Kenneth S. Goodman

Goodman’s text bills itself as “a common-sense look at the nature of language and the science of reading,” and for the most part, this description is accurate. Using abundant examples of everyday literacy and the need to teach children to read for meaning (rather than word recognition), Goodman robustly supports his argument that children learn to read by grappling with authentic texts that matter to them. Decontextualized exercises and structured reading programs, he argues, are show more ineffective. As he states at the conclusion of the first chapter, however, this is a book about reading and comprehension—how we read, the processes involved in our efforts to construct meaning from text, and the importance of the knowledge that a reader brings to a text—and not about teaching reading.

His argument is convincing and his explanations are helpful, but halfway through the book, his deep dive into the scientific terminology of reading (despite his best efforts to keep his language simple and accessible) becomes a bit tedious. In the end, the book’s primary value lies in its illustrative examples of miscue analysis (Goodman clearly shows that making mistakes is a vital part of the process of making meaning) and its strong support of the theory that we learn to read by reading. show less

I read this book early in my teaching career, and enjoyed getting ideas from it at the time.

http://www.jacketflap.com/bookdetail.asp?bookid=0673106993

This is a reader, great for home schooling. I'd say it's about 3rd grade level. It contains these Units with these stories:UNIT A - Marvelous Machines {{The Little Red Computer by Ralph Steadman ~The Secret of the Shed by Anthony Maitland ~Way Down Deep by Mary Ann Hoberman ~Bathtubs Are for Racing}}UNIT B - In the Present, In the Past {{The Hopi Way by Mary Elting ~How Coyote Guarded the Corn by Grace Jackson Penney ~Tyee's Totem show more Pole by Terry Shannon}}UNIT C - D-O-G Spells Fun {{Ramona and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary ~The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat by Eugene Field ~A New Puppy ~Is it Realistic or Informational?}}Unit D - By Sandy Shores {{Bernadine and the Water Bucket by Aileen Olsen ~Fun with Sand by Bernice Kohn ~How to Make a Sand Painting}} show less