Claims multiple-storyline books will continue to grow in popularity because the reader (1) is the major protagonist; (2) can make plot decisions and become the writer; (3) can choose exciting action; and (4) finds material readily available. (NH)

Documents how a preschool child learns to read. Identifies what teachers need to know if they are to continue the reader's own discoveries and delight in language. (EL)

Articles in this volume, written in Spanish, focus on the following: reading and writing assessment: Some characteristics of new assessment practices; how to support active participation in the reading of expository texts; argumentative writing as a problem in the written composition of students in teacher training; reading in a workshop…

This report describes a program implemented to improve attitudes toward recreational reading. The targeted population consisted of kindergarten, first, third, and fifth grade students from one urban and two suburban school districts in a major metropolitan area in northern Illinois. Evidence for the existence of the problem included surveys of…

This presentation describes how to use reading to improve second language acquisition. Part 1, "Building Awareness of Reading Habits and Attitudes," has students report their habits and attitudes about reading in English and their native language and recognize the importance of reading for improving English skills. Part 2, "Choosing a Book," has…

Extensive reading (ER) programs involve students in silently reading large quantities of material. Research suggests that extensive reading is associated with gains in first and second language proficiency. Further, extensive reading can help learners develop a reading habit and increase their level of autonomy. This paper begins with a discussion…

Analysis of the survey responses of 26 residential schools for the deaf found such positive literacy practices as counselors reading to children individually, supervising homework, and encouraging children to write letters and read independently. However, in many residences, materials were not regularly rotated and group storybook reading was not…

Describes how a student managed and operated book store put inexpensive, high-quality literature into the hands of students at 61 middle and junior high schools in Indiana. (MG)

Describes roles libraries play in battling illiteracy, and the need for schools to adopt some of these practices. Uses as examples the efforts of one children's librarian. Discusses interaction in storytelling; obstacles students face in learning to read; picture books and visual storytelling; parental involvement; adult literacy programs; and the…

Argues that "love of reading" should be listed as the top goal of the English curriculum, but that teaching the classics has the opposite effect. Argues that reading and analytical skills can be taught using contemporary teenage fiction that holds students' interest, helps them feel understood, and teaches them about life. Lists numerous books…

The Public Library Association (PLA) partnered with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to develop research-based tools for parents to prepare children for reading. Inherent in the materials is the major role of the public library in formation of readers. Outlines goals and activities (2001-2002) of the PLA/ALSC…

The purpose of this survey investigation was to gain insight into the different home literacy practices of preschool children in some disadvantaged areas across the state of Victoria, Australia. Findings indicate that parents read to their children regularly from a young age, found libraries easy to access and use, and have children who enjoy…

Since the significant report "Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading" (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, and Wilkinson 1985), more attention has been given to the need to motivate and encourage reading in addition to teaching reading skills. That report concluded that the best predictor of reading comprehension, vocabulary…

Students in a language arts methods class work in learning teams in literature circles. They read novels, keep journals, and use a variety of strategies in exploring the novels and relating the authors' work and ideas to their own lives. Occasionally, the group is asked to develop questions which they would like to ask the author. Invariably,…

By analyzing the survey responses of almost 600 fifth and sixth graders, this study points to existing discrepancies between what most public librarians consider a young adult and what the youths consider themselves. Building on past research in the field of education, the writer points out that schools have done much to examine the phenomena of…