Assessment and Instruction of Reading and Writing Difficulties: An Interactive Approach

One of the most respected and well-known texts in the field, now in its fourth edition, Assessment & Instruction of Reading and Writing Difficulties continues to focus on reading and writing ability/disability from an interactive perspective, while still emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing learner’s difficulties in relation to the instructional context.

Extensive, in-depth, and up-to-date treatment of current research and best practices make this text a 'must-have' addition to any teacher's library. The first section provides readers with a strong, comprehensive knowledge of reading/writing research and an introduction to an assessment-instruction process that is thoroughly examined in the second, third, and fourth sections of the text. In addition, chapters on word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension-composition, and “high-utility strategies” address the major components of literacy development.

What’s new in the fourth edition?

• Detailed focus on assessment for an interactive approach to evaluating reading and writing difficulties
• Increased attention is given to legislative changes and recent mandates, including Response to Intervention (RTI) (Chapters 1-6)
• A new case study in Chapter 3 examines the problems a struggling adolescent reader encounters and the process for that student
• A new case study of an English language learner is woven throughout the text highlighting assessment-instruction challenges related to vocabulary, prior knowledge, and comprehension
• Substantial emphasis on language and literacy connections including phonological and orthographic aspects of reading and writing (both decoding and spelling) (Chapter 7)
• Considerable attention is given to vocabulary, comprehension and composing, as well as decoding and fluency (Chapter 8).
• Major ideas related to the Response to Intervention (RTI) are linked to the classroom (Chapter 11)

Assessment & Instruction of Reading and Writing Difficulties Continues to Earn Praise:

“This text balances both reading and writing in terms of instruction. It provides a wealth of examples of various checklists, assessment rubrics, etc. It places emphasis on writing, which often is not found in other texts.”

-Priscilla Manarino-Leggett, Fayetteville State University

“I like how this text outlines a theoretical framework for teaching reading and then uses the structure of The Assessment Instruction Process as the frame for the rest of the book.”

-David Gordon, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

“Overall I believe this is a very valuable and worthwhile text for my students!”

-Suzanne M. Rose, Slippery Rock University

“The content of this text is definitely a strength; the authors’ emphasis on the context of instruction and the strong literacy relationship between writing and reading is well-founded and philosophically the theory I hope my students will embrace as future educators.”

-Meredith Bird Miller, New England College

“This text is quite comprehensive and I know that I could pull it out and use it for a reference for just about any issue that I need to look up quickly.”

-Anne M. Slanina, PhD., Slippery Rock University