An important goal in every first-grade classroom is to get children reading--but how? This book examines current research on first-grade literacy instruction, and shows how it translates into what good teachers really do in the classroom. The authors, premier early literacy scholars and educators, describe several studies of effective beginning reading instruction conducted across the country. They then take readers directly into the classrooms of five highly successful teachers, exploring the reading, writing, and classroom management techniques these practitioners use to boost student engagement and achievement. The book provides readers with a vivid picture of the complexities of successful teaching. In particular, it demonstrates ways that teachers can blend elements of both holistic and skills approaches to provide rich and enjoyable learning environments for young readers.

Michael Pressley, PhD, Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, has received major research awards for his work on reading instruction from the International Reading Association and the American Educational Research Association. He is the current editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology and the former editor of the Journal of Reading Behavior. He has previously taught at the State University of New York at Albany, the University of Maryland at College Park, the University of Western Ontario, and California State University at Fullerton.