Research Paper on:
Summary, Review and Critique of Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6 by Fountas and Pinnell

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy" (2000) provides the next essential teaching steps in the educational process after their introductory reading and writing texts for the earlier grades. This text addresses  the unique and more mature content handled in the later elementary grades while it "explores all the essential components of quality literacy programs in six separate sections: breakthrough to literacy;  independent reading; guided reading; literature study; teaching for comprehension and word analysis; and, the reading and writing connection" (Fountas and Pinnell, 2000). The writers have different focus and targets intended  to benefit from this book; the teachers and the students as it will help teachers educate students how to "discover their voices as writers and refine their instincts as readers"  and will establish a foundation for teachers to attain this goal (Fountas and Pinnell, 2000, p. iv). Overall, the book provides a highly comprehensive and more importantly, practical application of  the methods they outline which also includes many resource materials for direct application to the learning environment from which teachers will highly benefit. The first section on "breakthrough to literacy"  outlines a basic "three-block" framework for teachers which include elements of language and word study, reading and writing, and visual arts. The blocks can be used as conceptual units by  the teachers or can be used as scheduling factors in setting up classroom units. In addition to the resources which relate directly to the blocks, teachers are also provided with  suggestions as to how to set up their classrooms to use the teaching blocks effectively as well as useful management techniques (Fountas and Pinnell, 2000). The second section on "independent  reading" highlights the important aspects required by teachers in regards to teaching students to develop independent reading skills. These skills include elements of exploring the structure of reading, learning through