7 Mighty Moves: Research-Backed, Classroom-Tested Strategies to Ensure K-to-3 Reading Success

This thoroughly researched book to help teach literacy to young students highlights seven important areas of primary reading. As for the title, “The moves represent changes I made in those areas after learning about effective reading instruction,” the author states in the introduction. For example, educators can use decodable texts for early readers, instead of texts that are predictable. With decodable texts, there is a positive focus on actively learning to read, rather than using pictures or predictions to passively guess the words. Instead of extensive silent reading and instructing students in phonics through isolated lessons to enhance the ability of students to fluently read, Kemeny suggests that reading aloud through multiple methods and opportunities is a better strategy. Additionally, the author presents a different technique for “sight words.” Instead of using cues from context or pictures for word decoding, educators can focus on correspondences between sound and spelling for the actual reading of words by students. Employing dry erase boards when teaching phonics is also offered as a useful and practical strategy to foster active learning. Although K–3 teachers will derive the greatest benefit from this work, it can also be of practical use to any reading teacher or elementary school librarian.