More in depth and systemic than hooked on phonics.
579901
This is the book I used to teach my son to read before he starts kindergarten. It's systemic and the results were fast. My son enjoyed the little stories in the book as well.
1312791
Lots of great pictures.  Nice explanations of what different tongue presentations can mean and how to treat their corresponding patterns.  Much more in depth than the standard diagnosis book I was required to buy in school.
2321525
After reading&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Language-Testing-Oxford-Introduction-to-Language-Series/dp/0194372227/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Language Testing (Oxford Introduction to Language Series)</a>, "Language Test Construction" formed a good further step into the theory that underlies various tests and considerations that go into construction.

As mentioned by a previous reviewer, this book is really not written for teachers who have to administer the tests themselves, (though some may be interested in having some knowledge of it anyway). It is more aimed at those who will be involved in the construction, testing and modifying of the tests themselves.

The book covers a lot of territory, though it does not get into overwhelming amounts of mind-boggling information. It draws some definite lines and sticks to brief overviews. However, should one wish to have some more boggling of the mind, the authors make suggestions aplenty about where to get it.

The topics that are covered in book include such things as exam testing, (reliability, validity and so on), statistical analysis of tests and results, the monitoring of test administrators, develop specfications and so on. While not overwhelming, some parts require some concentration, (well, they did with me), and may not really be all that light on the brain.

All things considered, I found this book a valuable read and an interesting insight into the murky world of language testing. It is well-organised, well-explained and realistic in what it attempts to achieve. I think it is a valuable resource for people wanting to get into the field of language testing, or wish to take their own testing to the next level.
2926068
I LOVE this book.  I'm a teacher, and I used it to teach my oldest how to read when she turned 5.  She picked up on it quickly and now reads at a 5th grade level just two years later. My middle daughter just turned 5, and I am using it to teach her as well.  I also used the book for individual instruction when I taught kindergarten.

This book presents some things a little differently than other learn to read programs.  First of all, it starts off with lowercase letters.  The reasoning is because most words that you read are all lowercase.  Second, uppercase letters are not used at the beginning of sentences until later in the book.  This way the child is focusing on phonics.  Third, some digraphs are taught before single letter sounds; "th" and "ee" are introduced early on in the book.  Lastly, the font starts off big at the beginning and gradually gets smaller as the lessons progress.

There are 20 "lessons," but each lesson is over 10 pages long.  At first, I had my daughters do 1 page at a time and sometimes less than that.  Then we progressed to 2 pages, and then I let their interest dictate how many pages we did at a time.  I highly recommend this book.
2869199
Stephen Pinker's recent foray in to the world of language is not for everyone.  The topic doesn't so deeply tackle our cherished notions of self like The Blank Slate and doesn't appeal to a wide audience but it does offer a window in to what it means to be human.  One of my least favorite topics in school was grammar and I will admit I found some of the sentence, verb and adjective deconstruction a bit tedious at first.  But once I delved further in to the book, I began to appreciate the linguistic deconstructions and I find myself analyzing words and sentence structure for fun.  The author makes connections with the way we phrase sentences and the way we use grammar to try and uncover a universal way that humans visualize the world.  He claims that the way we speak about the world is not a historical accident but is a demonstration of the way our mind works.  The findings that he uncovers are interesting but not earth-shattering.  Deciphering how we mix metaphors of physical objects with knowledge. when we 'gather information' as if information were seashells plucked from the beach is an example of a topic dissected in the book.  The study of linguistics that the author provides offers a unique look in to our neurology that is much less costly and invasive than brain scans and dissections.  Additionally, this book will give you a much greater appreciation for the development of language in humans and for the evolution of how we think about the world.
4742049
Great book, but a lot of the words are not easy for beginning readers. This should be a step 2/3
2145187
As a douceur to convince my daughter(31m) to start blending C-V-C words, I've cracked open my wallet and loaded Preschool Prep's "Meet the Phonics: Letter Sounds" onto our Kindle Fire. Let me tell you, as somebody who has turned green from watching Leap Frog videos about 100 times, and who can sing the "Rusty and Rosie" songs by heart, "Meet the Phonics" is a nice change of pace!

That being said, I don't think that "Meet the Phonics" would make the best starter video for a young learner because it introduces a lot of information very quickly. Conceptually, "Meet the Phonics" teaches material covered in Leap Frog's "Letter Factory", "Talking Words Factory", and "Talking Words Factor Two", all put together.

