Reading

Learning to read should be easy and effortless, but in schools today it often is not. Why is this so? In characteristically readable and provocative style, Frank Smith examines these and other questions, and provides answers. The author of over 20 books on reading, writing, thinking, and learning, Frank Smith is an acknowledged world leader in clarifying critical issues for teachers. In his latest book, he addresses questions that he is frequently asked at workshops and conferences about learning, prediction, phonics, stories, meaning, writing, and the brain, including:

• What’s the connection between reading and writing?
• Are some kinds of reading preferable to others?
• Which is better for reading, books or computers?
• Is reading aloud different from silent reading?
• Why are stories so important?
• How would you teach punctuation?
• Is it important for young children to learn the letters of the alphabet?

Frank Smith has been a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the University of Toronto, the University of Victoria, British Columbia, and the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He is currently exploring the role of technology in education.

"It's like Christmas morning when I receive a new book by one of my favorite education authors and theorists, Frank Smith. Smith's new book Reading FAQ is a short gem full of 1-3 page answers to simple questions about reading and learning to read. The book is a perfect gift for teachers, parents and community members who want to make sense of the 'reading wars.' I highly recommend it."
—Gary Stager, The Critical Friend Newsletter