KEY FEATURES
1. Focus on the basics.
The book seeks to explain, in an extremely clear, step-by-step way, the essential elements of each skill. Many examples are provided to ensure that students understand each point. In general, the focus is on teaching the skills—not just on explaining them and not just on testing them.
2. Frequent practice and feedback.
Because it is largely through abundant practice and careful feedback that progress is made, this book includes numerous activities. Students can get immediate feedback on the practice exercises in Part I by turning to the limited answer key at the back of the book. The answers to the review and mastery tests in Part I, the reading questions in Part II, and the combined-skills tests in Part III are in the Instructor’s Manual.
The limited answer key increases the active role that students take in their own learning. They are likely to use the answer key in an honest and positive way if they know they will be tested on the many activities and selections for which answers are not provided. (Answers not in the book can be easily copied from the Instructor’s Edition or the Instructor’s Manual and passed out at the teacher’s discretion.)
3. High interest level.
Dull and unvaried readings and exercises work against learning. Students need to experience genuine interest and enjoyment in what they read. Teachers as well should be able to take pleasure in the selections, for their own good feeling about them can carry over favorably into class work. The readings in the book, then, have been chosen not only for the appropriateness of their reading level but also for their compelling content. They should engage teachers and students alike.
4. Ease of use.
The logical sequence in each chapter—from explanation to example to practice to review test to mastery test—helps make the skills easy to teach. The book’s organization into distinct parts also makes for ease of use. Within a single class, for instance, teachers can work on a new skill in Part I, review other skills with one or more mastery tests, and provide variety by having students read one of the selections in Part II. The limited answer key at the back of the text also makes for versatility: it means that the teacher can assign some chapters for self-teaching. Finally, the mastery tests—each on its own tear-out page—and the combined-skills tests make it a simple matter for teachers to test and evaluate student progress.
5. Integration of skills.
Students do more than learn the skills individually in Part I. They also learn to apply the skills together through the reading selections in Parts I and II and the material on active reading in Part III. They become effective readers and thinkers by means of a good deal of practice in applying a combination of skills.
6. Online exercises.
As they complete each of the ten chapters, students are invited to go online to the Townsend Press website to work on two additional practice exercises for each skill—exercises that reinforce the skill taught in the chapter.
7. Thinking activities.
Thinking activities—in the form of outlining, mapping, and summarizing—are a distinctive feature of the book. While educators agree that such organizational abilities are important, these skills are all too seldom taught. From a practical standpoint, it is almost impossible for a teacher to respond in detail to entire collections of class outlines or maps. This book then, presents activities that truly involve students in outlining, mapping, and summarizing—in other words, that truly make students think—and yet enable a teacher to give feedback. Again, it is through continued practice and feedback on challenging material that a student becomes a more effective reader and thinker.
In addition, the final chapter in Part One, “The Basics of Argument,” provides extensive explanation and practice in the concepts of point and support that are central to critical thinking.
8. Supplementary materials.
The three helpful supplements listed below are available at no charge to instructors using the text. Any or all can be obtained quickly by calling Townsend Press (1-800-772-6410), by sending a fax to 1-800-225-8894, or by e-mailing Customer Service at cs@townsendpress.com.
- An Instructor’s Edition—chances are that you are holding it in your hand—is identical to the student book except that it also provides hints for teachers, answers to all the practices and tests, and comments on most answers. No other book on the market has such detailed and helpful annotations.
- A combined Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank includes suggestions for teaching the course, a model syllabus, and readability levels for the text and the reading selections. The test bank contains four additional mastery tests for each of the ten skills and four additional combined-skills tests—all on letter-sized sheets so they can be copied easily for use with students.
- Computer software provides two additional mastery tests—beyond the two online exercises for every skill—for each of the ten skill chapters in the book. The software, which can be downloaded from the Townsend Press website, contains a number of user- and instructor-friendly features: brief explanations of answers, a sound option, frequent mention of the user’s first name, a running score, and a record-keeping score file.
CHANGES IN THE FOURTH EDITION:
Teacher suggestions and class use of the text have led to a number of major changes in the book:
- Greater visual appeal. The fourth edition uses illustrations, cartoons, posters, ads, and photographs to provide practice in or reinforcement of comprehension skills. The materials are not just visual window dressing; they serve a meaningful pedagogical purpose. In addition, more color, as well as boxes, rules, and screens, is used to highlight material. The book is more visually friendly without becoming visually cluttered.
- Answers and annotations in a separate color. Annotations are now included for almost all of the answer options (both correct and incorrect) that are part of the practices and tests. The many comments have been carefully checked for their clarity and usefulness. Also, comments and answers are now set off in a separate dark red color for ease of use and instant reference by instructors.
