From the Inside Flap
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A Map to the Magic of Reading
Stop for a moment and wonder: what's happening in your brain
right now—as you read this paragraph? How much do you know about
the innumerable and amazing connections that your mind is making
as you, in a flash, make sense of this request? Why does it
matter?
The Reading Mind is a brilliant, beautifully crafted, and
accessible exploration of arguably life's most important skill:
reading. Daniel T. Willingham, the bestselling author of Why
Don't Students Like School?, offers a perspective that is rooted
in contemporary cognitive research. He deftly describes the
incredibly complex and nearly instantaneous series of events that
occur from the moment a child sees a single letter to the time
they finish reading. The Reading Mind explains the fascinating
journey from seeing letters, then words, sentences, and so on,
with the author highlighting each step along the way. This
resource covers every aspect of reading, starting with two
fundamental processes: reading by sight and reading by sound. It
also addresses reading comprehension at all levels, from reading
for understanding at early levels to inferring deeper meaning
from texts and novels in high school. The author also considers
the undeniable connection between reading and writing, as well as
the important role of motivation as it relates to reading.
Finally, as a cutting-edge researcher, Willingham tackles the
intersection of our rapidly changing technology and its effects
on learning to read and reading.
Every teacher, reading specialist, literacy coach, and school
administrator will find this book invaluable. Understanding the
fascinating science behind the magic of reading is essential for
every educator. Indeed, every "reader" will be captivated by the
dynamic but invisible workings of their own minds.
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From the Back Cover
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PRAISE FOR THE READING MIND
"Willingham's ability to make cognitive research on reading
coherent and comprehensible is exceptional. This book should be
standard fare in every doctoral education course on reading."
—Isabel L. Beck, Professor Emerita, School of Education,
University of Pittsburgh
"This is another of Willingham's essential books for educational
professionals, and anyone else interested in the reading
process—telling them the cognitive science and practical
implications of research in the domain of reading. No one does
this kind of book better than Willingham!" —Keith E. Stanovich,
author of Progress in Understanding Reading and The Rationality
Quotient
"Willingham captures the magic of reading while simultaneously
demystifying how we read. He brings key experimental findings to
light as he takes us on the journey from recognizing individual
words to constructing meaning from text. Beautifully written,
clear and accessible, yet still embracing complexities rather
than shying away from them—this book is essential reading for
anyone interested in how we read." —Kate Nation, professor of
Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford; fellow and tutor
in Psychology, St. John's College
"What goes on in the mind as we read? How do people learn to
read? What motivates some to read more than others? For those
curious about these questions, and for those who care about
children learning to read and growing as readers, this delightful
book explains this highly complex topic through fascinating
studies and lively examples. With probing questions included, The
Reading Mind will make a terrific book club read or textbook."
—Ellen McIntyre, dean and professor, College of Education,
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
"Willingham's work will deepen your understanding of the many
facets of reading and literacy, as well as how the brain
processes what amounts to an astoundingly complex and
historically unlikely process. This book should be required
reading for anyone with a vested interest in the written word."
—Kristofor Lauricella, History teacher, High School for Youth &
Community Development, Brooklyn, New York
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About the Author
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DANIEL T. WILLINGHAM, PHD, is professor of psychology at the
University of Virginia. His bestselling first book, Why Don't
Students Like School?, was hailed as "brilliant analysis" by The
Wall Street Journal and "a triumph" by The Washington Post,
recommended by scores of education-related magazines and blogs,
and translated into many languages. His second book, When Can You
Trust the Experts? How to Tell Good Science from Bad in
Education, was named recommended reading by Nature and Scientific
American, and made Choice's list of outstanding academic titles
for 2013. His companion to this book, Raising Kids Who Read,
garnered recognition from NPR and Learning & the Brain.
Willingham writes a regular column called Ask the Cognitive
Scientist for the American Federation of Teachers' magazine,
American Educator. In 2017, Willingham was named by President
Obama to the National Board for Education Sciences. He received a
BA from Duke University and a PhD from Harvard University.
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