In this article, we explore the relationship between parental literacy activities with the child, socio-economic status (SES) and reading literacy. We draw upon the Bourdieusian theory of habitus development to explore this relationship. Multilevel analyses of a survey of 43,870 pupils (with an average age of 10 years) in 10 Western European…

This study, through multilevel analyses of the data of four English-speaking nations (i.e., Canada, England, New Zealand and the United States) from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2001 database, investigated the relationship between teachers' uses of various types of classroom assessments and their fourth-graders'…

Beginning with the premise that pleasure is a driving force in life, this article examines the relationships between pleasure, schooling and society across the past century. Through the examination of school texts, narratives, and histories of literacy instruction, a case is made that part of the move away from keeping pleasure at the heart of…

This paper reports on a research study investigating the role of pleasure reading in the lives of 12-15 year old residents of an eastern Canadian regional municipality. Pleasure reading was found to fulfill three broad functions: it enhanced academic performance, social engagement and personal development. In conclusion, the study confirms that…

To account for the fact that the average reading literacy in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada) is lower than the national average, a study examined the value that individuals place on literacy. Subjects, 625 males and females, each of whom was a head or one of the heads of households between 21 and 65 years of age and had not participated in an…

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." This is a well-known adage with which many are familiar. Children learn it from an early age as they begin to walk, ride their bike, or tie their shoes. Adults repeatedly encourage children by saying, "You can do it! Give it a try! Just try harder!" However, when trying harder…

Focuses on the stated purposes of reading evaluation, examines trends in the types of assessments used, and looks at some possible indicators of changes in literacy levels in the Canadian Provinces. (CRH)

Children's drawings about reading and writing have unrealized potential for helping uncover the literacy narratives students bring to school and use to make sense of reading and writing. In this article, we highlight how one boy's drawing about literacy revealed his interpretation of his school's policy on violence as a topic of writing, which…

Reporting on small-scale classroom research projects dealing with diverse aspects of literacy, this collection of 13 research reports from Canada emphasizes common themes. These themes are: the need for parental participation in literacy and numeracy development, the beneficial effects of tutoring, the need for a wide and varied classroom…