The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of props on children's narrative retells. Forty-two children in two comparable K/1 classrooms heard and practiced the same stories over eight weeks. This study found that the props had a positive effect on the children's use of descriptive language, but there was no effect on the number…

Uses a social constructivist framework to investigate how five children at the end of first grade constructed images of themselves as readers with a purpose. Presents data in the form of narratives describing the children and their views. Discusses the children's reading identities and purposes for reading as condensed into five categories:…

Refusing to be disheartened by all the negative press surrounding education today, Ms. Chenfeld travels the country and encounters one inspiring educator after another. In this article she tells four of their stories. The stories of the following educators are told: (1) Tom Tenerovich, a second grade teacher; (2) Cathy Arment, a first grade…