This basic introduction to teaching reading is a vibrant mix of the background teachers need along with workable ideas and strategies for making instruction interesting, enjoyable and effective for all. The book explores the skills students need to become successful readers. From using context clues and spelling patterns to phonics and word recognition skills, the book features practical activities to help students develop a repertoire of strategies to use as they build their confidence in reading. A full range of activities are included: Preparing for reading--activities to do before the reading starts;Reading--ways to access the text;Developing comprehension--activities to do after the reading;Building skills--specific instruction in language skills. This practical handbook involves simple suggestions for working with individual students, small groups and the whole class. Teachers will find innovative ways to use talking, writing, drama and the visual arts to guide students in purposeful reading. Based on the needs of real students teachers will find reproducible pages that will save valuable classroom time. These pages are designed to help students use reading logs, graph their reading, storyboard stories and review their reading. Assessment tools for teachers are also ready-to-copy to facilitate classroom use. This compact resource is ideal for the beginning teacher or the teacher looking for simple ways to streamline language arts classroom practices.