A Community of Readers: A Thematic Approach to Reading (7th Edition) / Edition 7

by Roberta Alexander, Jan Jarrell

Overview

A COMMUNITY OF READERS: A THEMATIC APPROACH TO READING, 7th Edition, helps developing readers engage in all steps of the reading and learning process: reading, discussing and reflecting, writing, and critical thinking. Using the unique PRO system—Prepare to Read, Read actively and reflect, and Organize to learn—students develop and follow a concrete learning process that helps them examine fact and opinion, understand bias, think critically, write effectively, and much more. Each chapter focuses on a theme, helping emerging readers develop schema, and also introduces a key reading skill such as identifying main ideas or understanding inferences. The second of two books in series, A COMMUNITY OF READERS: A THEMATIC APPROACH TO READING has been fully updated with new full-length readings, a variety of new visual aids, and a revised Reader’s Toolkit for self-testing and improving reading skills.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781305109643
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	01/01/2015
Edition description:	7th Edition
Pages:	512
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dr. Roberta Alexander is Professor Emeritus at San Diego City College. She has taught Reading, Composition, Literature, Chicano Studies and Black Studies as well as English as a Second Language courses for the San Diego Community College District since 1974. Formerly the Department Chair of English, Chair of Chairs and Academic Senate President, she now focuses on teaching and writing and is the author of a series of college reading textbooks. Dr. Alexander earned her BA in Spanish Literature from University of California, Berkeley and her PhD in Comparative Literature from University of California, San Diego.

Jan Jarrell is chair of the Academic Senate at San Diego City College. A professor of English and English Language Acquisition, she has taught English as a Second Language, Reading and Composition courses in both the credit and noncredit divisions of the San Diego Community College District since 1989. Her numerous leadership positions include Department Chair, Chair of Chairs, Interim Associate Dean and Basic Skills Coordinator.

Table of Contents

PART I: SKILLS INSTRUCTION AND THEMATIC READINGS. 1. The Reading Process: Joining a Community of Readers. 2. Working with Words: Living with Technology. 3. Topics and Main Ideas: Our Food, Our Culture. 4. Support for Main Ideas: Staying Well. 5. Patterns of Organization: Where We Live, Our Communities. 6. Inferences and Reading Literature: Dealing with Gender. 7. Facts and Opinions: Living in a Diverse Society. 8. Critical Thinking: Crime and Punishment. PART II: A READER’S TOOLKIT. 1. Reading Visual Aids. 2. Note Taking: The Cornell Note-Taking System. 3. Test Taking. 4. Writing Tips for Readers. 5. Evaluating and Navigating Websites. 6. Reader Response Journals. 7. Reading Circles. 8. Poster Sessions. 9. Suggested Reading for Book Projects. Index.

Editorial Reviews

"I like the thematic chapters - I think the examples and structure of the book is the best I've seen. Periodically I look at the texts which are something like skills for critical reading but I find the structure better in this one. My favorite part is at the end of the vocabulary section where students are reminded they don't need to look up words. Throughout the text, there's a realistic bent to the content. So I can usually follow it up by saying, let's face it....and we can talk about real things that students do. I also love the note-taking chapter (chapter 4). It stresses that students are unique and I encourage that."

"I especially like having a variety of readings to select from in each chapter, as well as having various practice exercises in each chapter. The reading topics are very interesting and deal with many current issues as well being presented at a level that is appropriate level for college students in developmental reading classes. Having a theme for each chapter brings cohesiveness to all the work in each chapter."

From the Publisher