The debate continues as to whether the underachievement of boys has reached "crisis" levels. Therefore, in an effort to increase the achievement of male readers, this article provides five teacher recommendations from the perspective of Derek, a sixth grade struggling reader. Derek is a soft-spoken, amiable African American who has consistently…

Within the context of the national debate about boys' achievement in secondary schools, this article examines young people's conceptions of the success of the "Full On" magazine designed to encourage boys to read more and to challenge the negative aspects of a "lad" culture. The article begins with an analysis of the magazine, its editorial policy…

In the early 1980s, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) revised its policies on reading instruction. A new transactional definition of reading shifted the emphasis from discrete reading skills to comprehension and set out objectives consistent with that new definition. Policymakers also revised the state?s reading-evaluation instruments,…