Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum (7th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Still the best reading methods book around
Review: I am using this book as one of the texts in a secondary methods class I am teaching to preservice teachers. While so many of the texts we encounter in these types of classes are rather simplistic, contrived "recipe books," this book is truly a breath of fresh air. It is well organized, and it covers literacy instruction very effectively. Good, practical strategies are provided to assist the teacher as lessons are developed and presented. The theoretical bases upon which the strategies are based are evident, so that the teacher isn't just presented with a handful of activities which don't really lead anywhere. I particularly like the graphic representations which preview the material covered in each chapter. These provide a great overview and a sense of organization.

As I present material on how one goes about selecting a good textbook, I use this book as an example of a text which is well prepared and very user friendly. The organizational structure of the book is excellent, from the front material through the appendices, bibliography and indices.

My only complaint about the book is its price. But the way text prices are going lately, maybe it's not too far out of line. Seventy four dollars just seems like a lot of money for 550 pages.

I highly recommend this text to anyone who needs to incorporate literacy instruction into a content area classroom. It is very practical yet has a solid theoretical base. It will be an excellent resource for the thoughtful practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Teaching Methods Text
Review: I am using this book as one of the texts in a secondary methods class I am teaching to preservice teachers. While so many of the texts we encounter in these types of classes are rather simplistic, contrived "recipe books," this book is truly a breath of fresh air. It is well organized, and it covers literacy instruction very effectively. Good, practical strategies are provided to assist the teacher as lessons are developed and presented. The theoretical bases upon which the strategies are based are evident, so that the teacher isn't just presented with a handful of activities which don't really lead anywhere. I particularly like the graphic representations which preview the material covered in each chapter. These provide a great overview and a sense of organization.

As I present material on how one goes about selecting a good textbook, I use this book as an example of a text which is well prepared and very user friendly. The organizational structure of the book is excellent, from the front material through the appendices, bibliography and indices.

My only complaint about the book is its price. But the way text prices are going lately, maybe it's not too far out of line. Seventy four dollars just seems like a lot of money for 550 pages.

I highly recommend this text to anyone who needs to incorporate literacy instruction into a content area classroom. It is very practical yet has a solid theoretical base. It will be an excellent resource for the thoughtful practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: "One Source for Survival in the Classroom"
Review: One teacher that reviewed this book said that this book was the "one source for survival in the classroom." After reading this book, you will see why. The Vaccas have put together a text that is a goldmine of methods and strategies that are immediately applicable in the classroom.

One of my professors made a comment to our Content Literacy class that "one of the salient points about content area literacy and students is that we assume that because a student can read, we automatically take for granted that her interaction with the text will be a fruitful one. But as many of you know, this is frequently not the case. Especially with ESL students,students from other than white, middle class, suburban backgrounds, and students with exceptionalities. This is where content area literacy methodology comes into play, and as a teacher, you play a crucial role in helping students interact with their texts in a way that helps the student make meaning. Interaction with the printed word is at the very heart of literacy."

This text contains a wealth of practical activities and strategies designed to foster content area literacy by assisting the teacher in scaffolding instruction so that all students can become knowledgable and profficient in developing their own learning strategies.

Although the book is a little "pricey," in the end it is well worth the investment, because it is just that, an investment. I have a rich resource that I can utilize many times over, which will be a source of support and instruction for many years to come.

Rating:
Summary: "One Source for Survival in the Classroom"
Review: One teacher that reviewed this book said that this book was the "one source for survival in the classroom." After reading this book, you will see why. The Vaccas have put together a text that is a goldmine of methods and strategies that are immediately applicable in the classroom.

One of my professors made a comment to our Content Literacy class that "one of the salient points about content area literacy and students is that we assume that because a student can read, we automatically take for granted that her interaction with the text will be a fruitful one. But as many of you know, this is frequently not the case. Especially with ESL students,students from other than white, middle class, suburban backgrounds, and students with exceptionalities. This is where content area literacy methodology comes into play, and as a teacher, you play a crucial role in helping students interact with their texts in a way that helps the student make meaning. Interaction with the printed word is at the very heart of literacy."

This text contains a wealth of practical activities and strategies designed to foster content area literacy by assisting the teacher in scaffolding instruction so that all students can become knowledgable and profficient in developing their own learning strategies.

Although the book is a little "pricey," in the end it is well worth the investment, because it is just that, an investment. I have a rich resource that I can utilize many times over, which will be a source of support and instruction for many years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Still the best reading methods book around
Review: This book by Vacca is still the best of the content-area reading books on the market. Unlike many of the others out there, this one shows splendid visual representations and step-by-step approaches to a variety of reading strategies for secondary teachers. Save yourself time. Give this one a try.

Rating:
Summary: Not for a Primary Teacher
Review: This book has great info., but as a primary teacher I found the material hard to relate.