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

Summary

Is the love of reading dying in our schools? If so, why? And what can be done about it? Educators are familiar with many of the factors that have contributed to the decline- poverty, second-language issue, and competing entertainment. In his provocative new book, national literacy consultant Kelly Gallagher suggests, however, that it is time to recognise a new and significant contributor to the death of reading: our schools. In Readicide, Kelly argues that American schools are actively (though unwittingly) furthering the decline of reading-specifically, he contends, through the standard instructional practices used in most schools. Kelly doesn't settle identifying only the problems. Readicide provides educators with specific steps to reverse the downward spiral in reading- steps that will help prevent the loss of another generation of readers.