Suggests ways to help college English-as-a-Second-Language learners become readers and in turn develop language comprehension. These include bringing a variety of books into the classroom, allowing students to choose their own books, providing blocks of time for independent reading and group discussion, and freeing the environment of…

Reviews research on students' attitudes toward reading. Argues that, given more free reading time and more choice about what to read, students are more likely to form the habit of lifelong reading. (SR)

Advocates teaching developmental students to apply the schemata they unconsciously use when choosing movies or television programs to select recreational books. Reviews six steps in surveying/previewing recreational books and three stages of diminishing teacher involvement in book selection. (DMM)

Conceived as a twentieth anniversary tribute to the Reading Is Fundamental Program, this book contains a varied collection of stories, poems, and drawings by some of America's most famous authors and artists of books for children, relating real and imaginary childhood memories that celebrate the joys of reading and the magic of children's…

Reasoning that in a basic English class there is barely enough time to read one or two novels a year, an English teacher convinced the principal of a Youngstown junior-senior high school that an independent reading course would be of tremendous value to those students who are avid readers as well as those who enjoy reading but can never seem to…

Finds that college freshmen's opinions on vocabulary acquisition agree with the results of recent research, which states that free reading is the most efficient and effective means of acquiring vocabulary in a first language. Results contrast with a study of university foreign language students, most of whom did not value reading as a means of…

Discusses the difficulties connected with preparing students to read "the classics" for pleasure. (EL)

Discusses the effects of the grading standards of the National Criteria on Reading and stresses the importance of teaching children to enjoy reading and to appreciate literature. (DF)

Reports findings of a survey of elementary school children concerning their preferences when being read to by others. Gives their responses to the survey's 11 questions and draws recommendations from them. (FL)

Discusses how teachers can make schools and classrooms literate environments. Presents two sets of correspondence between a teacher and her eighth grade students to show how they learned to approach reading and writing as "insiders." (HTH)

Questions the value of classic literature in teaching secondary school students to read for pleasure. Suggests that a better vehicle for the same goal is young adult literature like "The Outsiders." (TB)

Reading can become a central focus in family learning. Families should develop reading plans to encourage children to read. Families should develop their own home resource centers of books and other learning materials. (BJV)

Reviews reasons why many teachers are moving away from the basal approach to teaching reading. Describes literature-based instruction, and suggests the adjustments that teachers and students will need to make. Describes two plans for literature + basal partnerships as an intermediate step between the basal and a totally literature-based approach.…

Offers specific suggestions to teachers of elementary and middle school English-as-a-Second-Language students for helping their students develop a positive attitude toward reading. Teachers can help students become readers by developing their sense of control and competence in tasks, materials, and the environment. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that the figure of the bear (and animals in general) in children's literature is a pleasing one to children, and helps them learn to love their instinctive, natural selves. (JC)