- New introductory chapter.The new first chapter of the book, “Getting Off to a Strong Start,” discusses 1) one’s attitude about learning, 2) key study skills, and 3) the value of regular reading. While the focus of the book is reading skills, all of the information in this chapter is important for students.
- Promotion of the reading habit. More prominently featured in the book is a motivational essay titled “Reading to Survive” that may inspire students to develop the reading habit as well as to do their best in facing the challenges and difficulties of their lives. Also included as a reading incentive for students is an offer of free paperback books.
- Online exercises for each of the ten chapters in the book. Students can go to the Townsend Press website to do two additional practice exercises for each skill. Each exercise consists of ten items, and as students answer the items, they are provided with both a running score and explanations of each answer. The exercises, in other words, teach as well as offer practice, and they should serve as an excellent supplement to the activities and tests in each chapter of the book.
- New teaching features within the chapters. Four new features—Previews, Study Hints and Tips, “Check Your Understanding” exercises, and Chapter Reviews—make the book even easier to use. In addition, a new format for practice and test questions makes them even simpler to grade. If you were happy before with the notably clear format of the book, you’ll be even more pleased with the Fourth Edition.
- A completely revised chapter on main ideas. No skill is more important to good comprehension, so a great deal of time and class testing went into developing a fresh approach to teaching main ideas. The result is a chapter that, in an exceptionally clear, step-by-step way, shows students three specific ways to locate main ideas. This central skill will now be even more accessible to students.
- Other changes in chapters. The book now begins with a chapter on dictionary use. The chapter on “Clear Thinking” in previous editions has been revised and now appears as Chapter 10, “The Basics of Argument.”
The chapter on “Implied Main Ideas” has been revised and relocated; it now follows the chapter on “Inferences” because its focus is, in fact, on inferring main ideas. In my teaching experience, students are better able to deal with this more advanced skill after they have completed the chapter on inference skills. Some instructors may wish to teach “Implied Main Ideas” after “Locations of Main Ideas” and, of course, are welcome to do so. But I have found that students benefit by “taking a break” from main ideas as well as by spending time on the “Relationships” and “Inferences” chapters. - Many new models and practice materials and two new readings. For example, two new mastery tests have been added that test students on the transitions and patterns of organization in “Relationships I” and “Relationships II.” The popular combined-skills tests in the previous edition have been expanded now to fifteen passages. Two new readings include a delightful and timeless short story (“The Storyteller,” by Saki) and a famous writer’s moving account of her changing relationship with her mother.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface: To the Instructor
Introduction
1. Getting Off to a Strong Start
2. One Reader’s Story
3. How to Become a Better Reader and Thinker
PART I: Ten Steps to Building College Reading Skills
Chapter 1: Dictionary Use
End-of-chapter reading: “Responsibility” M. Scott Peck Six mastery testsChapter 2: Vocabulary in Context
End-of-chapter reading: “All the Good Things” Sister Helen P. MroslaSix mastery textsChapter 3: Main Ideas
End-of-chapter reading: “Group Pressure” Rodney StarkSix mastery textsChapter 4: Supporting Details
End-of-chapter reading: “Touch Sparks Love” Phyllis SpanglerSix mastery testsChapter 5: Locations of Main Ideas
End-of-chapter reading: “Body Language” Beth JohnsonSix mastery testsChapter 6 Relationships I
End-of-chapter reading: “Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the Family” Michael S. Bassis, Richard J. Gelles, and Ann LevineSix mastery textsChapter 7: Relationships II
End-of-chapter reading: “The Most Hateful Words” Amy TanSix mastery testsChapter 8: Inferences
End-of-chapter reading: “Half a Pound of Ham” Bernadete PiassaSix mastery testsChapter 9: Implied Main Ideas
End-of-chapter reading: “Lighting a Match” Regina RuizSix mastery testsChapter 10: The Basics of Argument
End-of-chapter reading: “Do It Better!” Ben Carson, M.D., with Cecil MurpheySix mastery testsPART II: Ten Reading Selections
1. Winners, Losers, or Just Kids? Dan Wightman
2. The Storyteller Saki
3. Disaster and Friendship Chuck Wilson
4. Read All About It Fran DeBlasio
5. Adult Children at Home Marilyn Mack
6. How To Make It in College, Now That You’re Here Brian O’Keeney
7. False Ideas About Reading Robert and Pam Winkler
8. Are You a Good Listener? Robert L. Montgomery
9. Dealing with Feelings Rudolph F. Verderber
10. Childhood Stress and Resilience Diane E. Papalia and Sally Wendkos Olds
PART III: Active Reading
1. An Introduction to Active Reading
2. Practice in Active Reading: Combined-Skills Tests
Appendices
Three Additional Readings
Writing Assignments
Limited Answer Key
Acknowledgments
Index
Reading Performance Chart