The latest reading assessment results of the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP-13) reveal that the majority (88%) of Canadian 13-year-olds perform at or above the expected level of proficiency. These results also reveal a persistent literacy gap between boys and girls: with the Canadian average set at 500, girls outscore boys by 23 points (see…

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." This is a well-known adage with which many are familiar. Children learn it from an early age as they begin to walk, ride their bike, or tie their shoes. Adults repeatedly encourage children by saying, "You can do it! Give it a try! Just try harder!" However, when trying harder…

Starting with the observation that unless young people begin reading the newspaper for information rather than entertainment they are not likely to sustain a newspaper reading habit into adulthood, this paper goes on to describe a national movement that has begun in the United States to take the newspaper into the public schools. An estimated 600…

Children's drawings about reading and writing have unrealized potential for helping uncover the literacy narratives students bring to school and use to make sense of reading and writing. In this article, we highlight how one boy's drawing about literacy revealed his interpretation of his school's policy on violence as a topic of writing, which…

To encourage the students in her French class to read books in French, a teacher implemented a project involving literary journals. Students recorded their reflections on their reading, first of a novel chosen by the teacher, then of individually chosen novels. Appropriate evaluation of the journals posed a particular dilemma. (JLR)

"Wahkohtowin," a Cree word meaning kinship or the state of being related, is a fundamental concept for understanding Indigenous culture and traditional beliefs (Ermine 2001). This article describes how three researchers in western Canada incorporated this concept into a research project that compared Indigenous and non-Indigenous…

Describes a reading practice program offered by a public library for children in grades two through six who are reading below their grade level. The focus on reading for pleasure and developing self confidence through individual sessions with volunteers is discussed. An assessment of the program is also presented. (CLB)

The New Brunswick (Canada) Comprehensive Reading/Language Arts Plan (NBCRP) is an integrative framework of goals not only for a developmental reading/language arts program but also for the special students regardless of classification. The NBCRP proposes three major categories of action: (1) the institution and improvement of a reading/language…