As new information and communication technologies permeate classrooms and libraries, educators have the responsibility to assist students in comprehending and understanding the information that is now available online. How can we instruct students to become skilled, strategic readers when they encounter online texts and hypertextual formats? By…

The authors outline a research study that explores the plight of students who direct so much effort into decoding that comprehension suffers. They make the case that difficulties in reading for older readers (intermediate, middle, and high school) could be due to reading fluency difficulties, and they offer strategies for helping these students…

Students derive more benefits from attending developmental reading courses that are an integral part of the academic curricula (Maxwell, 1997). Colleges that pair their developmental reading courses with content courses achieve the objective of integrating the developmental courses into the academic curricula. This article describes the model and…

Although approximately half of the six million students receiving specialized services for an identified disability are learning disabled, research shows that assistive technologies are far more commonly used with students who manifest physical or sensory disabilities than they are with those with learning disabilities. Assistive technology can…

In today's educational climate, many teachers find themselves in situations where they have little say in the overarching decisions that influence their teaching lives. Still, there are daily decisions that teachers can make to benefit students, and by uniting their decision-making efforts, teachers can make a difference. The author of this column…

Acquisition of academic literacy is often a difficult process for students, and in South Africa this is compounded by the fact that education for most secondary school pupils takes place in a second language at under-resourced schools. This article describes the scaffolding of an academic literacy course designed for South African students from…

A study examined the effectiveness of a literature based reading strategy used in a Chapter 1 setting, using a series of books with a familiar character. Subjects, 36 third-grade students in a Chapter 1 reading program at 5 different schools representing a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, were divided into control and experimental groups…

Semantic webbing is suggested as a method to enhance student reading comprehension by creating graphics. Four basic components are: (1) core question; (2) web strands; (3) strand supports; and (4) strand ties. Step-by-step directions are given for teaching students this technique. (DH)

Reports on a project in which parents were involved in the teaching of reading to children who had been variously identified as remedial, dyslexic, or backward. Concludes that the project was successful. (DF)

This comprehensive resource can be used by teachers to align instruction with current standards and to give students the best possible foundation for reading achievement. Organized around the five essential components of reading instruction identified in the report of the U.S. National Reading Panel, this book: (1) Lays the groundwork for creating…

This 1998 technical report looks at California Early Literacy Learning (CELL), a staff development program designed to help elementary teachers strengthen their teaching of reading and writing. Reading Recovery and other research-based teaching methodologies have been organized into a framework for classroom instruction, and training in the…

Describes "Review in the Round," a student-centered review process that combines discussion and cooperative learning. Describes its purposes, preparation (outside class), and the review procedure. (SR)

This article describes video-based vocabulary lessons that were used with 10 fourth-grade students with learning disabilities. The video programs were used as an "anchor" or "situation" for creating a realistic context for learning. Vocabulary was enriched by providing contextual information, introducing new vocabulary words,…

Describes several strategies California principals can use to make effective use of thematic assessment data to improve reading instruction, guide staff training in the use of assessment data for instructional decision-making, and establish schoolwide norms for aligning assessment data with instructional practices. (PKP)

Illustrates how teachers and librarians can use competitive activities to motivate children to read and to encourage personal achievement and group cooperation. Discusses computer games and the group-oriented bees, bowls, circles and quiz contests. Notes the benefits in terms of social interaction, communication, resource-center use, and…