This popular book is based on four contemporary theories of literacy learning?constructivist, sociolinguistic, interactive, reader response?and promotes a balanced method of teaching reading. It demonstrates how to implement a literature-based reading program using skills and strategies taught with a whole-part-whole approach. Ten significant research-based principles of effective reading instruction are identified and described in the first chapter, and lay the groundwork for building an effective reading program. This potentially overwhelming volume of information on how to teach reading is organized into four, easily understood parts representing ?best practice? today?Literature Focus Units, Literature Circles, Reading and Writing Workshop, and effective ways to use commercial reading programs?Basal Readers. Coverage of each approach includes in-depth instruction on how to teach, while practices of both effective and ineffective teachers, at the end of each chapter, make useful and quick self-assessment checkpoints. For reading teachers at the elementary school level. Read Less