What to assign students to read in a literature course--or a writing course for that matter--is one of the core questions that faces those who teach English. This article imagines that the world itself is a text, and to teach students to become critically literate in the classroom has important consequences beyond it, arguing that English teachers…

Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) is based on the premise that: (1) students can learn to use the reading strategies that more skillful readers use automatically; (2) students can engage in high-quality discussions about text with peers in heterogeneous student-led groups; and (3) structures and supports can act as a vehicle for equitable…

This study introduced developmental adolescent readers to literature circles to balance literacy instruction based on students' needs. Providing students with the option to choose accessible novels to read, discuss, and connect with helps them experience the world of literacy as well as explore their own world in a way that most developmental…

Cognitively based views of reading emphasize that proficient readers use both metacognitive and cognitive strategies that facilitate comprehension of text. Metacognitive strategies are self-monitoring and self-regulating behaviors that focus on the processes and products of reading including the reader's awareness of whether or not he or she…

Nonfiction texts demand critical literacy, as evidenced by these teachers' experience teaching Phillip Hoose's "Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice" with ninth graders. In addition to selecting high-quality nonfiction, the authors are committed to high impact teaching of those texts. For the authors that means supporting students'…

In this article, the author shares interview data showcasing teacher expertise and calls for more focused professional development in reading and discussing literature.

The need to teach students strategies for handling the various nonfiction texts they encounter has never been more pressing than in this digital age. Growing up in this digital age, students have a tenuous grasp on the differences between fiction and nonfiction, which can result in a lack of critical thinking about important political and cultural…

This article discusses how reading for their own purposes affected struggling teens. It shares the authors' story, which demonstrates the importance and power of focusing on students' purposes, as highlighted in Standard 12, a standard not often addressed or assessed, but one that matters to students and teachers alike. The authors describe how a…

In this article, the author describes her experience in teaching, how she encouraged students not to see books as mere academic obstacles and thereby engaging them as literate learners in the process, and how she was intrigued by homework and how it plays into existing inequities in the classroom. The author also shares some tips on how to…

Working with English language learners in mainstream ELA classrooms can provide rich rewards in terms of developing multiple perspectives, sharing diverse experiences, and developing understanding of different cultural practices. However, these students can also challenge mainstream teachers. Supporting ELLs throughout the reading process can…

There are three strategies for critically evaluating information on the Internet: (1) examining initial markers (superficial characteristics of a website that can help make an initial judgment); (2) corroborating information (looking to other trusted sources to verify information); and (3) determining author bias (analyzing the author's intent for…

Some scholars writing about improving students' reading and integrating reading and writing instruction suggest using think-aloud techniques to teach students reading comprehension skills. Using think-alouds to teach reading comprehension and then the read-aloud protocol technique (which is based on think-alouds) for peer review has two major…

Explains how one teacher abandoned her focus on the content of literature, and shifted to teaching her students how to read literature. Lists many of the reading techniques students learned during the year. (SR)

Dawnene D. Hassett and Melissa B. Schieble contend that literacy instruction must include attention to the multiple ways in which print and visual images work together. They propose ways to update accepted reading strategies "with visual texts and new literacies in mind." Using examples from picture books and graphic novels, they expand our…

Presents resources for secondary school reading teachers. Looks in depth at two books: "Into Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle School Readers," and "Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Reading Comprehension in a Reader's Workshop." Discusses three online resources about teaching reading and selecting materials (READPRO,…