Reading Power: Teaching Students to Think While They Read

by Adrienne Gear

A simple approach to teaching reading comprehension with effective strategies to help students think while they read. This practical book features chapters on the five powerful reading/thinking strategies — connecting, questioning, visualizing, inferring, and transforming. It offers techniques for helping children recognize what happens in their heads while they read, with simple applications that can be incorporated into any classroom routine. A valuable handbook that promotes reading independence with sequential lessons, teacher-modeling tips, and suggestions for guided practice.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Professional Development

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Suebee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book quickly, in one sitting, and I really loved it. It is a teacher-friendly breakdown of the mental strategies that are used to teach reading comprehension. It fits right along with other components of literacy instruction/balanced literacy (eg guided reading, readers / writers workshop, phonics instruction, circles, etc.). I love how the author provided visuals for the teaching of the five reading "powers" - connect, visualize, question, infer and transform. You are to create a visual of a student with an empty 'brain' - and fill in with a puzzle piece on which is written one of the reading powers. It helps you teach it to little ones who need that visual element! The reading / writing response sheets are great too.

For me as a K-4 librarian, I have read a lot of reading instruction books, Lucy Calkins, Debbie Miller, Strategies that Work, etc., and I really "got it" after reading this book. She breaks it down into manageable chunks, assigning one or two powers to kindergarten, then powers 1, 2, and 3 for first grade and so on. And the provided book lists are excellent and up-to-date.

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A blurb from the publisher's website:
The book is organized around five reading strategies or reading powers — Connect, Question, Visualize, Infer, and Transform. Each chapter includes:

a song or chant to use in the classroom for each power;
suggestions for introducing each reading power;
sequential lessons that incorporate teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent reading;
ready-to-copy pages that support the sequential lessons;

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous resource! It will be very useful in teaching mini-lessons on comprehension. This book will be carried back and forth from school to home for planning and using to teach. I recommend this book for teachers using reading workshop in 3-6 classrooms. It is a gem!!!

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the pleasure of attending Adrienne’s workshops for both RP and WP. She is a true gem for sharing her wisdom with new and old teachers alike. RP is easy to read, understand and IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATELY. I have (and my students as well) enjoyed each of the lessons.
A must read for any new teacher in the elementary setting.

[Pembroke Publishers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"…discusses current reading practice, the components of the Reading Power Program, application and assessment, practical activities, and provides booklists for each reading power." - Resource Links

"Teachers, teacher-librarians and administrators, as well as district literacy consultants, will find Reading ower a valubale resource, as the Reading Power program can be adapted for any grade level. Given the current focus on literacy, Reading Power is highly recommended." - Feliciter

"...great for lessons on Connections, Questioning, Visualizing, Inferring, and Synthesizing. I spent a month on each last year with my students, ... and it tells you the exact children's books you can use with each skill. Our school librarian set up book boxes based on Adrian Gear's strands. Great idea." - Mosaic Digest

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, Gear's book wasn't life changing. It had good info in it, but a lot of what I read were things that I already teach my students. Maybe this is a great read for elementary teachers if they don't do a whole lot with reading comprehension? I felt like the book lists given would be helpful if they had cool authors--but so many of the authors were unfamiliar to me (and I'm a fairly well read person). I did find the book more useful when I got to the inferring and transforming chapters. It was also helpful to read the NRP's chapter on Reading Comprehension to understand the importance of actively teaching students comprehension strategies.---------------Required reading for my reading license class. Hoping it's an informative and interesting read.

[Trista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book that guides teachers through how to explicitly teach essential reading strategies. There is an extensive list of books to use with students to help them apply the skills that you are teaching.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for anyone teaching comprehension thinking strategies.

[Linda]

Too Soon to tell!

[Jen Munnerlyn]

This book was recommended by Tanya Shahen (Lit Coach in Doha). It could be a great addition to our professional library.

[Izzy Mac]

An amazing resource for educators. This book changed my literacy teaching! Using picture books and step by step, scaffolded lessons, this book will change the way kids read!