement, and achievement. This wonderful book--rich in both ideas and practices--addresses the core problem in American education: how to set (and reach) high standards for a broad range of students. While focused on writing, this book recognizes and illuminates the essential interconnections of multiple literacies and the essential value of student diversity. Written by insightful and creative teachers, the book is not just about writing, it is a book that elevates what teaching should, and can, be."