Describes a year-long teacher action-research study involving fifth graders that used trade books to teach students various reading-comprehension strategies. Finds that students retained and transferred strategy learning to other texts and contexts; valued reading more and reported reading more; and demonstrated enhanced appreciation for books and…

At a Utah middle school with low reading achievement, a service-learning program was introduced to put reading into action. Children read to elderly shut-ins, quilted for homeless persons, and wrote about these experiences. Staff adopted the Community of Caring's core values: caring, respect, responsibility, trust, and family. (MLH)

Describes how a reading specialist used metacognition as the basis of her teaching of middle school remedial readers. Describes various ways she worked with embedded questions to get students thinking while they were reading. Describes final student projects on short stories that demonstrate that embedded questions combined with lots of classroom…

Describes how a sixth-grade teacher modified the reciprocal teaching strategy to use with a group of struggling readers. Describes implementing the strategy, reviews data on effectiveness with her students, and recommends modifications for students engaged in silent reading. (SR)

Describes a strategy adaptable to middle school, high school, and college levels that helps to motivate students to want to read and gain information; promotes discussion and fosters students' learning from one another; helps below-grade-level readers understand content; and encourages higher order thinking. (SR)

Asserts that regardless of the method used to teach reading, children first need a strong basis in phonemic awareness. Describes phonemic awareness, differentiates it from phonics, and presents available research findings. Advises on the development of phonemic awareness and creation of a classroom environment supportive of its development. (SD)

Questions the emphasis and expenditures on computers as valuable learning tools in schools, especially in libraries. Discusses the importance of personal interaction with teachers; the need for social skills; and the importance of supporting strong library print collections to encourage reading and literacy. (LRW)

The popular mantra "Every teacher is a teacher of reading" and several decades of emphasis on content-area literacy have not resulted in major changes in reading and writing across the curriculum in secondary schools. In this article, we argue that reading and writing strategy instruction has not focused on what really matters to content-area…

In the past, students with learning disabilities who wished to attend university were unable to meet the entry requirements. With the progress of research in diagnosis, accommodation, and remediation of reading disabilities, many of these students are now able to attend and complete their academic and professional education. Yet in many cases the…

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers with examples of how to perform effective think-alouds. Twelve think-alouds are described. A rationale for their use in kindergarten through grade 5 is also included. In addition, this article was designed to provide teachers with lessons and activities to assist students in developing the ability…

Doherty and Coggeshall combined their two classes--one regular education and one special education--and, agreeing on the value of reader's theater and storyboarding for all students, embarked on a team teaching effort that resulted in improvements for all students, and unprecedented success for "special" students. A template for storyboarding is…

In a basic-level writing course at the University of Minnesota, students were asked to read and engage in intelligent conservation about Keith Gilyard's "Voices of the Self." The book is about education but alternates autobiographical material with scholarly analysis. Literacy researchers expect students to read a text, understand what…

Notes on evaluating the effectiveness of literacy programs are presented in outline form. An introductory section proposes that alternative assessment approaches focus primarily on providing meaningful feedback to learners and teachers and are useful in improving teaching. Part I addresses assessment of change in student literacy practices outside…

The use of children's literature in the classroom can greatly enhance the core curriculum by supporting children's cognition, language, personality, social, aesthetic, and creative development. Preservice teachers often have difficulty conceptualizing a style of literature presentation that will provide optimum learning-stimulation, however, and…

Although the current move away from sequential isolated skill and drill instruction in reading may be good, the growing concern to accommodate individual learner styles may lead to unnecessary complications if teachers attempt to adapt instruction to their more than 30 students each day. If an instructional program is rich enough, it will provide…