This article examines how sixth-grade students navigated and perceived a combined e-book and audiobook reading experience using Kindle Fires. While audiobooks and e-books are not new, little is known about students' use and perceptions of the combination of these two media, as the ability to synchronize audio contents with digital texts is rather…

People who have impacted generations have left legacies we can explore today through biographies. The 5L instructional design introduced in this article includes five components: Listen, Learn, Locate, Link, and Legacy. In the "Listen" section, teachers use storytelling and read-alouds to introduce individuals who shaped history. During…

Numerous research studies prove that wide reading improves children's comprehension, background knowledge, vocabulary, fluency, and writing. The author, a sixth-grade language arts teacher, describes the classroom conditions and instructional practices that encourage wide reading and increase her students' reading motivation such as choice in…

Informational text presents many obstacles to comprehension for striving readers. Although teachers use many evidence-based practices to support instruction with this type of text, in some situations, readers may be able to increase their comprehension by rereading. Teachers can help students recognize situations in which rereading is helpful.…

In a time of increasing plurality in today's public schools, it is essential that students become critically competent citizens by examining current and historical social justice issues. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide the research, theory, and practice for teachers to help students take a critical stance as they read and respond to…

The debate continues as to whether the underachievement of boys has reached "crisis" levels. Therefore, in an effort to increase the achievement of male readers, this article provides five teacher recommendations from the perspective of Derek, a sixth grade struggling reader. Derek is a soft-spoken, amiable African American who has consistently…

This article describes two educational settings in Nigeria where teachers adapted a language experience approach for reading and writing instruction. The first setting is a professional development workshop for public school teachers of students in grades 1-6. The second setting includes two groups of students with special needs: a grade 6 class…

While writer's workshop provides a nurturing environment for many students, others struggle with the independence it gives. This may be due to the difficulty of coordinating the cognitive and self-regulatory demands of the writing process. Self-regulation refers to thoughts, feelings, and actions that individuals use to attain personal goals.…

Comments on the nature of the reading enterprise for middle school students with reading-related learning disabilities as perceived by a cohort of sixth-grade students with reading disabilities. Reflects upon intervention programs in place for struggling middles school readers. Considers how to teach young adolescents with reading disabilities.…

Describes a writing program for sixth grade remedial students that was a reading program as well. Includes "how to" guidelines for successful process-conference instruction. (FL)

After examining the teachers of sixth-grade English-language learners (ELLs) in their regular classrooms, the authors of this study found that the ELLs' active or passive participation was much influenced by the teachers' approach to the students but not by the teachers' use of specific methods only. While the teachers' focus on American…

It is increasingly clear that the Internet will be the defining technology for reading, writing, and communication in the 21st century. But without the ability to locate information in an efficient and effective manner, students' access to information on the Internet is limited. This article introduces SEARCH, a strategy classroom teachers can use…

A study of children's preferences in book format factors revealed that children are not as concerned with the eye appeal of materials as they are with order and a desire to avoid confusion when reading. Suggests that designers place illustrations at the top or bottom of a page. (FL)

Presents the results of a research study which was designed to determine gains or losses in reading proficiency during summer vacation, investigate the characteristics of those students whose proficiency increases or decreases, and aid in planning summer reading programs which maximize gains and minimize losses. (RB)