This brochure is intended to help parents support their children in reading comprehension and fluency. The brochure is divided into seven main sections. The first section addresses preparation that good readers engage in before reading the materials, including: (1) previewing the text; (2) thinking about the topic; (3) setting a purpose for…

The Teachers as Readers Project, originally developed by the American Association of Publishers, helps teachers encourage students to become lifelong readers. Teachers as Readers Book Groups consist of teachers and librarians who meet on a regular basis to read and discuss the same literature--at least four quality children's or adolescents' books…

This report intends to describe a program designed to enhance reading comprehension. Reading comprehension relies on skills that enable students to remember facts, draw out main ideas, make inferences, and relate reading to personal experiences. The focus group consisted of middle and high school students in a metropolitan area in northern…

This report describes a program for increasing student motivation in order to increase reading performance. The targeted population included second, third, fourth, and tenth grade special education students. Lack of motivation in reading was documented through data revealed by pre and post surveys of students' attitudes and interests towards…

This report describes a program for increasing student reading motivation through the use of cooperative learning activities, differentiating reading instruction, and active reading strategies. The students of the targeted second, fourth, sixth and eighth grade classes exhibited a reluctance to read that interfered with academic growth. Probable…

Middle school students should be involved in seeking and selecting reading materials that ensure the attention of the learner. A wide variety of topics for learners to select from in choosing sequential trade books is a must. Sequential books selected by the middle school student should harmonize with his/her present level of achievement in…

Describes New York City teachers' emphasis on independent reading, with the rest of their reading curriculum growing out of needs identified during that time. They begin with mini-lessons, then create social supports for reading, make independent reading central and collaborative, reinforce what works, make time for solitary reading, and learn…

Discusses the role of the school library in the learning process and suggests it should also encourage students' reading habits. Topics include a new paradigm in the concept of a reading culture, including an individualized approach to learning to use the school library; library staff; reading and information skills; and reading materials.…

Discussion of free voluntary reading focuses on a study that tracked students' reading progress in reading motivation programs in elementary and secondary schools. Topics include standardized test results for sixth graders; media center collections and circulation statistics; and correlation of total reading minutes and total reading score. (LRW)

This poetry activity helps K-3 teachers increase students' enthusiasm for reading by highlighting personal interests. Students read a baseball poem, discuss the wording, examine how it conveys action, and look for key words. The next day, they read the poem again and write about favorite activities of their own. The baseball poem is attached. (SM)

Argues that second-language learners should be encouraged to establish experiential reading as their norm and sufficient comprehension as their goal, thus achieving a multidimensional representation of literature that can facilitate language acquisition and reading comprehension. Demonstrates four approaches that can help ensure that reading…

Describes a study of second- and third-grade Hispanic students in an inner-city school, in which increasing children's access to books (through monthly visits to a public library) significantly increased children's interest in books and their reading at home. Concludes that simply providing interesting books for children is a powerful incentive…

Describes the Hot Chocolate House Web site that was created for elementary school students to engage in a variety of activities centered on reading and creative writing. Students can submit their own writing or book reviews, read other writing or book reviews, share authors' letters, and find recipes for snacks. (LRW)

Reports on a survey designed to identify how Talking Book software is being used to support reading development in U.K. classrooms and the potential benefits of adapting such software to meet individual learners' needs. Preliminary results highlight the success of this software for both early readers and older children experiencing difficulties in…

School-community partnership programs can help teachers reach children in the crucial years from birth to 4, thereby preventing reading difficulties and raising future test scores. Many organizations help families in starting their children on the road to lifetime reading by distributing free books and pamphlets on reading aloud to children. (SM)