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As our national diversity grows, teachers must increasingly celebrate our likenesses, empathetically discuss our differences, and resolve that we know of noone bestway to teach all children to read. The Great Debate has continued, but the conclusions have been the same. No one approach is better in all literacy situations and with all learners, so that it should be considered the one best method. However, we have increasingly expanded our concepts of the instructional process. At the core of this knowledge has been the continued assertion that effective instruction is executed by effective teachers. This text provides a tool for teachers to understand the various instructional frameworks underlying diagnostic teaching techniques. Text Purpose Embodied within this text is the strong belief that as a nation of readers, our strengths lie in our individual differences. These individual differences need to be nurtured within our instructional programs, building upon the unique strengths that each student possesses. Furthermore, sensitive teachers use these strengths to expand students' conceptual knowledge, creating intelligent citizens. Teachers are often keen observers and reflective thinkers. This text promotes the idea that teachers can make sophisticated diagnostic judgments and can identify appropriate instructional techniques through a process of diagnostic teaching. Using this knowledge to make informed instructional decisions leads to a renewal of teachers' decision-making power. Diagnostic Teaching of Readingis designed to supplement course work in the diagnosis and remediation of reading difficulties. It can ultimately be used in a reading practicum or as a guide in reading clinic experiences. Furthermore, school psychologists, learning specialists, and Title I teachers will find it a useful reference. The instructional techniques are written in a stepby-step fashion so that classroom teachers and practicum students can readily follow the prescribed procedures. The goal is to increase communication between the practitioner and diagnostic specialists as well as between the practicum student and the college professor. Changes for the Fifth Edition In this edition, you will find: A text that is now organized into two parts.Part One explains the diagnostic teaching process. Part Two presents the instructional techniques. Assessments appropriate for each stage of reading development.These include: a. Concepts of print b. Knowledge of letter names c. Phonemic segmentation d. Spelling assessments e. Multidimensional fluency scales f. Strategy awareness assessments More than 70 instructional techniques that meet the diverse learning needs of students explained in easy, step-by step-by-step procedures.Important diagnostic information accompanies each technique. New are instructional techniques for Making and Writing Words, Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction, Guided Reading, Shared Reading Approach, Sound Boxes, and the Think-Aloud Approach. A glossary of termsso readers can find information about content-specific words used in the initial chapters. An integration of the theoretical premises and uses of miscue analysis and think-aloud evaluations.Located in Chapter 6, this integration also includes a description of how to interpret this information and a case study of a particular reader. Text organization This text is organized into two parts. Part One outlines the principles of assessment and instruction. Part Two includes the instructional techniques. The following is a description of the text's content. Chapter 1 presents the decision-making process of diagnostic teaching. It outlines some common initial diagnostic decisions and lays the groundwork for the rest of the text. Chapter 2 describes the various influ Excerpted from Diagnostic Teaching of Reading: Techniques for Instruction and Assessment by Barbara J. Walker All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.