Intended as a practical resource, this book presents research-based instructional strategies for use with struggling readers in the upper elementary and middle grades. The book offers ideas for engaging students and developing the key components of successful reading: vocabulary, comprehension, word recognition, and fluency. Each chapter in the…

This report describes a program for advancing reading comprehension skills. The targeted population consisted of second and fourth grade students in an affluent northern suburb of a large midwestern community. The problem of a lack of comprehension skills was documented through teacher observations, student and parent surveys, comprehension…

Within the Reading Recovery lesson framework, the "Making and Breaking" portion, which focuses on how words work, consists of a mere 1 to 3 minutes, yet can potentially provide a powerful reciprocal link between reading and writing. This article argues that careful consideration and utilization of effective language practices by the…

This article details a strategy to help students work out unknown multi-syllabic words. The strategy encourages the student to apply phonics skills together with context skills when pronouncing an unknown word. The article includes suggestions for teaching the strategy, for providing daily practice in strategy use, and for adapting the strategy to…

This article discusses interactive information book read-aloud, an instructional approach that supports both non-readers and non-fluent readers prior to the introduction of instruction in cognitive and comprehension strategies. Key components of the approach are presented, including interaction, information books, teacher awareness of text…

Describes one rural school's development of a literacy program in which family members collaborate with educators to provide literature-based experiences and tutoring for struggling readers. Concludes that family literacy programs are more successful when they involve family members in working with children as they learn the literary strategies to…

Shares an account of efforts by a teacher to try and involve 7- to 11-year-old children in a book investigation which would provide them with investigative strategies applicable to subsequent works. (MG)

Among 68 rural learning-disabled students in grades 5-7 having moderate decoding fluency and high decoding accuracy, a paraphrasing cognitive strategy increased reading comprehension of main ideas more effectively than repeated readings or control training. Paraphrasing plus repeated readings was no more effective than paraphrasing alone. Contains…

Introduces teachers to the development and use of story maps as a tool for promoting reading comprehension. Presents a definition and review of story map research. Explains how to construct story maps, and offers suggestions for starting story map instruction. Provides variations on the use of story maps. (MG)

Describes several studies examining how children become skilled at processing graphic cues. Reports that prereaders do not acquire graphic skills by learning to read signs and labels in their environment. Concludes that mastery of letters is required for processing graphic cues. (MM)

Presents a discussion of the findings from reading-motivation research applied to computerized reading-management programs for elementary school students. Highlights include criticism of computerized reading management programs; intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; tangible and intangible rewards; methodological concerns for researchers; and…

First graders (n=5), preschoolers (n=5), special education first-graders (n=5), and adults (n=8) in Brazil received a reading program in which they learned to match printed to dictated words and to construct (copy) printed words. The students not only learned to match the training words but also learned to read them. (Contains references.)…

This study investigated the outcomes of 10 African-American urban elementary students with reading and mathematics difficulties who participated in an after-school program that used peer-mediated academic and social interventions. Results indicated all participants gained in targeted academic skills in math and reading skills. (Contains…

A study involving 30 British elementary children investigated the relationship between reading and gender and attitudes towards the literacy hour. Findings indicate boys wanted shorter time spans of learning activities, preferred independent work, and liked computer work. Both sexes liked working in small groups and disliked sharing their work…

A study compared the effectiveness of phonemic awareness and decoding training for 58 first graders with and without severe lexical retrieval weaknesses. All students demonstrated poor phonemic awareness. Students with relatively strong lexical retrieval skills responded more favorably to beginning reading instruction than did students with weak…