Becoming a Teacher of Reading: A Developmental Approach

This new, developmentally organized, social-constructivist reading methods text follows children's literacy progress as they develop from being early readers to being interpretive readers to being independent, critically thinking readers. It weaves together integrated discussion of skills, strategies, and assessment procedures. The authors place the reader squarely in today's reading classroom, grounding theoretical discussions with self-regulating pedagogy and connects ideas to Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles, as well as IRA/NCTE Standards. The result is a polished, engaging text that will quickly instill in future teachers the joy of helping children learn to read and read to learn.

Susan Davis Lenski is a professor at Illinois State University, in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in reading, writing, language arts, and literacy theory. Dr. Lenski brings 20 years of experience as a public school teacher to her work as a professor, writer, and researcher. As a result of her practical experience and her grounding in theory, Dr. Lenski is a popular speaker for professional development programs and has consulted in the United States, Canada, and Guatemala.

Dr. Lenski has been recognized for her work by a variety of organizations. For her work in schools as a teacher, she received the Nila Banton Smith Award and led her school to receive an Exemplary Reading Program Award, both from the International Reading Association. In Illinois, Dr. Lenski was inducted into the Illinois Reading Hall of Fame, and at Illinois State University, Dr. Lenski was named Outstanding Researcher.

Dr. Lenski has coauthored six books, including Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources, and has published more than 50 articles in state and national journals. Her research interests include intertextuality during reading and writing, incorporating strategies into classroom practice, middle level reading, and preparing culturally responsive teachers.

Susan L. Nierstheimer is an assistant professor at Purdue University in West Lafeyette, Indiana. She teaches literacy courses to both undergraduate and graduate students and also conducts professional development workshops for classroom teachers.

A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Dr. Nierstheimer received her Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1996. While working on her doctorate, she received three outstanding teaching awards. Along with a team of literacy instructors, Dr. Nierstheimer also received Purdue's university-wide award, Helping Students Learn: Innovations in Teaching, for designing the innovation titled "The Impact of Authentic Assessment on Teaching and Learning."

Dr. Nierstheimer has done extensive work in professional development schools. As a member of the faculty at Illinois State University, she directed a 4-year, pilot PDS project with one cohort of students at Glenn Elementary School, Normal, Illinois, from the undergraduates' freshman year until their year-long, senior internship. The Glenn PDS project received the Those Who Excel award from the Illinois State Board of Education in 1999, which salutes those who have made outstanding contributions to education in Illinois.

Dr. Nierstheimer's research interests include preparing exemplary literacy teachers, helping young readers who find learning to read difficult, and forming partnerships with classroom teachers to improve literacy instruction. She has published numerous articles and has presented her research at local, state, and national levels.