391 USING BASAL READERS From Dutiful Fidelity to Intelligent Decision Making
Peter Dewitz ■ Jennifer Jones
Educational trends come and go. In the current high-stakes climate, schools often require teachers to use “research-based” materials. Do the solutions to our educational problems lie in foolproof materials or insightful teachers?
third-grade teacher for nine years, Ms. to meet the CCSS and create an exciting literate Harriet Alvarez (pseudonym) has seen environment. How will she apply what she knows many instructional trends and programs about best practice to the basal program to maximize come and go, but basal reading programs her students’ learning? haveA been a constant throughout the years. Now in the Ms. Alvarez is a real teacher who for years current high-stakes environment, her school system has crafted a successful literacy program. She has purchased a new core program and mandated understands how basal programs work, she knows that all teachers use it. After all, it is “research based.” the needs of her students, and she sets explicit For the first time in her teaching career, the basal goals that are informed by the CCSS. In this article, reader is no longer a teaching tool; it is “the program.” we share the decisions she makes and how her Her district has also embraced the new Common professional judgment and responsibility guide her Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors use of these programs. We believe her experience is Association Center for Best Practices & Council of instructive for all teachers. Chief State School Officers, 2010) and she must employ The structure of a basal program—its units, the new reading program to meet these standards. materials, and lesson plans—can guide the After studying the new basal program, Ms. thinking of novice teachers, but as a teacher grows Alvarez knows that she is fortunate to be given the in knowledge and experience, she can modify and professional respect and authority to make choices augment the program to meet her students’ needs regarding the instructional use of the program. (Kersten & Pardo, 2007). Even the most experienced Teachers in other districts are required to use their professionals can find within a basal program programs with fidelity. Ms. Alvarez is knowledgeable about what research says about effective reading instruction. She also knows that it is her professional responsibility to provide the best literacy experiences Peter Dewitz is an adjunct assistant professor at Mary Baldwin College, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; e-mail [email protected]. for her students (Turner, Applegate, & Applegate, Jennifer Jones is an associate professor at Radford University, Virginia, 2009). Ms. Alvarez contemplates how she will use the USA; e-mail [email protected]. core reading program in her classroom instruction
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materials and ideas to solve some instructional problems, but it is not “The structure of basal programs does not the best set of tools for educating avid lead students to reading independence because readers or those who struggle with the basics. We discuss the eight tactics Ms. the lessons focus on unchanging routines and Alvarez employs to get the most out of her basal program. First, however, not growing expertise.” we describe what is known about core reading programs, specifically their development and research base. The most recent basal readers have From extensive interviews, we learned components addressing Response to that basal reading programs are not Research on Basal Reading Intervention, English learners, and written by a limited number of authors Programs differentiated instruction (Dewitz, Leahy, with a close eye on the research. A basal reader is a complex collection of Jones, & Sullivan, 2010). Basal readers Rather, authors, editors, graphic reading selections, support materials, follow education trends but rarely initiate designers, and marketing experts and assessments held together by a hefty new ideas—they are market driven develop these programs reflecting teacher’s edition. Seventy-four percent of (Chambliss & Calfee, 1998). market demands, teachers’ wants, and schools and teachers use a basal reader, Research on basal reading programs research findings. either following it closely or sampling has always cast doubts on their From these deliberations, editors from its many components (Education instruction and curriculum design. develop prototypical lesson plans, which Market Research, 2010). In addition to Thirty years ago, Durkin (1981) studied authors, editors, and teachers, serving as the long-standing student anthology, comprehension instruction in core focus groups, review. Once consensus is basals include small leveled readers, big programs and found that they provided achieved, the job of writing the program books, workbooks, and assessments. practice and assessment but failed is outsourced to other companies and to help the teacher provide explicit their stable of freelance writers. The instruction into the comprehension program authors may never review process. Over the next 30 years, many critical components of a program. the same flaws persisted to varying The development of a core program is Pause and Ponder degrees. Researchers noted lack of driven as much by market research as by explicit instruction (Dewitz, Jones, & reading research. ■ Think about the children in your classroom. Leahy, 2009), the lack of metacognitive How can you best communicate goals to emphasis (Miller & Blumenfeld, How Should Basals Be them? 1993), poor guided reading questions Used? ■ How can teacher-selected fiction and (McKeown, Beck, & Blake, 2009), Some educators have advocated that the nonfiction read-alouds build knowledge the failure to build prior knowledge basal should be followed with fidelity to and vocabulary in your basal reading (Dewitz et al., 2010; Walsh, 2003), and maintain the integrity of the programs program? insufficient volume of text to build (McIntyre et al., 2005). Others have fluency (Brenner & Hiebert, 2010). adopted a pick-and-choose approach, ■ How much time do your students spend in Chambliss and Calfee (1998) argued using only selected reading passages connected text within and outside the that the structure of basal programs or specific skills within the programs. basal reading program each day? How can does not lead students to reading The argument for fidelity began with you increase the amount of reading that independence because the lessons focus No Child Left Behind (No Child Left takes place within your classroom? on unchanging repetitive routines, not Behind Act of 2001, 2002, Title 1, Part growing expertise. B, § 1201) and Reading First federal ■ How often do you model the use of When we examined how basal programs requiring instruction based on comprehension strategies for your reading programs are developed, we scientific research evidence. students? Do you think aloud as you read further questioned the claim of their As basal reading programs were for them? research base (see Dewitz et al., 2010). rebranded in the early 2000s into
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“core reading programs,” independent of the program to follow. What, then, and encouraging their students beyond research agencies and state departments is the standard implementation of the the program’s script (Piasta, Connor, of education gave them a stamp of program? To what parts of the lesson Fishman, & Morrison, 2009). approval labeling them research-based plan should the teacher be faithful? Basal reading programs provide (Simmons & Kame’enui, 2003). The The schools and districts that do not teachers with a rich assortment of evidence that any program was research adhere to the concept of fidelity must text and instructional tools, saving based was determined by independent still have confidence in the program’s precious preparation time. Ms. Alvarez reviewers using a set of criteria to rate texts and the instructional activities, embraces eight tactics as she uses her components of the programs. Rarely selecting them with a critical eye. Are basal program to create a rich literary was one basal program pitted against the instructional lessons as thorough experience for her students. These eight another in a randomized experimental and explicit as they can be (Dewitz et tactics will also enhance the reading study. Publishers embraced the label of al., 2009)? Is the scope and sequence of instruction of any teacher who is using a “scientifically based reading research,” instruction in a logical order (Jitendra, core program. using it as a marketing tool. Chard, Hoppes, Renouf, & Gardill, The concept of fidelity is further 2001)? Do the leveled texts provide Modifying and Augmenting built on the idea of infallibility. If you sufficient practice with individual words Your Basal Reader use any basal program and all its or word parts (Hiebert, 2009)? Are the Set Goals and Aim High components, you and your students assessments valid and reliable? Basal programs are about instructional will not fail. Publishers argue that Logic and research suggest that routines, moving students through a one consistent pattern of instruction, following a basal program with fidelity series of texts and tasks (Chambliss & with some differentiation, will lead to is not the right path. Schools and Calfee, 1998). Basal reading programs positive outcomes for all students. Basal teachers must exercise their professional do not set explicit goals about desired programs also embrace a concept of judgment when using instructional levels of achievement, interpretative sufficiency. Marketers of basal programs materials (Pearson, 2007). They must skills, reading breadth, or enjoyment. argue that all of the tools a teacher know when to follow suggested Basal programs provide multiple needs to teach reading are contained lesson plans, delete instructional assessments for measuring students’ within the box. Yet in a Florida study activities, supplement, and modify. skills attainment, the ability to read in which teachers were compelled to Hoffman and his colleagues (1998) and answer questions on grade level use the basal with fidelity, 25 % of found that a teacher’s philosophy of passages, and one-minute fluency third graders failed to pass their state instruction influenced how she used progress checks. If a student has assessment (McGill-Franzen, Zmach, the reading program. Those with a difficulty with any of the assessments, Solic, & Zeig, 2006). strong skills focus continued in that the programs provide suggestions for Pursuing fidelity also raises vein, even when using a literature- interventions or reteaching skills. tremendous practical issues. Within based program. When Piasta and his Ms. Alvarez sets concrete