Product Review

Reading is the hottest issue in education today. Newspapers trumpet reading test scores, politicians campaign on reading reforms, and educators are scrambling to keep pace with new teacher-training policies. In this context it is critical to clarify the goals of reading instruction and to provide teachers with principles for working effectively with diverse student populations.

David and Yvonne Freeman come to teachers' assistance with Teaching Reading in Multilingual Classrooms, in which they introduce core principles of effective reading practice. Presented as a definitive checklist, these principles form the basis of much of the book and help teachers plan their reading curriculum and assess their teaching of reading easily and confidently.

First, the Freemans introduce the checklist, then they present the theory of reading behind it. As the chapters progress, each item on the checklist is explained and illustrated in detail with examples of eight exemplary teachers who work effectively with mainstream, ESL, and bilingual students. Daily schedules, sample strategy lessons, and lists of literature at different grade levels - both elementary and secondary - help readers put the principles into practice. In the final chapter, the Freemans address some of the hard questions teachers, administrators, and parents raise about reading, including questions about phonics and phonemic awareness.

Whether you have some or many English language learners in your classroom, this book will fill an important need. Mainstream teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, bilingual and ESL teachers, and teacher educators will all benefit from the Freemans' solid research and practical suggestions.