From Floundering to Fluent

Nicholas D. Young, PhD, has worked in diverse educational roles for more than 28 years, serving as a principal, special education director, graduate professor, graduate program director, graduate dean, and longtime superintendent of schools. He was named the Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year; and he completed a distinguished Fulbright program focused on the Japanese educational system through the collegiate level. Christine N. Michael, PhD, is a more than 40-year educational veteran with a variety of professional experiences. Her previous work has included middle and high school teaching, higher education administration, college teaching, and educational consulting. She has also been involved with Head Start, Upward Bound, national non-profits Foundation for Excellent Schools and College for Every Student, and the federal Trio programs and has published widely on topics in education and psychology. Teresa Allissa Citro is the Chief Executive Officer, Learning Disabilities Worldwide, Inc. and the Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc., Ms. Citro is a graduate of Tufts New England Medical School and Northeastern University, Boston. She has co-edited several books on a wide range of topics in special education and has co-authored a popular children’s series I Am Full of Possibilities.

Floundering to Fluent: Reaching and Teaching Struggling Readers provides graduate students, practitioners, parents, and faculty with a clear understanding of the current status of reading research for students with disabilities. Experts in the field discuss a range of topics from prevention and remediation, to motivation, cognitive science, and pedagogical strategies that will maximally impact reading achievement. The authors present evidence for effective strategies, provide example lessons, sample activities, and dialogue for teachers to use with students. The book could be used as a supplementary or adopted text undergraduate teacher education programs, a book for education book clubs, homeschool, or as a guide for self-study in a professional development setting.

• AcknowledgementsIntroductionWrestling with Reading: Understanding the Basics of Reading Disorders and Challenges Nicholas D. Young & Christine N. MichaelSpotting Problems Before They Start: Preventing and Remediating Reading Difficulties Jade Wexler, Jeanne Wanzek & Sharon VaughnUnderstanding and Promoting the Motivation to Read in Young Children Elizabeth Jean, Paul L. Morgan, and Douglas FuchsDesigning Successful Reading Comprehension Programs: Promising Instructional Strategies and PracticesNicholas D. Young, and Kristen Bonanno-SotiropoulosReading in the 21st Century: Utilizing Digital Literacy Practices and Assessments to Help Struggling Secondary ReadersMelissa A. Mumby and Nicholas D. YoungThe Power of Peers: Using Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies to Reverse Matthew Effects in ReadingPaul Morgan, Caressa Young, Douglas Fuchs and Kristen Bonanno-SotiropoulosConnecting in the Classroom: Collaborative Strategic Reading for Students with Learning DisabilitiesAlison Boardman, Sharon Vaughn & Janette KlingerBeyond the Schoolhouse Door: Promoting Reading Partnerships in the Home and CommunityChristine N. Michael & Nicholas D. Young