teacher looking for book

There is not just “one” book, just as you probably know there isn’t just “one” method of teaching reading that works for every student. That said, though, I’ll suggest a few that would certainly get you started. The first one I bought many years ago and still recommend is called Recipe for Reading by Nina Traub (available from Educators Publishing Service). Another one I’d get is Reading Reflex by Carmen McGuinness, and Straight Talk about Reading by Susan Hall and Louisa Moats. They also have a new book for parents titled Parenting a Struggling Reader. If you want to understand learning disabilities and the types of differing brains that people have, also read Mel Levine’s new book, called A Mind At a Time. Educators Publishing Service publishes some great materials to work with LD students particularly in reading and spelling, and they will send you samplers of many of their materials. Reading Reflex (the program is called the Phono-Graphix Method) also publishes good material to go with their methods. Also I would suggest reading the articles in the LDonline section titled “ld in depth—reading”, particularly the summary of the National Reading Panel and the article titled something like—”30 years of Reading Research—the State of the Art”. There are lots of free articles once you begin connecting to the websites. There is also a new one called www.teachingld.org that will be an excellent resource for us teachers! This is lengthy but I hope it helps get you started. Good luck in your new job! Sincerely, Ann

I agree with Ann.

I really, really hope you’re not looking for THE ANSWER. Too many people “find” it - which is too bad for the students it’s not an answer for. It feels good - but if that’s what’simportant to you, you’re in the wrong field :)

No, I am not looking for the answer! What I meant was I am not familiar with learning disabilities and need to find a resource that will give me an overview (including additional resources) of what I am seeing in my students. For example, why do I have students who can read the longest words but constantly make substitutions for sight words, or students that always, always, start from the end of the story when doing a retelling, or students that just can’t get those phonics worksheets correct in their classroom but can sound out anything in context for me????? Maybe I just need a college textbook or something to get me going. I certainly do not think that there is ‘an answer’ which is the same for all students. However, I need some direction to begin finding an answer for each one of my students. I have been a teacher for 10 years and am definitely in it for the long run, so, no, I do not intend on changing professions. I had this question because I want to do a better job for each of my individual students not because I am a lazy teacher looking for ‘the answer’!

Okay :) Can you tell you’ve touched on a sore point there?

Off from Soapbox… my “THE BOOK” to start with would be Educational Care by Mel Levine, though that’s without having read his most recent “One Mind at a Time” book. I have a feeling you’ll look it over and say “yes! this is it!” — because he basically describes situations like you do and then offers suggestions for what’s behind them and what you can do about it. HEavy on practial thinking, light on jargon and labels. COllege texts for me never really had teh stuff you actually *used* in a classroom.
Check out http://www.allkindsofminds.org/ — he’s got lots of articles up there.

You’ll probably end up like lots of us… a library full of books :-)

Hi Sue,
I have both of Mel Levine’s books—his new one A Mind at a Time is similar to Educational Care, but easier to understand. When I first read Ed. Care, it mindboggled me. His way of looking at student with learning disabilities was different than I had been taught to think about them. It has certainly influenced me a great deal and I refer back to it often. He is so incredible, I constantly wish I could retain everything in his books! That said, I am enjoying A Mind at a Time very much. For a first time teacher of LD students, this would be the better book to start with. The recent documentary on PBS called Misunderstood Minds is available for $19 and also is an excellent introduction to LD.
Got to go but looking forward to conversations with all you guys this summer now that I have a bit more time.
Ann

They will send out lots of FREE stuff to teachers to help children with learning deficits.

I agree that the Mel Levine books are the right place to start. There’s also a series of audiotapes he published - one hour conversations with the leading experts in the field of childhood learning issues. All the various major issues are discussed in this series of 12 tapes. Once you’ve listened to those tapes and read the Levine books, you’ll have a great handle on the issues.

Another book, which I recommend highly, is Sally Smith’s No Easy Answers: The Learning-Disabled Child at Home and at School. It is an excellent book and VERY reader-friendly!

Thank You…..
I have read all of your messages. I am a reading tutor. We use a program called Early Steps. It is a great program. But I have decided to go back to school and specialize in teaching reading. Thanks for the list of books to get my library started. I will keep an eye on the message board to see if you all have new suggestions.
thanks again,
Julie