Teachers' skill in inferring students' reading motivation influences their ability to provide responsive literacy instruction. Yet, studies show that convergence between students' and teachers' reports of students' affective experience with reading is moderate to poor. The present study, with a sample of 140 students, and 15 middle school…

The Internet is full of tools for vocabulary development, but the quality and usefulness for teachers and students vary greatly. With a traditionalist's respect for word knowledge and an adventurer's spirit for discovering new routes to learning, Lee Ann Tysseling shares an exciting array of technology-assisted resources that can boost students'…

The phases of post-apartheid curriculum reform starting with Curriculum 2005, to the revisions ushered in by the National Curriculum Statements and the recent Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements display a trend toward increasing prescription in terms of content to be taught and allocation of curriculum time per subject, both of which are…

In this article, the authors speak directly to new teachers in order to encourage them to be literacy leaders in their classrooms and schools. They offer the following suggestions in the hope of inspiring these new teachers: (1) Develop your vision of teaching and be true to it; (2) Be creative in using instruction that works; (3) Team with…

Conversations are the heart of responsive teaching. By talking with struggling learners, teachers can find out about their interests in order to design effective, personalized instruction; build relationships; work through complexities in teaching and learning; and celebrate successes.

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a powerful tool that motivates students of all ages and abilities to read for pleasure. A wealth of data is routinely collected about children's reading skills to monitor and help manage their independent reading. However, no information is collected on the "softer" reading outcomes, such as reading enjoyment…

As art objects, picturebooks have the potential to contribute to readers' aesthetic development. Many scholars and practitioners have recognized how using picturebooks with older students can augment their reading motivation and extend their understanding of visual elements of art and design, as well as develop their literacy, language, and…

The introduction of Common Core State Standards has many middle grade school teachers concerned with implementing standards while retaining student reading engagement and motivation strategies. This study analyzes the effectiveness of providing social networking strategies in online book discussion groups on enhancing middle grade student reading…

This study examined the contributions of decoding, language, spelling, and motivation to the reading comprehension of elementary school readers in a high-poverty setting. Specifically, the research questions addressed whether and how the influences of word reading efficiency, semantic knowledge, reading self-concept, and spelling on reading…

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Guided Reading and student motivation to read across fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. The study defined literacy motivation as: (a) task value; (b) self-perceived competence; (c) students' perceptions of the Guided Reading format. Factor analysis and repeated measures ANOVAs were…

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Literacy and Reading Section is trying to help librarians address the question: "How can librarians effectively promote literacy and reading?" This guide is IFLA's second publication aimed specifically at librarians and related organizations who want to find ways to…

The purpose of this study was to measure the motivation for academic and recreational reading of 6th grade students in a middle school located in southwest Florida using the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS). In this mixed methods study, motivation for both types of reading were measured, individual demographics of the population, such as…

The research base on how to effectively intervene to improve the reading fluency of students with academic and behavioral disabilities at the middle school level does not provide a strong support for evidence- based practices with this age group. The purpose of this study was to extend the body of research on reading fluency interventions to…

Literacy achievement is one of the most reliable indicators of educational, social, and economic success. In 2012, the National Year of Reading, boys still make up the majority of students struggling with literacy skills. Boys' literacy is an issue that affects us all. This paper provides an overview of research related to boys and reading, and…

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to investigate how evidence-based adolescent literacy practices are implemented by secondary teachers in the classroom or what the reasons might be for these practices not being implemented. Three secondary English teachers of three different types of classes, comprising Intensive, Project-based…