Making Assessment Matter Using Test Results to Differentiate Reading Instruction

"This is one of the strongest and most engaging books I have ever read. It speaks directly to teachers about issues that are meaningful to them. I love the book's focus on code- and meaning-based skills, assessment, and instruction. Lesaux and Marietta provide the tools for teachers and schools to bring these ideas to their classrooms. Especially appealing are the realistic examples and the careful scaffolding of assessment practices. I work in high-poverty, low-performing schools on a routine basis, and this book needs to be in the hands of teachers and principals in these schools. It will make a difference to student learning. I would also use the book in my undergraduate course on early literacy and my graduate course on assessment." - Diane M. Barone, University of Nevada, USA "I wish this book had been available 12 years ago when I first began to work on a whole-school change process. It is an important, uniquely helpful resource that I highly recommend to literacy leaders, coaches, and administrators as a road map for effecting literacy improvement through sensible alignment of assessment and instruction. The authors have managed to capture the complex nature of reading and reading difficulties, while not making the discussion complicated! I especially appreciated the focus on providing high-quality classroom instruction (for the good of the whole class) while acknowledging the individual needs of specific students. The respectful tone and clear recommendations for more deliberate instruction will make this book a welcome addition to the library of anyone committed to improving reading for all students." - Marjorie Y. Lipson, University of Vermont, USA "Lesaux and Marietta clearly know what it is really like in schools and classrooms today. They offer a balanced perspective on assessment that acknowledges the realities of high-stakes testing while keeping students' learning needs the central focus. The book provides a systematic way for teachers and administers to make the shift from assessment of learning to assessment for learning. The approach presented here is doable and realistic." - M. Susan Dee, classroom teacher, Biddeford, Maine, USA "Improving literacy instruction for all children has been an elusive goal for education systems. Traditional attempts that fragment literacy instruction by segregating groups of children - such as those with disabilities and those learning to speak a new language - have not been effective. Finally, we have a book that will guide the way to more inclusive universally designed approaches for all children. Lesaux and Marietta have united literacy research and practice, creating an essential book for all educators." - Thomas Hehir, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Massachusetts, USA, and U.S. Department of Education