This issues reader presents current information on critical trends and developments in literacy education to help teachers choose and articulate their own informed approach to reading education. Now in its Fourth Edition,Issues and Trends in Literacy Educationcontinues to present a wide variety of opinions and positions in all crucial aspects of reading and writing education. This new edition includes up-to-date discussions on current topics such as fluency, the use of technology in reading, and multicultural literacy, among others. Renowned authors Dick Robinson, Mike McKenna, and Judy Wedman gear students to success by presenting scrupulously researched material that meets the NCATE/International Reading Association requirements for accreditation of graduate reading programs. A Letter to Students from the Authors Dear Reader, The authors of this literacy education textbook welcome you to the study of this important aspect of instruction. You are probably quite aware of the many current controversial topics in literacy such as assessment, the use of technology, and approaches to the teaching of reading skills. This new edition ofIssues and Trends in Literacy Educationwas organized around a number of the most critical questions in the current field. Articles in each of these areas were selected primarily on the basis of providing you, the reader, with the latest information as well as varying opinions on a wide variety of literacy topics. One of the primary goals of this book is for you to use these readings as a "springboard" for further investigation in topics that interest you related to effective literacy instruction. Each of the chapters includes a selection of related readings for additional study in a particular area of reading education. These can be used for in-depth study as well as a basis for personal research and writing of related class papers and presentations. The field of literacy education is a rapidly expanding and changing area in education. We hope you find the materials in this book to be both challenging and interest as you continue your study of this field. Thank you, Dick Robinson Mike McKenna