Kylene BeersReseñas

Simply written, a short easy read in two afternoons at the park with kids. Chapter 10 is a gem, about being willing to take risks and be a leader in developing new strategies to engage students, despite pushback from all corners. I disagree with the authors that relevance means discharging classics (see chapter 12). Dig deeper! What made them classics? What values do these old books convey that are needed today? It is arrogant to assume that there is nothing of value in the old stories. What do they tell of the human condition? Human nature? Do they illuminate a period of time when assumptions about the natural world were different than we now believe? Dig deep! You are teachers--expand and become archeologists and anthropologists and philosophers and scientists--and use both fiction and nonfiction to expand your students' understanding of history, of others, and themselves.

Simply one of the best books available on the subject: I've used its methods and prescriptions extensively in my own practice of teaching struggling high schoolers in a public school.

Another manual full of useful strategies for teaching struggling readers; Beers' name is bandied about in English teaching circles as being the authority on the subject. While some of the asides to her former student George are overly sentimental, the point is not lost that we need to take a systematic approach to improving our students' reading comprhension, at risk of leaving them unequipped with the skills necessary to function in a democracy.

4.5 stars.

“But an educated citizenry, a populace who expects and demands clear and honest discourse, may be able to reject those who would use language to mislead, inflame, or enslave.”

This professional development book is well-researched and provides lots of real classroom dialogues as the basis for its arguments. There is an underlying message that we are failing students by forcing them to read for details and monologic facts instead of opening up the conversations surrounding reading to our students. This is a pretty great book— not 5 stars because there are some repeated ideas from other current professional development books.

I've only skimmed this so far, and already I can't wait to use some of its activities when my students start reading Julius Caesar. It's really going to help out my lower-level readers, and I think it will improve my more advanced students' metacognitive skills. Hurrah!

A full course in teaching dependent readers to be independent and skillful readers. Worth close study. Clear and thorough.

This is a must read for anyone who teaches reading or language arts, or anyone who assigns reading passages for homework, or ... well in short for anyone who reads! The idea of disrupting our own thinking in order to bring about change and teaching "responsible" reading are just what we need in light of our current political and social climate. We need to teach these skills now more than ever.
Have a pencil handy so you can jot down notes and be prepared for the urge to read passages aloud to anyone that will listen!

This is my second time reading this. It's exceptionally readable, varying appropriately between conversational, anecdotal, and scholarly. It offers a great deal of research alongside personal reflection and experience. Most of the ideas presented are usable outside the prescribed 6-12 grade level demographic. Within the chapters and the appendixes are many useful worksheets, assessments, word lists, ideas, etc. A very good book.

Earlier chapters were better than later chapters, I thought. It did get repetitive, and sometimes I got tired of the theory and wanted more ideas than problems. "We all know it's challenging teaching kids to read and write, now get to the point."
Still, it got me thinking, so that's good.

I've read sections of it, but not the whole thing yet.

Summary: Many middle and high school teachers are understandably confused about what to do when confronted with a student whose reading or comprehension levels are very low. Kylene Beers lays out many different ways to not only understand the students who have low reading and/or comprehension levels, but also what to do to help them improve.

Use and appropriateness in a HS classroom (teaching material): This book is more of an invaluable resource to teachers who are baffled about what to do when they have even just one low-level reader in their classroom. Beers provides both methods and activities to encourage better reading, including reading for enjoyment, though some activities may not be appropriate for high schoolers. Most activities can be easily adapted for different reasons, including skill level or subject differences. Many of these methods and activities are even appropriate for a whole class of mixed-level students, because what helps a low-level reader is most likely going to help out a higher-level reader as well.

This text contains useful strategies that teachers of all subjects can use to help student improve their reading. It identifies the different aspects students struggle with and ways to improve their skills.

It is very useful for college students and teachers. It explains real life situations teachers encounter and the ways they can improve their curriculum to help their students excel.

Practitioners seem to love this book. No flashy new ideas here, but plenty of insights drawn from experience, and and engaging presentation of thought.

Beers offers a comprehensive set of instructional materials for MS students who may struggle with reading. Based on research in cognitive and behavioral psychology, the teaching methods have been developed in years of her own classroom practice. Readable, easy to use, and great for a quick guide to reaching students.

This book is a must have for teachers of any grade level or content area. Beers' writing is accessible and presented in an user friendly format. Her practicaly suggestions for teachers who are trying to help their students read better are succinct and easily implemented.