This essay offers a commentary on how the relationship between language and literacy practices in and out of school has been conceptualized. It draws upon two new books in the field. Shirley Brice Heath's new book, "Words at Work and Play: Three Decades in Family and Community Life," which makes use of rich ethnographic accounts of…

After watching an instructional film informing that only 26 percent of today's college students do the reading for their courses, the author announced to a colleague that she gives reading tests; the colleague looked at her with what seemed a mixture of shock and pity. Indeed, the video in no way suggested that instructors compel students to read;…

Examines the role of pleasure reading in the development of young readers and, more specifically, the role of series books, such as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Provides suggestions for teachers on their role in cultivating series books as a form of pleasure reading. (TB)

Explains how students who have difficulty remembering what they have read may be taught how to reread sections of text by suggesting to them that reading is analogous to watching a video with the remote control in hand. (TB)

Suggests that social scientists use the reading of literature to enhance their instruction about contemporary situations. (AEA)

This feature tells how one teacher would arrange a sensible reading program that not only teaches children how to read but how to use reading as a skill. It also reports on how five schools encourage the reading habit. (Editor/SJL)

Being a reading mentor to students, colleagues, or friends is one key strategy in the development and promotion of a wide variety of reading interests. Readers serve as mentors by passive means, such as indicating how much they read, being able to name the last book recommended to them, displaying their books visibly, and maintaining their…

Preschool children experience literature early on through nursery rhymes, being read to, and tales told by parents and grandparents. This introduction to the literature of a child's culture, family, and times should be a most comfortable experience. On reaching school, however, the child will find that the demands of pedagogy become insistent over…

Cites research suggesting that extensive reading is as effective as intensive reading in developing general reading ability and is more effective in promoting good attitudes among elementary and secondary school students toward reading. (MM)

In this series of six articles, authors discuss motivating students through praise, using questioning as a teaching method, teaching lazy learners by making them find their own answers, tips on testing, improving reading and study habits, and teaching job-related English to refugees. (JOW)

Argues that as reading is taught increasingly as a tool, the delight that comes from personal literacy is becoming obscured. Argues that bringing personal values and experiences to poetry is an important way for students to discover the meaning of a poem. Describes how students can "map" their reading journey. (RS)

This paper discusses the importance of reading aloud to students. It emphasizes the teacher's need to plan carefully when to read and what books to read. The paper suggests the following ideas should guide a teacher's choice of reading material: whether the story will capture students' attention; whether the story will increase students'…

Research has consistently shown that vocabulary knowledge, including both word recognition skills and understanding of word meaning, is highly predictive of achievement in other aspects of reading--oral and silent reading and comprehension. The importance of instruction in word recognition and decoding has been recently demonstrated by the rise in…

Reviews reasons why many teachers are moving away from the basal approach to teaching reading. Describes literature-based instruction, and suggests the adjustments that teachers and students will need to make. Describes two plans for literature + basal partnerships as an intermediate step between the basal and a totally literature-based approach.…

Aliteracy, the ability to read but the unwillingness to do so, is a growing problem in American society. Aliteracy crosses all socioeconomic levels, thereby allowing autocratic, charismatic leaders to influence thinking and decision-making. Social changes that have contributed to the problem of aliteracy include the influence of television on…