What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction - International ...

Coming Up: Get Ready for Session 2
At the next session, we’ll be talking about “What Reading Research
Says: The Promises and Limitations of Applying Research to Reading
Education,” the first chapter of What Research Has to Say About Reading
Instruction. The text describes the disagreement and confusion over
the meaning of the term research-based instruction. Author Timothy
Shanahan advocates for increased thoughtfulness about approaches
to and interpretations of research, outlines types and purposes of
educational research, and discusses how we can best use research to
inform our instruction.
While you’re reading the chapter this week in preparation for our
group meeting, think about these questions:
• In your own teaching, how do you determine if instruction and
instructional tools are “research based”?
• What sort of evidence do you have about instructional
effectiveness that you can use to improve instruction and student
achievement?
• How are you now applying, or how might you apply, research to
practice in your classroom?
From the Professional Development Edition of What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction (3rd ed.),
© 2009 International Reading Association.
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