Brain Words

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The authors talk about how the brain works and how to make learning words meaningful for children. They add cautions to typical teaching practices and scripted programs that are arising out there with specific scopes and sequences and empowers teachers to TEACH! Additionally they offer ways in which to follow the vision of one's school philosophy while adding a few easy steps to make learning meaningful and impactful for students using current knowledge about the brain. Furthermore, the authors talk about phases that children go through while they learn to write and how that can be analyzed and used to inform further instruction.However, I have one MAJOR complaint. The authors make false claims about Marie Clay's research and methods of teaching children on pages 53-56. On page 54 they state that "many whole language adaptations of this procedure have marginalized phonics or graphophonic cueing within the three cueing system and basically looked at meaning and syntax as driving forces for reading- with phonics and the graphophonic cueing taking on little if and significance." I understand that they are talking about many ADAPTATIONS of teaching using this system of analysis and teaching. But this section of the book is very insulting in the way that they lump good practice in the same category as misunderstood adaptations. They go on to say that "guessing from picture cues is definitely not how reading skills are acquired" incinuating that teachers who follow procedures from Marie Clay think this is an acceptable way to teach reading. Last but not least, the authors stated, "perhaps running record priorities should be flipped to highlight how our children are using visual and sound cueing strategies." Which unfortunately for them that statement proves a lack of understanding in how running records are intended to be analyzed by teachers. I am deeply disappointed that they made claims that followers of Marie Clay's methods do not teach phonics or graphophonic analysis of words. Many of the strategies that Gentry and Ouellette offered were actually very similar to strategies and procedures Marie Clay wrote about in her book "Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals." For example on page 59 "allowing children to build upon and expand their knowledge . If you can spell it, you can readi it." In addition the analysis that the authors go through in chapter 5 are very similar to how Marie Clay talks about analyzing and teaching students to hear and record sounds in writing.Again, there were many great teaching strategies in this book. The authors empowered teachers in many ways, and explained why certain practices are acceptable and not acceptable based on what we know about the brain. But I was deeply shocked at the lack of knowledge in Marie Clay's teaching procedures and the fact that the authors lumped misunderstood teaching practices with what is actual best practice and called it "the three cueing system approach." That section needs to be revised after reading more about how to actually analyze running records, and reading Marie Clay's "Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals" to understand how she explains ways to teach phonics and graphophonics.

The authors do an excellent job at connecting reading research with direct classroom practice. Complex concepts are broken down and presented in a format that is both visually pleasing and easy to digest. This book should be read by teachers and incorporated into teacher education programs.

You need this book if you’re a teacher, especially one who teaches literacy or elementary. It was a fascinating read and written in a way that I could understand.

So excited about this book. Leading a book study soon!

The authors do an excellent job at connecting reading research with direct classroom practice. Complex concepts are broken down and presented in a format that is both visually pleasing and easy to digest. This book should be read by teachers and incorporated into teacher education programs.

I loved the kindle version, waiting for a hard copy. Can’t wait to receive it!