and basal reading programs, there are colleagues studied teachers’ use of tangible quantitative and qualitative more instructional ideas than there is reading programs, they found that even goals that are understandable to time to implement them. For example, within the confines of a scripted reading students, parents, and administrators basal programs provide during-reading program, knowledgeable teachers made and are informed by the CCSS. questions, multiple sets of post-reading important decisions that enhanced their Quantitative goals should articulate questions, and personal response effectiveness, modeling, prompting, a level of performance either on a activities. Using all these options will exhaust the teacher and the students; selectivity is essential. Basal programs provide sidebar directions for low “Teachers must exercise their achievers, average students, gifted students, and English language learners professional judgment when using and special links to other content areas. The teacher must choose what parts instructional materials.”
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summative high stakes assessment or interpretations, and connect the text We recommend at least two read- performance on informal measures such to their lives (Applegate, Turner, & alouds per week, pairing a work of as running records or informal reading Applegate, 2010). fiction with a thematically linked inventories. So it is reasonable to state nonfiction book (Santoro, Chard, that all third-grade students can read a Use Real Children’s Literature Howard, & Baker, 2008). For example, fourth-grade passage at an instructional for Read-Alouds if your basal theme is animal families, level on the Qualitative Reading Reading aloud to children is an essential your first read-aloud might be Gail Inventory 5 (Leslie & Caldwell, 2010) by component of instruction, affording Gibbons’s nonfiction book Sea Turtles, the end of the year. teachers the opportunity to model the followed by The Tortoise and the Hare. Ms. Alvarez understands that the comprehension process, build vocabulary, Explain the differences between the assessment tools in a core program develop background knowledge, and two genres, highlighting author’s can help her assess her goals, but these whet students’ appetite for the wider purpose for teaching a lesson through tools must be considered in light of world of literature. Although all basal entertainment versus providing the other tools her district requires. programs contain read-aloud texts, information. Pairing books will build So she and her colleagues conduct an typically one per week, often these texts students’ knowledge. inventory of the available district and lack the quality necessary to engage core program assessments, selecting children in an exciting experience. Build Up Prior Knowledge those that will give them insight into Basal read-alouds are often authored A successful reader is knowledgeable, their students’ progress in decoding, by unknown or nameless writers, strategic, and motivated (Alexander & fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. preventing the class from making Jetton, 2000). Ms. Alvarez realizes that She realizes that testing can crowd out connections between the read-aloud many of her students come to school instruction as one test builds on another and other popular works of children’s without the experiences that enable (Dewitz et al., 2010). literature. more affluent children. Basal readers Qualitative goals are vital and can be Some programs provide a read-aloud place considerable emphasis on teaching expressed in three ways. First, children anthology and include excellent stories skills and strategies but neglect the should read widely and deeply, seeking such as Jan Brett’s The Mitten or Robert development of knowledge (Hirsch, out books and digital resources for McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings. 2010; Walsh, 2003). Although the several pleasure and information and sharing Unfortunately, these stories contain reading selections within a weekly what they read with others. A child only one black-and-white illustration lesson focus on the same vocabulary who can read but chooses not to has from more than 30 pages of wonderful and knowledge, this tight lesson no particular advantage over one who original art. Eliminating illustrations structure is frequently abandoned at the cannot read. Second, qualitative goals undermines interest, engagement, and unit level. can be expressed by defining the type comprehension because pictures provide Our examination of the units in of literary or informational book a child information that the text does not. core programs suggests that few should be able to read independently by Ms. Alvarez, like many teachers, build knowledge from one selection the end of the school year. A first grader uses authentic children’s literature for to another. More commonly, the should to be able to read independently read-alouds, ignoring when necessary reading selections are grouped under Else Holmelund Minarik’s Little Bear; the resources provided in the basal. vague titles, such as Relationships or Ms. Alvarez’s third graders should be She selects read-aloud texts that Natural Changes, and the knowledge a able to read independently Beverly complement the topic or theme of the student might gain from reading the Cleary’s Ramona Quimby Age 8. These