Book excerpt: Introduces core principles of effective reading practice. Presented as a definitive checklist, these principles form the basis of much of the book and help teachers plan their reading curriculum and assess their teaching of reading easily and confidently. First, the authors introduce the checklist, then they present the theory of reading behind it. As the chapters progress, each item on the checklist is explained and illustrated in detail with examples of eight exemplary teachers who work effectively with mainstream, ESL, and bilingual students. Daily schedules, sample strategy lessons, and lists of literature at different grade levels--both elementary and secondary--help readers put the principles into practice. In the final chapter, the authors address some of the hard questions teachers, administrators, and parents raise about reading, including questions about phonics and phonemic awareness.