Karen K. Wixson

Marjorie Y. Lipson

Focusing on ability/disability and reading/writing from an interactive perspective, this text emphasizes the importance of determining and establishing the appropriate learning environment for the individual learner. Extensive, in-depth treatment of current research and best practices make this text a 'must-have' addition to any current or future teacher's library. Section I (Chs. 1-3) provides the readers with a strong, comprehensive knowledge of reading/writing research and assessment practices from which readers can move forward to the second and third sections of the text (Chs. 4-10), which contain detailed discussions and examples of assessment practices. Traditional assessments of students are fully explored, and two chapters are devoted to assessing context factors like instructional methods and materials and tasks. Both classroom-based and standardized assessments are described. Section IV stands alone as an important chapter linking assessment to instruction by means of diagnostic instruction. Section V (Ch. 12-15) is devoted to instructional practices designed to improve reading and writing instruction for struggling students. Chapters on word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension-composition, and "high-utility strategies" address the major components of literacy development. In the final section (Ch. 16), issues related to professional standards and written reports is addressed.

An Interactive Approach

Assessment and Instruction of Reading and Writing Difficulty

Focusing on reading and writing ability/disability from an interactive perspective, this text emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing learner’s difficulties in relation to the instructional context. Extensive, in-depth treatment of current research and best practices make this text a 'must-have' addition to any current or future teacher's library. Section I (Chs. 1-3) provides readers with a strong, comprehensive knowledge of reading/writing research and an introduction to an assessment-instruction process that is described in-depth in the second, third, and fourth sections of the text. Section two considers the foundations of literacy with a strong emphasis on language development along with detailed information on evaluating the instructional context. Section three focuses on procedures for evaluating the learner, including both classroom-based and standardized assessments. Section four stands alone as an important chapter examining the relationship between the instructional context and learner’s strengths and weaknesses by means of diagnostic teaching. Section five is devoted to instructional practices designed to improve reading and writing instruction for struggling students. Chapters on word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension-composition, and “high-utility strategies” address the major components of literacy development. In the final section (Ch. 16), issues related to professional standards and written reports are addressed.

Marjorie Y. Lipson

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