lesson. She keeps issues like gender, first selection does little to help his are concrete goals, easily understandable diversity, interest, vocabulary, and comprehension of the next (Dewitz by parents and children. Third, expand length in mind when choosing books et al., 2010). In the Natural Changes these qualitative goals by describing to read, focusing on prominent authors unit, students first read a realistic the understandings and responses who have written several books. fiction piece about a boy who collects that a child should make. She wants Highlighting these books gives children words, and then they read a hybrid her students to think deeply about the information that helps them guide their information–fantasy piece about author’s message, make sophisticated personal book choices. the role of an illustrator, the life of a
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Mexican farmer, an old Japanese man Read Extensively Outside practice (Brenner & Hiebert, 2010). confronting modern life, and, finally, the Basal Text makes a difference; reading the biography of Thomas Edison. These Once these programs were called volume matters. It is well known that selections develop no common set of basals; now they are core reading good readers read more than less- knowledge. programs. Shifting the labels is critical. abled readers (Anderson, Wilson, & Basal reading programs also Basal denotes a basic, foundational tool, Fielding, 1988), and volume of reading build students’ knowledge through whereas core suggests the program is a predictor of text comprehension knowledge development lessons should be the central, most essential (Guthrie, Wigfield, Metsala, & Cox, that precede each reading selection. part of a reading program. These 1999). Of course, reading takes place We examined these lessons in three programs should be used as basals in the content areas and during other basal reading programs with a group with the understanding that additional parts of the school day. However, of third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade books and tools are necessary to equip more reading volume is warranted, teachers from both high- and low- students for literacy success. particularly from programs that purport income schools (Dewitz et al., 2010). The CCSS (2010) call for more complex to be research based. Teachers reported that the lessons texts than found in a basal anthology, Ms. Alvarez strives to move students failed to teach the concepts that nonfiction trade books and novels. Even into wider and more advanced material their students would need. Often the literacy experts of yesteryear argued as soon as possible. She uses the lessons were limited to activating the that basal readers required the use of anthology or leveled books in the basal knowledge that students already had, additional reading materials. Gates (1964, for modeling and guided practice, but but not deliberately enlarging their as cited in Smith, 1986) stated, the bulk of her students’ reading comes knowledge base. The teacher’s manual I have always believed that if one from nonfiction trade books and novels. for the story about a storyteller, Allen accepts the theory that the basal reading She chooses trade books that match the Say’s Kamishibai Man, provides one program must be used it should be themes of the units, tailored to students’ paragraph about the traditional art adjusted to individual needs and that instructional reading levels, which each child should be encouraged to of storytelling. No information is move on into wider and more advanced allows them to explore these themes in provided about Japanese culture, rural material as rapidly as possible. (p. 224) greater depth. She makes independent versus urban life, or the experiences of reading an important part of her reading the older generation coping with a new Current research on six leading program, encouraging students to modern Japan, all important themes in reading programs reveals that there read widely while monitoring their the story. is not enough text to read for students comprehension and motivation (Reutzel, Ms. Alvarez uses literature read- to become fluent, let alone avid, Jones, Fawson, & Smith, 2008). Hers alouds, guided discussions, and the readers. The average program provides is a hybrid program (Kersten & Pardo, Internet to build knowledge. When enough text so that a third grader with 2007). the students are reading the story weak oral reading fluency could read Kamishibai Man, other books—Allen everything in the program averaging Adapt the Scope and Sequences Say’s Grandfather’s Journey and Ina only fifteen minutes of reading per to Meet Students’ Needs Friedman’s How My Parents Learned day. Better readers could complete The sequence and scope of skill to Eat (illustrated by Allen Say)—help the program in less time getting less instruction in basal programs does Ms. Alvarez to build their knowledge. The Internet provides videos of rural and urban Japan and shares stories of new immigrants. Finally, Ms. Alvarez goes to the library and checks out “These programs should be used as basals an additional 20 books on Japan and with the understanding that additional books immigration. She lets students dig into these topics during their independent and tools are necessary to equip students for time, extending the lesson beyond the one-week limit of the basal. literary success.”
