Interviews owners and managers of children's bookstores around the country. Presents their ideas about how to promote literacy learning among children, including programs for child advocacy, parent education, teacher education, and community outreach. Offers insights about a variety of influences on reading development. Suggests some ways that…

Reports on a study of grade 6 reluctant readers, identifying factors that served as barriers to the students' voluntary reading habits, finding them varied and complex. Points to several areas in which schools can promote voluntary reading, including choices in instructional reading, opportunities to read for enjoyment, and access to high-interest…

Explores the educational contexts in which boys and girls make their reading choices. Finds that girls read more and read narrative fiction almost exclusively, while boys read less but in a wider number of genres. Examines the effect that teachers or curriculum have in supporting or challenging gender preferences for reading material selections.…

Discusses "Earning by Learning," a program designed to increase reading attitudes of academically at-risk children by combining two strong motivational factors: cash rewards and adult attention/approval. Tests the program's success with second and third graders at a site in Georgia. Finds overall success in frequent book reading,…

Describes an extensive reading program conducted in three rural secondary or middle schools in Malaysia aimed at motivating the students to read extensively in English and helping them overcome their problems in understanding English texts as a means towards increasing their proficiency in the language. (Author/VWL)

Examines the benefits of the Accelerated Reader program on English-as-a-second-language fourth and fifth grade students in a school in rural West North Carolina. Notes that anecdotal records provided evidence of improvement in students' reading behaviors and attitudes toward reading. Shows that while there was only a moderate overall increase in…

Contends that literature is a means by which people are constructed as social beings. Proposes accomplishing this by teaching students to read critically and interrogatively. Concludes that English teachers need to nurture skills, attitudes, and habits of critical reading in students. (PM)

Investigates the reading behaviors and perceived reading status of 42 teacher education majors. Finds that teacher education students, whether labeling themselves as "frequent" or "occasional" readers, view themselves as readers in a literate society who will serve as role models to promote literacy in prospective students.…

Discusses ways to help motivate reluctant readers. Topics include early reading experiences of aliterate readers; the value of reading-related activities like book clubs and reading clubs; other activities that motivate and/or discourage readers; the role of parents, teachers, and librarians; and narrowing choices to make book selection easier.…

Noting the difficulty for many parents to spend "quality time" with their children, shows parents how to get into the habit of reading with their children. Explains how to begin, where to find suitable books, how to select topics appropriate to the child's age and interests, and how to find the time in busy schedules. (TJQ)

A study of 127 French immersion students in Alberta found over two-thirds never read in French for pleasure outside school, a finding not influenced by gender, French reading achievement, or attitude towards reading in French. However, students benefitted from some methods used by teachers to stimulate reading. (51 references) (Author/MSE)

Identifies recurrent uses of reading and shared reading activities. Finds no quantitatively significant differences in shared literacy activities between urban and nonurban families in Iceland, a society with a tradition of widespread and prevalent literacy. Demonstrates significant relationships between shared activities and higher educational…

A survey of users of eight Moroccan centers for information on linguistic and teaching matters revealed patterns of reading of scholarly journals on teaching among students, fellows, teachers, and other educators. Two basic user types emerged: occasional and regular readers. Reader attitudes about journal content were also sought. (MSE)

Surveys elementary, middle, and high school teachers to discover their professional reading habits, what influenced them to read or not read, and whether they felt encouraged or supported in reading for professional growth. (SR)

Discusses the role of readers' advisors in public libraries based on readers' responses to open-ended, qualitative interviews on reading for pleasure. Topics discussed include how books help people, how readers choose books, what they like and dislike about fiction collections in libraries, and how libraries and librarians can be more helpful to…