Teachers College Record review of: Struggling Readers Can Succeed: Targeted Solutions Based on Complex Views of Real Kids in Classrooms and Communities reviewed by Virginia Goatley & Cheryl Dozier — September 11, 2014 coverTitle: Struggling Readers Can Succeed: Targeted Solutions Based on Complex Views of Real Kids in Classrooms and Communities Author(s): Nina L. Nilsson & Sandra E. Gandy (Eds.) Publisher: Information Age Publishing, Charlotte ISBN: 1623961815, Pages: 232, Year: 2013 In Struggling Readers Can Succeed: Targeted Solutions Based on Complex Views of Real Kids in Classrooms and Communities, educators are asked to think in more complex and nuanced ways about learners who find literacy challenging. The book focuses on children who struggle with literacy and offers strategies for teachers to use in a variety of contexts. The eleven chapters present “struggling readers” through various lenses and perspectives as educators strive to close the achievement gap. Sandra Gandy frames the book by stating it is essential to “discover the strengths, assets, or possibilities that can be used to unlock the world of reading for each [learner]” (p. xxiii). This book could serve as a starting point for practitioners interested in expanding instructional practices, rather than simply implementing curriculum. CHAPTER STRUCTURES Each chapter begins with a vignette to illustrate individual learning contexts. The vignettes include examples of recognizing the impact of poverty, considering the differences between learners’ in-school and out of school literacies, understanding medical labels such as autism and dyslexia, using new literacies to engage bilingual learners, drawing on cultural differences for English Language Learners, valuing community after-school programs, and challenging pre-service teachers’ deficit views of “struggling readers.” The vignettes also invite the reader into the lives of learners of various ages; in examining the learners’ unique qualities, identities, interests, and challenges, the vignettes reveal the complexities of the individual learning situations. Chapters also include related research, recommended strategies and instructional practices, specific adaptations for learners, and lists of relevant references and resources (e.g., research reports, websites, children’s literature). While some chapters only present strategies and practices in list form, others are more fully explicated and detailed. In Chapter Eight, for example, Gandy identifies ways for teachers to ground instruction on solid research as well as make adaptations for particular needs. In Table 8.1 (p. 131), Gandy draws on more than a dozen research studies to share specific recommendations for effective instruction for English Language Learners, and the result is a useful classroom resource for practitioners. Gandy also notes that though some learners may look similar, they are still unique; curriculum may require modification to better meet learners’ needs. For a full version of this review please visit: tcrecord.org/
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 14:57:35 +0000
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