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Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It 1st Edition

4.6 out of 5 stars 501 ratings

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Read-i-cide: The systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools. Reading is dying in our schools. Educators are familiar with many of the factors that have contributed to the decline, poverty, second-language issues, and the ever-expanding choices of electronic entertainment. In this provocative book Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It , author and teacher Kelly Gallagher suggests it is time to recognize a new and significant contributor to the death of reading: our schools. Readicide , Gallagher argues that American schools are actively (though unwittingly) furthering the decline of reading. Specifically, he contends that the standard instructional practices used in most schools are killing reading by:Valuing standardized testing over the development of lifelong readersMandating breadth over depth in instructionRequiring students to read difficult texts without proper instructional support and insisting students focus on academic textsIgnoring the importance of developing recreational readingLosing sight of authentic instruction in the looming shadow of political pressuresReadicide provides teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators with specific steps to reverse the downward spiral in reading-;steps that will help prevent the loss of another generation of readers.

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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Those with a vested interest in the education of American youth--in other words, everyone who has reached the age of reason--should read this book and share it with others." - American School Board Journal
"Rather than dwelling on the problem, Gallagher centers on explaining concrete ways schools can improve literature teaching, focusing on comprehension and producing lifelong readers." -
Catholic Library World
"
Readicide is an intriguing look at many possible solutions to the problem of the decline of reading in American schools." - Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Kelly, a baseballoholic and a self-described expert at negotiating airports, is in his 33rd year of teaching at the high school level. He currently teaches at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, California. He believes that there is no greater pleasure than teaching someone something. Teaching is artistic, it matters a great deal, and I can never get the job down perfectly. Kelly thinks that professional development should treat teachers as such - professionals. I know in the classroom that good things happen when my students have meaningful discussions. I know as a teacher myself that my craft sharpens when I am given the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with my peers. And let's have a laugh or two while we are at it. Writing his six books for Stenhouse was a solitary experience. Though I have written outlines prior to each of my books, I have yet to follow any of them step-by-step. That is why I find writing rewarding - because the act of writing itself generates new thinking, and new thinking is always exciting.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 2, 2009
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1571107800
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1571107800
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 18 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 12
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 501 ratings

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Kelly Gallagher
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
501 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book an important read for educators, particularly school administrators, and appreciate how it creates meaningful classroom experiences with literature. Moreover, they describe it as authentic and engaging, with one customer noting how it captures interest from the first page. Additionally, the book provides valuable insights into standardized testing, and customers find it accurate and eye-opening.

100 customers mention "Readability"89 positive11 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with multiple reviews highlighting its importance for educators and administrators, and its effectiveness in creating meaningful classroom experiences with literature.

"...This book, your book, is teacher empowerment in its most authentic form and as stated in the introduction, should be read by educators coast to..." Read more

"...This would also be a great supplement for teachers who use a reading workshop approach but would like to slowly start adding more direct-instruction..." Read more

"...Oh my goodness, this has been the best book I have ever read and truly changed my idea of how to teaching reading." Read more

"...It is short just over a hundred pages, easy to read and great suggestions for using in any classroom to motivate students." Read more

10 customers mention "Pacing"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, finding it authentic and engaging with a realistic view of the subject matter.

"...balance between preparing their kids for accountability and real-life ability." Read more

"...This is a hard hitting look at the results of two decades of failed literacy instruction policy - students graduating from high school who can read..." Read more

"As always, Kelly Gallagher has written a book that is practical and deeply honest about what is happening in schools around the country...." Read more

"This was an eye-opening read. Pointed out so many fallacies that teachers do not even realize/intend to be making...." Read more

5 customers mention "Testing"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights on standardized testing and its concrete suggestions for preventing readicide.

"...The book has concrete suggestions for preventing readicide. These include, guided tour - budget tour, topic flood, one pager,..." Read more

"...we have had several excellent discussions about reading flow, AR, and testing. I highly recommend this book for professional development activities...." Read more

"This book really provided me with a lot of insight to standardized testing and what makes kids learn...." Read more

"A very good condemnation of testing culture. Some positive teaching ideas, but more of a litany of complaint." Read more

4 customers mention "Eye-opening"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book eye-opening.

"An accurate, eye-opening expose on how teachers, school districts, and curriculm directors have been mangling our reading programs for years...." Read more

"...It would be good to have high school students read it too. Amazing point of view! Great job Kelly!" Read more

"Yes very interesting and an eye opener" Read more

"WOW!!! An Eye Opener..." Read more

3 customers mention "Accuracy"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the accuracy of the book, with one noting it hits the nail on the head.

