Children with spelling difficulties are limited in their participation in all written school activities. We aimed to investigate the influence of word-prediction as a tool on spelling accuracy and typing speed. To this end, we selected 80 Grade 4-6 children with spelling difficulties in a school for special needs to participate in a research…

To address the issue of declining reading achievement in the school where she worked, the author analyzed reading records and written work of primary students attending several district elementary schools over the course of one school year. From that analysis, it appeared that an obstacle to reading success for many children in the third grade was…

This project investigated six 2nd-grade students' use of word study instruction to mediate spelling while writing in their journals. In particular, the researchers examined the students' use of the orthographic principles, sample words, and spelling strategies that had been taught during developmental word study lessons. Results of the project…

The authors recommend a reading tutoring lesson framework, in a checklist format, to guide volunteer tutors during tutoring sessions for children in elementary grades 1-3. The reading tutor checklist is intended to be used by literacy coaches, reading specialists, and classroom teachers to train literacy volunteers in schools. The checklist…

Teachers at the intermediate level can now take advantage of the small-group differentiated reading model introduced to the early learning community in Beverly Tyner's bestseller of 2004. This classroom-tested, research-based model supports reading, writing, and spelling as integrated processes. Differentiated instruction can help the reader meet…

The purpose of this article is to describe the professional development plan for an elementary school receiving federal funding through the Reading Excellence Act (REA). The Reading Excellence Act provided the school with a two-year plan for literacy improvement. During the first year of the grant, assessment-driven instruction and flexible…

The authors advocate that a high-quality curriculum is an important first step toward good teaching and successful learning. Good curriculum comes from knowing what students can do, can almost do, and need to learn how to do as readers, writers, and language users. In this book, the authors combine their experience and learning in literacy…

"Sort Stories: Leveled Reading Supplement to Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Letter Name-Alphabet Spellers" effectiveness was tested using five English language learner (ELL) students in the fifth and sixth grade. "Sort Stories" uses the word lists and accompanying clip-art from "Words Their Way" in developmental, grade-level specific, short read…