The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping Students Make Meaning from Text

Comprehension is a primary ingredient of reading success—but most educators aren't taught how to deliver structured comprehension instruction in their classrooms. K–8 teachers will find the guidance they need in this groundbreaking professional resource from Nancy Hennessy, former IDA President and an expert on reading comprehension. Meticulously researched and masterfully organised, this book offers a clear blueprint for understanding the complexities of reading comprehension and delivering high-quality, evidence-based instruction that helps students construct meaning from challenging texts.

Aligned with the science of reading and IDA's Structured Literacy approach, this book is a must for in-service educators and an ideal supplement to pair with core literacy textbooks. Today's teachers will get the essential knowledge and practical tools they need to help every student become a proficient reader—and build a strong foundation for school success.

Educators will:

• Get critical background knowledge. Synthesising decades of research on reading comprehension, this book provides educators with all the fundamentals they need to teach this key component of reading proficiency.
• Master the blueprint. Teachers will get a complete framework for organising instruction, aligned with the language comprehension strands of Scarborough's Reading Rope. In-depth chapters are devoted to each facet of reading comprehension, including vocabulary, syntax and sentence comprehension, text structures, background knowledge, and levels of understanding and inference.
• Make it work in the classroom. Educators will find practical guidance and tools for planning their units and lessons, adapting to the needs of individual students, and assessing student progress. (An interactive book study guide makes this book easy to use as a professional development resource.)

PRACTICAL MATERIALS: To help them apply the science of reading comprehension and design high-quality instruction, teachers will get classroom activities, sample lesson plans, and questions that help them reflect on and strengthen their practices. The photocopiable teaching resources, including unit and lesson plan organisers, can be used again and again in the classroom.

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"Nobody does research to practice better than Nancy Hennessy. The Reading Comprehension Blueprint is an ideal blend of research and practical application that provides educators with the tools necessary to break down the complex task of teaching reading comprehension."
- Amy Elleman, Middle Tennessee State University

"A much-needed resource for any educator . . . provides the reader a deep understanding and practical guide to reflect, plan, and strengthen their instruction to benefit all students."
- Jena Funck, Educational Administration

"Hennessy unravels all the threads in the tapestry of comprehension, giving the reader the opportunity to see and understand the multiple fibers woven into full comprehension when supported by knowledgeable, research-based instruction."
- Judith Birsh, Co-editor of Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, Fourth Edition

"A comprehensive and practical book complete with evidence-based strategies for improving reading comprehension. . . . [S]hould be a required reading for all educators."
- Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Editor of Literacy Foundations for English Learners

"Wonderful, timely, and much needed! Nancy Hennessy's blueprint is a critical resource for changing the reading landscape across the country."
- Suzanne Carreker, Principal Educational Content Lead, Lexia Learning, A Rosetta Stone Company

"Masterfully translates the research into everyday practice . . . the perfect tool to support the educator who is interested and invested in implementing change in the classroom to teach a variety of students who deserve to reach their full potential as skilled readers. Nancy Hennessy is a true gift to our field."
- Pat Roberts & Nancy Blair, Co-Founders of AIM Academy and AIM Institute for Learning & Research

"Grounded in the science of reading and Scarborough's Reading Rope, this framework bridges the research-to-practice divide and arms teachers with the tools they need for knowledgeable, informed practice."
- Pamela Kastner, Literacy Statewide Lead, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)