In this article, the authors propose four principles to guide teachers' thinking as they use technology to support teaching and literacy learning in 21st century classrooms. Specifically, teachers must be aware of emerging technologies, recognize the complexities of new literacies, realize tech-savvy students may not be skilled readers and writers…

Constrained skills theory is a reconceptualization of reading development that suggests a continuum of skills, with some, such as letter knowledge and decoding abilities, more tightly constrained than others, such as phonological awareness and oral reading fluency. The most constrained skills consist of a limited number of items and thus can be…

Reading buddies have been used by teachers for many years. The practice and benefits of having older students reading with younger students on a regular basis has been well documented. This article provides suggestions for teachers as they begin a reading buddy program and includes ideas for meaningful follow-up activities that will help keep…

Suggests, based on classroom observations, that teachers with a knowledge of reading research and the ability to organize instruction are better able to provide effective instruction for poor readers. Emphasizes the importance of increased time on reading tasks, direct instruction, and process writing activities. (ARH)