The Reading Comprehension Blueprint Activity Book: A Practice & Planning Guide for Teachers

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by Nancy Hennessy and Julia Salamone

Grounded in the science of reading, this book is a practical field guide to intentional instruction that enhances reading comprehension skills for all learners. The activity book covers every section of the Blueprint: vocabulary, syntax and sentence comprehension, text structures, background knowledge, and levels of understanding and inference as well as expression of understanding. For each of these critical areas, this activity book gives educators:

  • Clear and concise guidance on the what, why, and how of instruction
  • Sample lesson plans that teachers can use as models for their own
  • Instructional activities that help students build key skills needed for comprehension
  • Ready-to-use tips for successful teaching
  • "Try This" activities that help teachers reflect on and hone their instruction
  • Supports for diverse learners, including students with learning disabilities and English language learners
  • Reader-friendly definitions of important terms
  • Links to multimedia content for further learning

Perfect for professional development, this hands-on resource can be studied by individual educators, discussed in small groups, or used as the focus for a training program or learning community. A must-have for current and future K-8 educators, reading specialists, and other practitioners, this activity book helps teachers apply their knowledge of structured comprehension instruction in their classrooms—and strengthen reading success for every learner.

Product details

Publisher: Brookes Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-68125-762-4
Paperback: 240 pages
Language: English

Editorial Reviews

Melissa Loftus And Lori Sappington, Hosts of the Melissa & Lori Love Literacy podcast:

"Clear step-by-step instructional routines to implement in your classroom tomorrow…A perfect companion to [Hennessy’s] Blueprint."

Nancy Chapel Eberhardt, Educational consultant and coauthor of Sortegories and Syntax: Knowledge to Practice: "Translates the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of reading comprehension instruction into the ‘how."
Stephanie Stollar, Ph.D., Mount St. Joseph University, Founder of the Reading Science Academy: “When you are trying to learn something new and complex, nothing compares to seeing multiple examples at different grade levels, and this book delivers exactly that."

About the Author

Ms. Hennessy is an experienced teacher, diagnostician and administrator who currently works as a literacy consultant. Nancy has worked across grade levels K–12 with both general and special educators. While in public schools, she provided leadership in the development of innovative curriculum for special needs students and a statewide revision of special education code, and she led a state-of-the-art professional development program for all teachers. She is a former Wilson Language Lead Trainer and National Trainer for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS; Sopris-West).

Nancy has delivered keynote addresses, workshops, and training to educators nationally and internationally on topics including professional development, strategic planning, and components of skilled reading and writing and dyslexia. She has also developed professional development offerings on reading instruction for the AIM Institute of Learning & Research and on dyslexia for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Most recently, Nancy has focused on delivering virtual and in-person professional learning opportunities focused on reading comprehension.

Nancy co-authored the second revision of Module 6 of LETRS, Digging for Meaning: Teaching Text Comprehension, and authored Chapter 15, “Working with Word Meaning: Vocabulary Instruction,” in Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, fourth edition (Birsh & Carreker, 2018).

Nancy has held various positions for the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), including President, Branch Council Chair, and National Conference Chair. She also served on the National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities. She is an honorary member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, the 2011 recipient of IDA’s Margaret Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award, and the recipient of the 2012 June Lyday Orton Award from the North Carolina Branch of IDA (NCIDA).