The authors conducted two studies regarding student textbook preferences; the first developed an original measurement tool (the Collegiate Student Assessment of Textbooks [CSAT]), including an examination of the relationship between student textbook preferences with learning- and grade-oriented attitudes. The second study was a large-scale…

Studies have shown that voracious reading improves students' academic performance in a variety of realms. In this article, 6th grade teacher Donalyn Miller explains how she has helped her students become committed readers. Her students are required to read at least 40 books each year in a variety of genres and styles. She gives them time to read…

In the past few years, there has been increasing demand from school librarians for books for "reluctant readers"--despite the impressive offering of children's literature published each year and the success of blockbuster series like "Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Twilight," and "Hunger Games," among others. This is also in addition to all…

Comic books and graphic novels are one of the newest fully fledged art forms, a vibrant, hybrid medium birthed in America and brimming with all the wildly experimental vigor of youth. Traditionally associated with children's narratives and the object of condescension and ridicule, they have only recently captured academic attention. What is…

For 16 years, a university teacher educator has been teaching a course on adolescent development using novels, memoirs, and case studies instead of the customary college textbook. Novels have included such award-winning works as Angelou's (1969) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", Wolff's (1989) "This Boy's Life: A Memoir", Salinger's (1979)…

From a 40-year perspective, Don Gallo examines the field of young adult literature, comparing it to ice cream--its various flavors and levels of richness. The article proclaims the profundity of the field and the quality of its writers, summarizes historical highlights, defends it against its detractors, and explains the importance of helping…

Science education depends on literacy. But adding reading to a curriculum that is already packed with content, experiments, and activities can be tough. So how can a teacher accomplish this, while ensuring that students have multiple opportunities for valuable inquiry learning? This Idea Bank provides three strategies for integrating reading into…

The purpose of this study was to examine how and why elementary teachers select books for the read-aloud. A phenomenological approach was used to conduct a fourteen week descriptive study. Three participants were purposefully selected to provide an in-depth examination of teachers' book selection processes. Data was collected through observations,…

Noted scholar, teacher educator, and IRA past-president Linda Gambrell answers readers' questions about motivating young and struggling readers.

Celebrating original voices, highlighting what might otherwise be lost--the "Library Journal" book editors try for a list of best books that they think will make a difference in everyone's reading lives. In other words, they had rather offer readers a sharp, interesting list that challenges than a list no one could complain about--or discuss. A…

The ethnographic study utilized the research techniques of observations, content analysis, and semi-structured interviews with tween participants (i.e., 9- through 13-year-old youth) during an 8-week literary blog project. Twenty-six participants created individual blog pages within a member-only classroom blog site that allowed for online…

The purpose of this research was to understand the relationship between urban elementary teachers' beliefs about diversity and their selection of literacy material for instructional practices in their classrooms. Currently, the teacher population is essentially homogenous, consisting of a majority of middle-class White females, while the…

This report presents the 5th Edition of Scholastic's biannual study of children's and parents' attitudes and behaviors about reading. The latest research touches on reading aloud to children of all ages, the impact of reading independently for fun at school and at home, the importance of frequent reading, and the books children want most to read.…

Extensive Reading is a resource heavy technique used in second language acquisition in which language learners read large amounts of texts for enjoyment, with the expectation that they will improve their vocabulary and fluency as a result of exposure to the written language. Narrow Reading is a similar technique in which the texts have a common…

The relentless quest of the school librarian is finding the right book for each student, searching for the home-run book for every child, and keeping students reading book after book after book. A considerable amount of the school librarian's time, effort, and creativity are devoted not only to motivating students to read, but to keeping them…