This second edition focuses on helping the preservice teacher become an "Influential Reading Teacher," one whom students remember years later as a special teacher and person. The ideas and teaching strategies in the book actively involve preservice teachers in understanding and thinking about children's reading and writing development. New to this…

Intended not only for parents and teachers, but also for grandparents, siblings, and librarians, this handbook promotes reading aloud as a way to stimulate students' interest in reading and to improve their reading achievement. Following an introduction and first chapter that stress the value of reading aloud, the book's second chapter explains…

"Now Johnny CAN Learn to Read" is an easy-to-read book intended for anyone involved in helping others learn to read. An initial section of the book focuses on how to make reading a socially stimulating, successful activity. In this section, viewpoints are shared from a child and a parent, and a reading specialist tells of the successes…

A study tested a questioning technique for teaching critical thinking strategies in a class with student-selected reading materials. Teacher modeling, class discussion, writing, and reading were connected in the process. The pre-test and posttest included student-generated questions and character sketches. Quality of the pre- and posttest…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 26 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) a structured and an unstructured approach to kindergarten instruction and their effects on reading readiness for the first grade; (2) effects of exposure to…

Describes how a remedial reading teacher, over the course of three years, helped a nine-year-old nonreader progress toward becoming a reader. Points out the importance of increasing the student's confidence, gaining his trust, and providing remedial instruction which is closely connected with other areas of the student's life. (ARH)

Offers strategies for increasing learning motivation in elementary school students that are borrowed from marketing techniques used by grocery stores including tie-ins, holiday or theme specials, shelving rules, and personalized attention. (SRT)

This paper addresses the analysis of surveys administered to prekindergarten through eighth grade students and the analysis of parent and teacher interviews in an effort to determine why children read, what they prefer to read, and how adults can further motivate them to read. The premise of the paper is that attitudes (feelings toward an…

This book provides tools that black parents can use to make their children lifelong lovers of reading and writing. It is geared specifically to black children from the perspective of an educator and parent. The book stresses the need for early involvement in the learning process, challenging the traditional notion that issues surrounding child…

This report describes a plan for motivating students to read in order to allow them to enjoy and appreciate literature and to provide the practice necessary to become effective readers. The targeted population consisted of first and fourth grade students in a middle class community, located in the Middle West. The problems of minimal time engaged…

The Success in Reading and Writing Program used in the District of Columbia Public Schools in 1985-86 is described and evaluated. The program, used in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, employed a variety of materials, as well as the students' own writing. Instruction lasted approximately 2.5 hours each school day. The program connected reading…

Intended for both parents and teachers, this handbook promotes reading aloud as a way to stimulate students' interest in reading and to improve their reading achievement. After an introduction and first chapter that stress the value of reading aloud, the book's second chapter explains when to begin reading aloud to children. The following three…

Compares attitudes of elementary school principals, teachers, and parents toward promoting voluntary reading with their attitudes toward instruction in comprehension, word recognition skills, and study skills and concludes that promotion of voluntary reading is considered lowest in priority by all groups. (DF)

This report describes a program for improving reading abilities and attitudes for "at-risk" students. The targeted population consists of second and fourth grade classes in a low-income community. The problem of low parental involvement, lack of books in the home, low motivation, and lack of consistency among reading programs and teachers…

Describes strategies used to improve students' reading achievement in a New York elementary school: Hire the best teachers; train office staff members to support teachers; assign teachers based on needs; observe teachers in reading; design a staff development program; develop a reading action plan; use the existing research; involve students and…