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not fit the needs of all students. By instruction until data suggest that should not be the case that this week sequence, we mean the order in which students are ready to move on. students are reading an excerpt from word identification, vocabulary, and Basal reading programs sequence Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn comprehension skills are taught, and by three word-learning skills: the use of Dixie and working to understand story scope we mean the depth of coverage context clues to infer word meaning, structure and then next week they given to particular skills, because skill the use of dictionaries to learn word read a biography about Dr. Martin complexity should increase over time. meanings, and knowledge of prefixes, Luther King, Jr., and work on drawing Skills are connected to individual suffixes, and word roots. It is relatively conclusions. reading selections, and it is assumed impossible to discern the rationale Ms. Alvarez uses her knowledge and by many teachers that the skills must underlying the sequencing of these professional judgment to modify the be taught along with accompanying word-learning skills, so teachers should scope and sequence of comprehension reading selections. We have come to feel free to change the sequence to meet instruction guided by the goals question the scope and sequence of the needs of their students. These skills in the CCSS (National Governors skills within basal programs, as well should be taught thoroughly and early in Association Center for Best Practices as the assumption that skills can’t be a school year. If students can gain some & Council of Chief State School divorced from their reading selections proficiency with these word-learning Officers, 2010). She teaches essential (Dewitz et al., 2010). There are strong strategies during the first months of comprehension strategies early and reasons why teachers might deviate instruction, they have the tools to build well, using them throughout the school from the basal-prescribed instructional their own word knowledge as they read year so that students develop into plan and take direction from their independently. strategic readers. Multiple research students and the CCSS. The scope and sequence of reviews point to the importance Decoding skills in almost all basal comprehension skills and strategies of predicting, summarizing, self- reading programs are sequenced in the instruction in most basal programs is questioning, making inferences, and same order, beginning with consonant overly complex, teaching too many skills comprehension monitoring (Duke, and short vowel sounds, and moving under too many different labels, lacking Pearson, Strachan, & Billman, 2011; to more complex vowel patterns. This in thoroughness, and unsupported by National Institute of Child Health invariant sequence presents many research (Dewitz et al., 2009). Several and Human Development, 2000). The teachers with a dilemma. What should programs teach making inferences, basal Ms. Alvarez uses covers many of the teacher do when the program drawing conclusions, and making the CCSS, whereas some skills in the moves inevitably to long vowels, but generalizations as the same mental basal program can be ignored. Fact and some students are still struggling to strategy but with three different labels. opinion and persuasion, skills in the master short vowels? Evidence suggests This is confusing to students and third-grade program, are not explicitly that short vowel patterns need to teachers. listed in the CCSS, whereas the use of be mastered before students can be Some programs break related text features for reading information successful with long vowel patterns skills apart, separating main ideas must be taught, even though they are (Invernizzi & Hayes, 2004). We believe from details, or story structure from neglected in the basal. that it is the teacher’s responsibility characters or setting. We argue these to continue to work on a phonics skills should be grouped together. Skills Be Explicit and Model Thinking skill, using differentiated small-group do not build in a logical manner. It Research has long informed us that effective strategy instruction involves a gradual release of responsibility (Duke et al., 2011), beginning with direct explanation and modeling, then “Question the scope and sequence of skills within guided practice, leading to independent application of strategies by students. basal programs and the assumption that skills The first step, direct explanation, places the primary responsibility with the can’t be divorced from their reading selection.” teacher who identifies the strategy,
