"Lanning reduces the long list of skills and strategies found in curriculum documents into four key comprehension strategies, setting out a very workable plan for enhancing reading comprehension." —Richard Allington, Professor of Education University of Tennessee "These four powerful strategies come to the rescue with detailed and engaging lessons and examples for guided reading instruction. The clarity and insight make this book a must-read for elementary and middle school reading specialists and classroom teachers." —H. Lynn Erickson, Educational Consultant Author, Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Focused techniques to help struggling readers strengthen comprehension skills! Children who struggle with reading by the time they reach third grade risk falling further behind as they progress through school. This important resource presents four targeted, research-based comprehension strategies to help struggling readers in small group settings understand what they read. Four Powerful Strategies for Struggling Readers, Grades 3–8 shows teachers how to support students′ reading comprehension by teaching the strategies that highly effective readers use: summarizing, creating meaningful connections, self-regulating, and inferring. The author examines how, why, and when to use each strategy and what each strategy looks like in practice. The book also covers: A gradual-release approach that begins with teacher-directed instruction and leads to student-directed learning as skills increase Specific teaching techniques to use with each strategy Detailed lesson examples for reading instruction and content area reading Reflections in each strategy chapter The underlying principles in the book make these powerful strategies relevant for all elementary teachers, literacy coaches, and instructional leaders working to help students learn to read for deep understanding.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Joseph Yukish Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Foundations Recent Findings From Comprehension Strategies Why Four Powerful Strategies? The Four Powerful Comprehension Strategies Summary of Recent Findings From Comprehension Research Reading Comprehension Instruction Comprehension Instructional Activities and Practices Research on the Transfer of Learning What Is Transfer? A Closer Look at Transfer Theory Summmary of Reading Comprehension Instruction 2. Gradual Release to Accelerate Progress Gradual Release Lesson Design Conclusions and Reflections 3. Putting the Strategies Into Practice: Summarizing What Is Summarizing? When Does a Reader Summarize? Why Do Readers Summarize? Sample Lessons for the Strategy Summarizing Summarizing Across Content Areas Conclusions and Reflections 4. Putting the Strategies Into Practice: Creating Meaningful Connections What Is Creating Meaningful Connections? When Does a Reader Create Meaningful Connections? Why Do Readers Create Meaningful Connections? Sample Lessons for the Strategy Creating Meaningful Connections Making Meaningful Connections Across Content Areas Conclusions and Reflections 5. Putting the Strategies Into Practice: Self-Regulating What Is Self-Regulating? When Does a Reader Self-Regulate? Why Do Readers Self-Regulate? Sample Lessons for the Strategy Self-Regulating Self-Regulating Across Content Areas Conclusions and Reflections 6. Putting the Strategies Into Practice: Inferring What Is Inferring? When Does a Reader Infer? Why Do Readers Infer? Sample Lessons for the Strategy Inferring Inferring Across Content Areas Conclusions and Reflections 7. Conclusion Glossary: Defining Terms Appendix 1: Thinking About How We Use Strategies to Comprehend Appendix 2: Focusing on Comprehension Strategies in a Small Group Gradual Release Design Lesson for Struggling Readers: Observation Form References Index