Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It,   ISBN:9781571107800

Customer Rating: 

Wow!! "Readicide" gripped me from the first page. As an avid reader as well as a future Language Arts teacher I was saddened by this blossoming concept of readicide, or "death by reading". Gallagher paints a picture of students in schools who are getting reading jammed down their throats in order to pass the tests for standards and benchmarks. There is a concern, and studies to prove this concern, that instead of getting authentic, enjoyable reading, students are being subjected to the classics in an out of control time frame to pass tests.
In high school, I was fortunate to have good English teachers that taught me the value of reading and went through the harder books with us by giving introductions and areas to think deeply about. I understood exactly what Gallagher was saying when he talked about "getting lost in a book" and losing all sense of time. I have done this more times than I can count and I find it sad that there are students out there that don't know how to do this. As a future Language Arts teacher, I am determined to use some of Gallagher's suggestions to foster a love of reading in students, without the stress of finishing a book as fast as they can and taking multiple choice tests about it. I love his 50/50 approach, where all his students read two books at a time-one for pleasure and one for curriculum.
Loving books the way I do and getting my hands on any book I can when I can really made me emotional about some of the studies and information in his book. I recommend this book to any teacher, almost teacher, and any parent that wants more for their child than regurgitation and misunderstanding of some of the greatest books out there.

Customer Rating: 

This is a great book and harsh inditement of reading instruction. The subject applies to all other academic instruction as well!!!

Customer Rating: 

This is a great book and harsh inditement of reading instruction. The subject applies to all other academic instruction as well!!!

Customer Rating: 

Kelly Gallagher knows exactly how reading is changing the landscape of classrooms and how the students in those classrooms are reacting to the current reading instruction. Test preparation worksheets, required reading for points or prizes, constant discussion or lack there of, thus keeping students from being able to "just read a good book, and the shortage of interesting reading materials all work together to cause readicide.

Readicide is defined as the systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools. Gallagher tells us that some of our reading education practices, intended to make better readers, rather are contributing to the decline in reading.

The book has concrete suggestions for preventing readicide. These include, guided tour - budget tour, topic flood, one pager,
If you are a reading teacher you need this book. If you teach adolescents you need this book. It is short just over a hundred pages, easy to read and great suggestions for using in any classroom to motivate students.

Customer Rating: 

Kelly Gallagher is right on the money in this book. This book should be a must read for school administrators, parents, and teachers.