Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessons for Middle and High School

Rating:
Summary: a MUST for all teachers!
Review: As a middle school Reading teacher for 14 years, I have been exposed to more theories than I can count on how to get kids to read and improve their skills. In the last few years, the focus has been on specific reading strategies--teaching them to students to help them improve their comprehension.

I see now that a major piece of the puzzle has been missing. We are so focused on teaching kids HOW to read that we have forgotten to teach them WHY they should read. Those of us who are good readers do not need any such convincing. Increasingly more students, however, do not see any value in reading and therefore do not do it, or do not do it well.

Gallagher's book outlines nine reasons WHY students need to read and read well. They are set up in the format of mini-lessons to teach directly to students. The lessons are simple and would appeal to most students. Throughout the book there is great insight, and there is also a lot of great advice for setting up a true reading-inspiring classroom.

I have shelves full of reference books on reading. This is the one I will go back to again and again.