A Community of Readers: A Thematic Approach to Reading

Roberta Alexander, Jan Lombardi

Cengage Learning, Feb 21, 2006 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 588 pages

Organized around high-interest contemporary themes, A Community of Readers presents college-level reading skills in the context of current and real-life issues relevant to students. A Community of Readers offers guided, in-depth instruction in all segments of the reading and learning process: reading, discussing, writing, and critical thinking. The authors use a unique system to teach the reading process called PRO (Prepare to Read, Read Actively and Reflect, and Organize to learn), which gives students a concrete learning device to follow. Each chapter introduces a key reading skill (main idea, vocabulary, inference), with all readings in that chapter centered on the same theme; this thematic organization helps students develop schema while improving their reading skills. The Fourth Edition emphasizes basic reading skills as well as higher level, critical reading skills, examining fact and opinion, understanding bias, and thinking critically.

Contents

• Skills Instruction and Thematic Readings: 1
• Education: 5
• PRO: 7
• CHAPTER REVIEW: 32
• MASTERY TEST 1A How to Remember Carole Wade and Carol Tavris: 36
• Mastery Test 1B What Is Collaborative Learning Toni HaringSmith: 43
• Computer Technology and Beyond: 51
• Word Parts: 68
• The Dictionary: 78
• Textbook Aids and Specialized Vocabulary: 90
• Our Food Our Culture: 109
• Staying Well: 171
• SUPPORTING POINTS: 175
• Where We Live: 229
• COMBINED PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION: 259
• CHAPTER REVIEW: 273
• Mastery Test 5B Sociological Perspectives on Urbanization and City Life: 280
• Dealing with Gender: 287
• Tannen Sex Lies and Conversation: 304
• INFERENCES FROM WORDS: 307
• READING LITERATURE: 314
• CHAPTER REVIEW: 333
• Health: 339
• MASTERY Test 6B The Men We Carry in Our Minds Scott Russell Sanders: 343
• Living in a Diverse Society: 351
• Reading 1: 353
• EVALUATING FACTS: 361
• EVALUATING OPINIONS: 371
• CHAPTER REVIEW: 387
• Mastery Test 7B Can We All Get Along? Al Martinez: 397
• Science Society and Disease: 405
• CRITICAL THINKING: 411
• Reading 3: 424
• CHAPTER REVIEW: 437
• Mastery Test 8B Making Well People Better Pat Mooney: 449
• Additional Readings and Exercises: 459
• Social and Ethical: 468
• Creativity and Longevity: 477
• Cumulative Mastery Tests: 509
• A Readers Toolkit: 529
• Living in a Diverse Society: 535
• TEST TAKING: 545
• WRITING TIPS FOR READERS: 549
• Reader Response Journals: 550
• READING CIRCLES: 558
• Poster Sessions: 567
• Bibliography: 577
• Cunningham Use the Tools for College Success: 580
• Photo and Art Credits: 583

About the author

Dr. Roberta Alexander is Professor Emeritus at San Diego City College. She has taught Reading, Composition, Literature, Chicano Studies, and Black Studies as well as English as a Second Language courses for the San Diego Community College District since 1974. Formerly the Department Chair of English, Chair of Chairs, and Academic Senate President, she now focuses on teaching and writing. She is the author of a series of college reading textbooks. Dr. Alexander earned her BA in Spanish Literature from University of California, Berkeley and her PhD in Comparative Literature from University of California, San Diego.

Bibliographic information

• Title: A Community of Readers: A Thematic Approach to Reading
• Authors: Roberta Alexander, Jan Lombardi
• Edition: 4, illustrated
• Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2006
• ISBN: 0618918663, 9780618918669
• Length: 588 pages
• Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Reading Skills