"...Overall, spot on. This book calls it like it is and calls us to arms...." Read more

"An accurate, eye-opening expose on how teachers, school districts, and curriculm directors have been mangling our reading programs for years...." Read more

"...This book hits the nail on the head when it comes to reading instruction and testing!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2011
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    At 118 pages, READICIDE is a concise manifesto on the "State of the Union" for reading instruction. Gallagher's primary target is high-stakes testing and the whole machine it has set in motion. Ironically, he declares, the very tests designed to improve literacy in our country are having the opposite effect. That fact, my friends, is the proverbial elephant in the room and this book, therefore, should be read by administrators and teachers alike. As for interested parents (the best kind), this book will pull the curtain back on where we're going wrong and why. It will also reveal some of the games being played in the name of higher test scores. For instance, Gallagher documents cases of states trumpeting gains while hiding the fact that the bar has been lowered to give the appearance of gains. It's almost used car salesman material. He also reveals shell games that are played with designation of students (calling them "special ed students" when they are not, for instance, or temporarily seeing that they are "unenrolled" for school until the testing period ends, a little trick from Texas).

    Gallagher doesn't leave it at that, however. He points to mistakes teachers are making as well. Some are underteaching books ("Here, read it -- I'll see you at the end."), for instance. This sets students up for failure or for a record number of SparkNotes hits when the book is too difficult, which is true of many classics assigned in the class. On the opposite side of the spectrum are teachers who overteach books. Slice it, dice it, and assign a new task every couple of pages until the students cannot possibly develop "flow" (Nancie Atwell calls it "reach the zone"). These kids (surprise!) wind up hating the book because it has been flogged to death by well-meaning teachers.

    Complaining and identifying weaknesses is all well and good, but Gallagher also offers solutions. He gives concrete ideas on how to hit the "sweet spot" in instruction when it comes to longer works. He agrees with Nancie Atwell's championing of recreational reading, but disagrees with her insistence that teaching never begin until students complete the book (and with her reluctance to take on classwide novels other than her beloved favorite, THE OUTSIDERS).

    Overall, spot on. This book calls it like it is and calls us to arms. Read it, quote it, stand up and defend your kids right to read and their right to choice. Insist, too, that they be challenged by curriculum selections requiring a teacher's expert help. In short, be a true voice for literacy by shouting down these phony pretenders from political rings and business models who insist data-driven drivel equates to a more competitive United States. It doesn't.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Mr. Gallagher,

    Thank you for condensing what good teachers coast to coast, and especially those of us in inner-city classrooms see, know and worry over still. I was recently in a room talking to State Board of Education Members from over 10 states. Our topic: Teacher Empowerment. In my opinion, not one said anything half as brave as what you've written here, nor did many of them seem to understand what we've done for the last 20 plus years. This book, your book, is teacher empowerment in its most authentic form and as stated in the introduction, should be read by educators coast to coast.

    As a 25 year teacher here in southeast San Diego, and an author of many articles on similar subjects that you've addressed I applaud you. This book will now be gifted to my student teachers and interested parents alike. Know please that there are teachers pushing back on the elephant in the classroom, and that we are working to make change so that kids love reading, and future adults too.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2011
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Whether you agree with his arguments or not, Kelly Gallagher wrote this book and made his arguments for all the right reasons: schools ARE killing reading and he wants to be part of the solution rather than the problem.

    Let me see a show of hands: how many people reading this review right now used to love reading, but had that love squashed from the ridiculous amount of analysis and minutiae of their high school English lit class? *raises hand* I don't want to criticize my high school English teachers because I truly did have some wonderfully inspiring ones, but there's something these teachers forgot to include in their curriculum which would have helped me and my classmates tremendously: time for recreational reading. And as such, I spent four years of my life reading difficult texts I wasn't ready for and completely lost my desire to read on my own (whereas in elementary school and junior high I used to DEVOUR books). I didn't get that desire back until about two years after college when I actually had the time and inclination to get back on the horse and start reading the books that I wanted to.

    In this book Gallagher makes the case for a balance of recreational reading and academic reading and why we must provide time for students to read in school. He shows why students will experience readicide if you underteach or overteach a book, and what you need to do as a teacher to reach that "sweet spot" of instruction.

    I highly recommend this book for any teacher who is drowning in a sea of worksheets and knows there is a better way, but just hasn't found it yet. This book along with Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer would be my suggestions for anyone needing to be inspired to teach reading that creates lifelong readers rather than book haters.

    This would also be a great supplement for teachers who use a reading workshop approach but would like to slowly start adding more direct-instruction into your routine. Gallagher's balanced approach of 50% recreational reading and 50% academic reading gives great suggestions for how to teach those difficult texts without slaughtering them.
    11 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Rick
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking and more
    Reviewed in Canada on March 22, 2016
    Are we (educators) a bit like those people who ignore fire alarms with, it's just a false alarm, attitudes toward the importance of developing a love of reading and developing literacy skills? Would I be convicted of contributing to readicide? Fair question, scary answer...maybe.
  • debbie waskiewich
    5.0 out of 5 stars I HIGHLY recommend this book for all middle-school and high-school teachers
    Reviewed in Canada on April 3, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Although I teach Grade 3, this book had a lot of relevant information for me to use in my classroom; however, I HIGHLY recommend this book for all middle-school and high-school teachers!
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 31, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Great book, fast delivery.