Educators have focused their literacy education efforts on teaching children to code and decode words. In spite of all the efforts to teach literacy, the various report cards indicate that, perhaps, a new way of doing teaching literacy should be investigated. Today's media-centric youths could benefit from using mediated programs to help motivate…

Describes an inservice program designed to introduce elementary school teachers to good professional journals and to demonstrate to them methods of efficient and flexible reading of the journals so that they can find the most interesting ideas in a short period of time. (FL)

Long time favorites of authors and audiences of picture books, mice are also central figures in novels for intermediate grades. This article provides an annotated bibliography of books for grades 2-12 showing mice and humans working toward a common goal, mice and humans in conflict, mice as survivors, mice rescuers, and mice in allegory. (PEN)

Discusses aspects of two qualitative studies that focused on: (1) children's interests in comics; and (2) reactions to a home-school comic lending library based in three classrooms over a period of seven weeks. Discusses results from both studies and implications for development of the primary school literacy curriculum. (BT)

Describes a program in which groups of middle school and junior high teachers read and discuss popular, best-selling literature, for the purposes of promoting their personal reading and enhancing school faculty camaraderie. (PRA)

Relates how the Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) Committee of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) works and describes one librarian's formation of teen book groups to get young adults involved in the public library and to solicit their personal opinions on titles to nominate for BBYA committee consideration. (AEF)

Suggests that learning more about what draws adolescents to particular texts and practices can help teachers to facilitate literacy events that are meaningful to students. Concludes that, by allowing youth's ways of constructing meaning and identity to inform academic practices, play becomes a fruitful endeavor both in and outside of classrooms.…

This paper contains excerpts from a report by the National Endowment for the Arts, issued by its Office of Research, headed by Mark Bauerlein, a contributor to "Arts Education Policy Review." The excerpts do not include the report's tables, figures, or appendices, but numbers have been retained in their original sequence (see notes).

Provides an overview of the needs of the adolescent, contemporary trends impacting the adolescent, and 16 action steps which library professionals might take to be in touch with the reluctant adolescent reader. A summary of adolescents' responses to a questionnaire concerning adolescent reading issues is included. (EJS)

Outlines one junior high school's method of improving students' reading habits through a book fair, a book exchange club, and a weekly read-in. (MM)

Describes a study conducted regarding the reading preferences of older adults. Noninstitutionalized older adults tend to read to gain knowledge; those who are institutionalized tend to read primarily to pass time. Suggestions, such as including large-print books, are listed to improve the reading habits of both groups. (CT)

Classroom activities are suggested for improving the reading skills of elementary school students. Various approaches include tapes of children's reading, "real-life" reading, word-building connections, focus on sports, and parent involvement. (CJ)

Audiobooks are a lasting pleasure for children. This article discusses what to consider when choosing audiobooks for gifts: quality of story, quality of narration, and appeal to the child and the rest of the family. Includes an annotated bibliography of realistic fiction, fantasy, short stories, and nonfiction audiobooks for grades 1-12. (PEN)

Advocates the frequent use of journalistic texts for classroom discussions because unplanned material creates a supportive environment. Reports how two groups of students who had failed an upper-division writing exam and who were reluctant to discuss assigned readings, became engaged and careful readers when similar material was presented…

The National Language and Literature Development Agency (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka) in Malaysia promotes literacy and reading through publishing, book promotion, book distribution, extension programs, writing incentives, and maintenance of a special library. The article signals a need for the understanding of reasons why interest in reading has not…