A total of 29 teachers and 227 elementary school students participated in a study that examined teachers' judgments of their students' reading preferences as indicated by book selections. Children were asked to choose books they would like to read from a list of book descriptions. Teachers were then asked to predict their selections. Results…

The kinds of meaning that children find in reading are discussed. When teaching young children to read, it is very important that teachers be aware of and take into consideration the child's viewpoint (RM)

Focusing on the cooperative role of parents and public libraries in stimulating reading interests in children of all ages, this booklet addresses the following issues: (1) getting children interested in reading (reading aloud to children; encouraging children to read to you; starting a home library; showing children that you enjoy reading;…

To determine parents' perceptions of their children's behaviors toward their favorite books, 15 parents of 4- and 5-year-old children were interviewed about behaviors that occur when they share a favorite book with their children, why they think the book is special to their children, and the pool of available books from which the favorite was…

Often regarding the "great books" as too difficult for elementary school age children to comprehend, teachers have given students reading assignments that are less than challenging and have risked causing them to dislike reading because it is relatively uninteresting. However, it is possible to expose very young children to works such as…

Distinguishes between interest in reading and attitude toward reading. Discusses the development of reading interests and attitudes. Notes problems with teacher perception of students' attitudes and interests. Discusses the influence of teacher attitude toward reading and teachers' reactions to students. Presents suggestions for assessing student…

Questionnaires were distributed to 6,354 elementary school students participating in the Holt Basic Reading System Field Study. Primary students reported that their favorite activity is watching television; intermediate students, playing sports. Approximately 25% of the students did not have a pet; 46% reported having a dog; 15%, a cat. Almost 48%…

Parents can awaken their children to the joy of learning by encouraging their imagination and curiosity. This booklet is one in a series of topical books written to help parents encourage children to study, learn, and stay in school. All of the books in this series tie in with the National Education Goals for the year 2000. This booklet addresses…

Presents a study comparing the elements children report enjoying in a book and the elements teachers believe children enjoy. Concludes that a great discrepancy exists between the two groups, as children reported they liked books offering excitement, suspense, and action, while teachers believed children pay more attention to characters. (JC)

This comprehensive guide is based on the premise that books and reading are an essential part of every child's development. The guide lists and describes more than 2000 books for children from birth to age 14; from stories that babies can literally chew on, to the best choices for bridging the critical gap between listening and reading, to the…

Suggests that both boys and girls are interested in sports and recreation. Describes activities which utilize the topic of sports to highlight diverse vocabulary terms, encourage playing with language, and develop listening and writing skills. Provides an annotated bibliography of sports books for children. (ARH)

Notes that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for assuring success in reading. Describes types of children's books and offers guidelines for book selection. Discusses several guidelines that help early childhood professionals experience successful infant and toddler book reading sessions, and includes bibliography of…

The importance of reading in the lives of children demands that teachers, librarians, and parents give careful attention to the selection of books from which children may make their choices. The purpose of this bibliography is to acquaint adults and children with the wide range of interesting subjects and readable styles of literature which are…

Based on the notion that children become literate by trying to read and write in a supportive atmosphere with interesting books, rather than being instructed in isolated language skills, this book offers teachers ideas for using children's literature and related activities as an alternative to basal readers to make learning language skills…