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explains the underlying mental process, for novice teachers, but the programs ■ Follow the structure of the text focuses on text features, and explains neglect to ask students to model or ■ Help students make connection why the strategy is important and when think aloud. Students are asked many between ideas within the text and to use it. questions, but rarely are they directed to prior knowledge Basal reading programs lack to discuss their thinking so the teacher ■ Focus on higher order inferential the explicitness that researchers can guide and develop it. When questions recommend. In our examination of students think aloud, they develop some ■ basal reading programs (Dewitz et al., insight into their own comprehension Help students think 2009), using the criteria suggested by processes. metacognitively (e.g., What Duffy (Duffy et al., 1986), teacher’s question might we ask? Would manuals earned a strong rating in Enhance Guided Practice summarizing help us understand providing teachers with explicit Guided practice occurs when the the story?) directions about the mental processes teacher shows the students how to but rarely focused on the text features comprehend a text, supporting students’ Finally, her professional (headings, signal words) required to attempts to do so. We found that in knowledge leads her to use research- implement the strategy. The basals were core programs, the most common based practices, such as reciprocal weak on the when and why of strategy instructional directive was for teachers teaching (Palincsar & Brown, 1984) instruction. It is not enough to know to ask questions, and 75 % of all or questioning the author (Beck, how to make an inference; the reader instructional moves were questioning McKeown, Sandora, & Kucan, 1996) must initiate that process when it is (Dewitz et al., 2009). Conversely, if she believes that her students might necessary. teachers were directed to model and benefit from focusing on metacognition Ms. Alvarez modifies the basal guide the comprehension process less or unlocking the meaning of a lessons, increasing the explicitness of than 10 % of the time in almost all basal particularly difficult passage. the comprehension and vocabulary programs. To make the problem worse, lessons. For example, she grounds many of the questions in the teacher’s Differentiate Instruction this work on determining main ideas manual do not focus on the meaning Basal programs approach in science or history topics, providing of the text, but sidetrack students into differentiation in a tentative manner. the purpose and motivation students thinking about decoding, structural They provide options to reteach skills need. She explains how to determine analysis, and even the mechanics of to students who did not demonstrate the main idea by leading her students writing (McKeown, Beck, & Blake, mastery on criterion referenced through a process that has them note 2009). Often the questions do not follow tests. They have leveled books and the title, headings, and bolded words the story’s structure. workbooks for students reading on, and search for topic sentences. She Ms. Alvarez works to adjust the above, and below grade level. The thinks aloud about how these text guided reading suggestions found in current versions of basal programs features would help one formulate a her core program. First, she considers provide small-group lessons for main idea. Ms. Alvarez explains why what big insights or interpretations these students, but the amount discovering the main idea is useful for students should construct from their of differentiation varies from one their study of history, providing the reading. She anticipates comprehension program to another. Some programs reader with motivation and purpose problems students may encounter with attempt to anticipate the needs of for the strategy. She explains when reading selections, identifying issues students, providing more phonics and determining the main idea might be such as lack of prior knowledge, the fluency for struggling readers and applied, because strategies are used to need to make connections between comprehension and vocabulary for solve text-processing problems. ideas, complex sentence structures, advanced readers. Ms. Alvarez models and thinks or vague pronoun references (Kucan, Basal programs cannot differentiate aloud often, providing more examples Hapgood, & Palincsar, 2011). She instruction because doing so would than her core program suggests. Most reviews the questions in the teacher’s require data about the performance of core programs guide teachers to model edition and uses those that do the individual students. The developers their thinking, even including scripts following: don’t know which vocabulary words
