Background: South Africa's long-standing reading crisis is well recognised. At various stages since 2000, national government has presented the inculcation of a culture of reading as a solution to this crisis. Objectives: This article critically interrogated the term 'culture of reading' as used in national government discourse with reference to…

Teachers know that establishing a robust independent reading program takes more than giving kids a little quiet time after lunch. But how do they set up a program that will maximize their students' gains? Teachers have to know their students' reading levels inside and out, help them find just-right books, and continue to guide them during…

This article provides a statistical analysis of the reading gains observed at one American school in the Caribbean that was using Accelerated Reader. It provides an estimate of the number of hours students needed to read to advance their reading performance an additional year. The authors estimate how much Accelerated Reader contributed to the…

This study examined the effects of the "READ 180"[R] program on the reading achievement levels of fourth grade students who participated in the "READ 180"[R] program (Scholastic Incorporated, 2005) compared to fourth grade students who were reading below grade level but who were not participating in the "READ 180"[R]…

In response to concerns about poor engagement and achievement in reading, some high schools have implemented independent reading programs to give students time to read self-selected texts during school. Some schools are also adopting the Lexile framework as a tool for matching readers with challenging texts in order to improve reading motivation…

Two reading programs, one on the elementary level and one on the secondary level, are presented. Individualized reading is recommended as one phase or strand of the total reading program. The elementary program used in a third-grade heterogeneous class in an Iowa elementary school is described as an example. Incorporated in the program are oral…

Designed to assess the current reading ability of a Job Corps member, to introduce him to appropriate material for improving his reading ability--combining self-paced and individualized instruction--and to raise his reading ability to the seventh or eighth grade level as measured by standardized reading achievement instruments, this reading…

Reading professional literature may be undertaken without a large investment of time or money, yet it still provides a way to increase one's professional knowledge and maintain competencies. To be successful in one's reading, the adult education practitioner needs to consider three aspects of a professional reading program: finding the time,…

In supporting independent or contextual reading, the principal can make a major difference in the lives of remedial and at-risk students. Initially, curricular congruence should be firmly established so that learning center staff and classroom teachers mutually support the use of school time for developing students' fluency. In addition, sustained…

The author addresses teachers, parents, and young readers on the importance of reading fiction for young people. The first chapter, "Young People Reading," discusses the development of children's literature (upper-early secondary) since the eighteenth century. "The Novel in the Conservative Classroom" argues for the inclusion of contemporary as…

Shows how regularly scheduled activities with books and well designed library corners can increase children's interest in reading, using a study of four summer recreational daycare centers to illustrate. (JC)

A 2-year study was conducted in 1965-67 for the following purposes: (1) to evaluate the materials and techniques of a new beginning reading program, Listen Look Learn (LLL) Multi-Media Communication Skills System, in order to make revisions where necessary and (2) to compare the LLL system in its formative stage with that of basal reader programs.…

Extensive reading (ER) programs involve students in silently reading large quantities of materials. These materials are usually at a level that permits students to gain at least a fair understanding of what they are reading without outside help. Such programs' benefits for first- and second-language (L1 and L2) learners are well documented (Coady,…

ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS WERE SET UP IN NINE DIFFERENT REGIONAL CENTERS IN MINNESOTA TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF TEACHING READING SKILLS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. EACH CENTER WAS ASSIGNED SPECIFIC AND RELATED TOPICS TO WORK ON, FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPECIALISTS TO SERVE AS GROUP INSTRUCTORS, AND GUEST SPEAKERS. THE FIRST FOUR WORKSHOPS WERE CONCERNED WITH…