Summary
Contents
Subject index
Teaching IS rocket science—and you are the pilot!
Teach Reading, Not Testing reinforces what teachers already know–test preparation worksheets and drill-and-kill activities do not make children into lifelong readers. The authors' conscientious approach to reading instruction combines an insider perspective on the development of high-stakes tests with classroom experience in achieving successful reading outcomes at the elementary and secondary levels. Their research-based methodology, building on teachers' expertise about best practice, is based on five key components:
Aligning instruction to the state or national core standards; Using formative assessment; Connecting units to real-world contexts; Motivating students effectively; Holding on to best practice in literacy instruction
Included are end-of-chapter quizzes and real-life scenarios, plus a full chapter on teaching literacy with special populations. Readers will find helpful solutions for teaching children to love reading in the midst of the accountability movement, and an approach to test preparation that doesn't require teachers to sacrifice everything they already know about teaching kids to read.
Introduction
Introduction
Since the passage of No Child Left Behind legislation in 2001 (NCLB), we have worked with teams of teachers and school administrators, discussing test items, negotiating student performance level descriptors, and, ultimately, setting cut scores for accountability purposes with personnel from state departments of education. We both have also been lucky enough to work with a state department of education as it develops a comprehensive system of accountability that includes standards for teaching, learning, and classroom formative assessment.
As we go about this work, we are troubled by what the teachers in the front lines tell us about how students are being prepared for test taking in this era of accountability. Many educators report feeling compelled to abandon what they know to be the best ...
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