What is really interesting to me as a parent, is right in the middle of "Meet the Phonics" when they start showing a slot machine that blends C-V-C words, My two year old starts to immediately lose interest and starts wildly touching the screen trying to change the Kindle over to something else. This is proof yet again that she is still not ready to blend...  Nevertheless, this video is still a great pick.
653722
Good book.  Better for older kids that not only are learning the alphabet but the definitions of words.
3501375
This came as part of our K12 Curriculum.  I compared this text to the one used at the local elementary and this one is far better.  There is vastly more information woven into an engaging narrative.  For example, there were six richly detailed chapters on Jamestown Virginia in this book.  In the Houghton Mifflin text there were four dry, boring pages.  We use this book a lot like it would probably be used in the classroom.  We have two copies and we read it together.  Yesterday we read five chapters -- we couldn't put it down.  If you aren't sure, get a used one.  I think you'll enjoy it and learn a lot you weren't taught when you went to school.
4623720
Here's an interesting look at social literacy theories presented in the form of a correspondence between a struggling young professor at the University of Western Cape in South Africa (Katz) and his former Sociolinguistics professor from NYU (Rouse).  The book offers a lot of theory and practical applications thereof to anyone involved in teaching reading and writing (especially at the college or adult levels).  Rouse's opinionated letters are particularly invigorating.  Although I wouldn't recommend the book to a general audience, it does present a fascinating backstory about South African life at the time following the fall of apartheid.
767591
The problem with teaching ESL is the lack of complex stories with readable text for ELLs (English language learners) or, really, any low level reader.  The students can handle the content, but are limited by their inability to comprehend complex text and high level vocabulary.  Shakespeare is daunting.

This graphic novel is great in many ways.  First, the graphic format aids in comprehension because even the lowest level English student can follow along.  Granted it's not perfect, but it's also not the brick wall that page after page filled with words they don't understand can be.

Secondly, it's written in modern English, not Shakespeare-English.  Therefore, it makes comprehension much more attainable than regular English.  So many teachers are still instructing with whole-class novels.  This graphic novel, whether used alone or in tandem with the class novel, can help to make the reading much more understandable than ever before.

My only complaint is that the colors are quite dark and from a limited palette.  If the idea is to make the time period real for students, it falls short.  It's a bit heavy artistically.  I'd highly recommend the book, however.  It's a great teaching tool.
146493
A little more telling than showing, but very much appreciated for its economy of words.
2043402
This was a good read.  It helped to look at dyslexia differently, although it didn't help me much with tips and techniques to help my daughter.  Still, I found it interesting and worthwhile.  I just wish that there was more helpful advice for parents of dyslexic kids.  For that, I'm extremely grateful to my daughter's teacher.  If you are a parent struggling with a dyslexic child, I do recommend this book, but I also recommend reading rulers, and raised-line paper.  Those things have been immensely helpful with my daughter this year.  Also, we make flash cards with her spelling and vocab words in multiple colors...each syllable gets a different, bright and distinctly different color to help her see the word in its parts rather than just skimming over the whole word and getting wrong as many dyslexics do (they tend to see things as wholes and not parts).  I hope these tips help other parents, as I know the struggle.
2552607
I thought this was a bit easy for 3rd grade. My second grader wizzed through this book like it was nothing. She did like the phonetic writing, and I showed her how to write different words using phonetic pronunciation. We homeschool so any book we get  we turn into some kind of lesson, while this book wasn't great for learning phonics, it helped me create a different lesson. I think this book would be great for 1st graders learning phonics and summer reading for kids moving to second grade.
654001
I think that this book was more in depth that what they teach at the public schools at his grade level. The book has a lot of map and legend problems.
1759048
When I picked up this book, I did not expect it to be so comprehensive in teaching reading and writing. This a small, but powerful book. I expected a few activities as a supplement to other methods. The activities use all five senses and are fun. They incorporate dancing, singing, and sometimes eating. As another reviewer wrote, this may be the only book you may ever need to teach reading!

I have a Masters Degree in Education, with focus on literacy and learning disabilities. I have read many books on whole language vs. phonics instruction, but none that incorporated both as well as this one does.

The book is divided into 7 sections, each one building on the other as they master it. Within each section, is a list of supplies needed for the activities. This is the only book that I have read that I really have all the supplies necessary to start right away. Then, the actual activities. At the edge of each activity page, there is a box that the author has given some more wonderful information. She has a Reading Zone with books to read to the child to expand on the activities. There is Teaching Time that explains the concept development that the activities focus on. The last, but very important item the author included, is State Standards Say which tells what most states expect of children to know when they are tested in reading at school.

Here are the 7 sections (just a small sample of activities included):

Let's Talk About It (prereading skills)
make a collage, make a sequence crown
teaches to identify and sort words, extend vocabulary, following directions, connect to real life experiences

Start with Sounds
rhyme time, treasure hunt, monster munch
recite and produce rhyming words, listen for phonemes in words

Print Power!
rainbow writing, autograph book, word necklace
distinguish letters from words, learn that print provide information in everyday setting

Now I Know My ABC's
eating the alphabet, milk-cap mania, alpha-pet
learning upper and lower case alphabet, sequencing letters

Phonics Fun
alphabet crowns, word puzzlers, phonics gizmos
learning consonant and vowel sounds, as words change so do sounds

Write On!
office signs, business cards, stationery, it's in the mail, spell-a-phone
identify types of everyday printed materials

Beyond the Tale
dazzling diagrams, wonder webs, teeny-tiny theater
learn to use fiction and non-fiction material, retell stories
30217
A very nice book that is fairly explicit in its explanation and examples of how to understand and use text structure to aid reading comprehension. Designed for English learners, it could be adapted for use by middle school (or above) students with mild learning differences (if their decoding is accurate enough).