“This is what a handbook should be! The range of topics regarding effective literacy instruction is comprehensive. The information provided is accessible and state of the art. The authors address fundamental components of literacy lessons as well as specific teaching practices for meeting the needs of heterogeneous classrooms of students. I look forward to teaching with this volume in the literacy methods course in our elementary teacher education program.”

—Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar, PhD, Jean and Charles Walgreen Chair of Reading and Literacy, University of Michigan


“This brilliantly organized handbook is a treasure trove of important information, provided in an eminently usable format. Today's teachers want to know what the research says about important questions of practice, but are often stymied by research articles lacking in practical application. This volume is written expressly for educators in search of fresh, research-supported tactics to engage students in meaningful literacy work. Readers will find extremely valuable suggestions for their classrooms and for facilitating colleagues' learning. I fully expect to see this book on the desks of teachers, literacy leaders, and principals around the country—it will absolutely remain in a prominent place on my own!”

—Ellin O. Keene, MA, education consultant and author, Denver, Colorado


“A terrific addition to the literature. The consistent structure across the chapters makes the content particularly accessible, with implications for instruction front and center. Cross-referencing among the chapters is also handled well. The range of topics covered includes basic literacy processes as well as 21st-century literacies and the contexts in which literacy is taught and used. The Handbook demonstrates just how rich the field of literacy research has been, and how much we know about teaching and learning that can support excellent practices across grade levels and school subjects.”

—Taffy E. Raphael, PhD, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois at Chicago


“Taylor and Duke have assembled a first-rate team of researchers and teacher educators who address the critical issues facing practitioners today, in a way that is both research based and highly accessible. This volume is an excellent text for courses in literacy education and a key resource for professional development activities.”

—Dorothy S. Strickland, PhD, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Professor of Education Emerita, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey


“I'm using this text in my graduate-level Foundations of Literacy course. I reviewed a variety of texts on literacy instruction aligned with CCSS and beyond, and this one was the best! It offers the perfect balance between theory and practice, providing the knowledge needed to make the kinds of instructional decisions that will lead to positive student outcomes. My students use the text as a core required reading text, we discuss it in class, and they use it as a guide to write their reflections about what they are observing in the field. The book is easy to read for new teachers and has a depth of knowledge that veteran teachers are hungry for.”

—Eugenia Mora-Flores, EdD, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California