Two experimental reading development courses were conducted for six partially sighted students who read so slowly that they could not complete their study assignments. At the end of each course, the participants' proficiency in reading improved dramatically. (Author)

Vocabulary is the hallmark of an educated person as it not only promotes reading comprehension but also enables to actively participate in the society. The four practices that teachers can use to expand students' vocabularies and improve their reading are presented.

This article focuses on a literacy approach called free voluntary reading. In schools, this approach is often called sustained silent reading, or SSR. The secret of its effectiveness is simple: children become better readers by reading, and it may be the only way to help children become better readers, writers, and spellers. Study after study has…

At school, Salem, (pseudonym) was below his reading level but above his writing level according to his teacher. At home, his father perceived Salem as a proficient reader capable of working independently. From the author's point-of-view, Salem needed to revalue himself as a reader through understanding that his miscues are an attempt to construct…

This article describes an instrument for diagnosing shorthand learning problems, with an outline of diagnostic activities and a student score sheet, and describes prescriptive activities to aid in solving or overcoming shorthand learning problems. Includes suggestions for improving reading rate, transcription, and dictation. (CT)

Virtually all public libraries in the United States provide some type of summer library reading program during the traditional summer vacation period. Summer library reading programs provide opportunities for students of many ages and abilities to practice their reading skills and maintain skills that are developed during the school year. Fiore…

The Ogden, Utah schools have used the mandates of the federal Reading First grant program to transform reading instruction and student achievement in low-performing schools. Reading First was approved by Congress in 2001 under the No Child Left Behind Act to bring scientifically based reading methods and materials to struggling schools. The $1…

Project RAISSE, which stands for Reading Assistance Initiative for Secondary School Educators, focuses on site-based content area study groups led by a content area teacher trained as a coach/literacy leader with some roles and responsibilities commensurate with a literacy coach. The goal of Project RAISSE is to enhance students' reading…

Educational leaders need to ask themselves how it is possible that nearly 40% of 329,969 Texas fourth grade students are reading below grade level? With accountability standards rising, how does any school with an at-risk population produce fluent readers and in turn master grade level expectations? Scholars agree that meaning derives from…

In this article, the author introduces a series of practical strategies to support the development of an innovative and technology-rich curriculum. The author begins with the importance of understanding what possibilities for innovation exist given the relationship between curriculum, equity issues, and education reform. The author then discusses…

This pamphlet discusses how Ohio is attempting to meet the challenge to eradicate functional illiteracy within the time span of the 1970's. Included in the contents are: planning guidelines, the organizational structure, the overall objectives of the Ohio program, report of the first year of the program, second year developments and…

Recounts the launching of the California Reading Initiative that was designed to improve reading instruction and provide students access to good books. Elaborates on the "living" list of about 1,000 books, divided in three sections, intended for classroom, independent, and middle school grade use. (JK)

Reprints a reading classic, originally published in this journal in 1979. Describes the method of repeated readings, discussing the procedure, comprehension, and theoretical rationale. Compares it with music and sports and notes how versions of this method were used in early schooling. (SR)

Founder and executive director of National Reading Styles Institute (www.nrsi.com) describes several instructional methods designed to help below-level readers improve their reading skills, such as choral reading, echo reading, and recording. Describes positive effects of reading style instructional methods in a Texas elementary school and a…

Provides an overview of the America Reads Challenge and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's (CSPAC) education projects. Analyzes the joint CSPAC/America Reads puppet project, and considers its efficacy. Proposes that immediate, focused evaluation helps demonstrate quantitatively the local impact of an educational theatre project, while…