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the most knowledgeable teachers can “Basal programs cannot differentiate instruction improve instruction even in the most because doing so would require data about the scripted programs (Piasta et al., 2009). Excellent teachers must make moment- performance of individual students.” by-moment decisions to scaffold for their students. Although basal/core programs view instruction as a sequence of skills and tests, excellent teachers such as Ms. your students have learned or need novels, nonfiction trade books, and Alvarez approach instruction by asking to know, and they don’t know why time for Internet research. Finally, she the following: individual students struggle to differentiates the tasks students are ■ What is my vision for my students comprehend. They may lack prior asked to complete. Not all readers need by the end of the year? knowledge, fail to use strategies, or to complete a story map to comprehend ■ What kind of readers do I want my fail to monitor their comprehension. a narrative, nor do they need a concept students to be? It is a bit like asking a plumber to tell map to sort out the main idea and you how to fix a toilet, but not telling details of an informational passage. As ■ How will I get my students there? him what is wrong. Despite the best of the year goes by, the tasks must change Basal programs are merely one tool in intentions by publishers, differentiation with the growing proficiency of the the process. In the end, it is the teacher of instruction will always be under students. who matters most for our students. the control of the teacher exercising As the findings of Bond and Dykstra personal decision making using student Closing Thoughts (1967) in their classic First Grade data. Ms. Alvarez uses the core program Studies revealed, and as the position Ms. Alvarez differentiates four in a thoughtful manner, drawing on statement on multiple methods from aspects of instruction: time, teaching, her professional knowledge. The best the International Reading Association texts, and tasks (Allington, 2002). instruction does not result from fidelity, (1999) showcased, the teacher makes the Struggling readers need more time but “when combination of methods difference. Good teachers can out-teach in small-group guided instruction are orchestrated by a teacher who any program. As Bond and Dykstra and strong readers need less (Connor, decides what to do in light of children’s (1967) stated, “To improve reading Jakobson, Crowe, & Meadows, 2009). needs” (Duffy & Hoffman, 1999, p. 11). instruction, it is necessary to train better Good readers make more progress Ultimately the core program cannot teachers of reading rather than to expect when they are working alone or differentiate instruction; the teacher a panacea in the form of methods and with a partner on meaning-based must design it. Teachers should have materials” (p. 123). activities. A strong comprehender who children reading beyond the basal, naturally predicts, infers, and monitors moving actively into children’s literature; REFERENCES won’t require extensive explicit work to develop prior knowledge, Alexander, P.A., & Jetton, T.L. (2000). Learning from text: A multidimensional and instruction in the comprehension teaching skills, and strategies for those developmental perspective. In M.L. Kamil, process. The weaker readers need who need it; and model and guide P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research explicit instruction in decoding and comprehension more precisely. The (pp. 285–310). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. comprehension and extensive guided selection of skills and strategies should Allington, R.C. (2002). What I’ve learned instruction. be guided by students’ need and the about effective reading instruction from a decade of studying exemplary elementary Basal readers typically provide one district’s standards. classroom teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(10), anthology selection and one short Research has never shown that the 740–747. Anderson, R.C., Wilson, P.T., & Fielding, leveled text for each reader. This is not program is more important than the L.G. (1988). Growth in reading and how enough text for the struggling reader teacher. Rather, we know that good children spend their time outside school. Reading Research Quarterly, 23(3), 285–303. to become fluent, nor will a 16-page teachers mold and modify the use doi:10.1598/RRQ.23.3.2 advanced-level reader provide the of reading programs to their beliefs Applegate, M.D., Turner, J.D., & Applegate, A.J. (2010). Will the real reader please stand challenge and interest that strong (Baumann & Heubach, 1996; Hoffman up? The Reading Teacher, 63(7), 606–608. readers seek. So Ms. Alvarez provides Sailors, Duffy, & Beretvas, 2004), and doi:10.1598/RT.63.7.9
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