"Literacy Achievement and Diversity" is the indispensable collection to the wisdom of respected literacy researcher Kathy Au. In this timely book, Au addresses the question of what educators can do to close the literacy achievement gap. She begins by outlining theory and research and then provides practical strategies to help teachers improve the literacy learning of students of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The overall message of this book is that the literacy achievement gap can be closed by adhering to four, proven-effective keys to success: (1) recognizing that the solution must be multi-faceted, (2) providing students with ample instruction in higher level thinking with text, (3) building on the strengths that students bring from the home, and (4) pulling schools together as places where teachers can collaborate to reach a shared vision of excellence in literacy achievement. Book features include: (1) Provides a social constructivist perspective on closing the literacy achievement gap; (2) Offers a detailed treatment of culturally responsive instruction and its role in improving literacy achievement; (3) Addresses complex topics--such as phonics, nonmainstream varieties of English, and ownership of literacy--in a clear and understandable manner; and (4) Includes a reflection activity for students at the end of each chapter. [Foreword by Patricia A. Edwards.]