As students progress through the grade levels, the demands of academically rigorous subject matter combined with greater dependence on informational text make it imperative for students to attain age-appropriate reading skills, yet a visible number of less proficient readers is appearing in grades 4 through 8. Teachers can help these students by…

Helping Books Help Families (HBHF) is a book discussion program developed by the State Library of Ohio to be instituted by public and school libraries in the state of Ohio. The focus of the program is to promote reading with three groups: families as a group, to parents alone as role models for reading, and to students in school libraries. There…

Celebrating centuries of the written word--from the works of Confucius, Shakespeare, and Ben Franklin to the adventures of Nancy Drew and Harry Potter--this book offers a literary smorgasbord of milestones, anecdotes, and quotes, along with smart, fun, practical activities for exploring and enjoying a wide range of literature. More than a calendar…

This report explores how sociocultural factors affect reading engagement, literacy learning, and achievement among a diverse group of learners. The report examines previous theory and research on motivation in the area of reading (reading engagement) from a sociocultural perspective. It describes a study that examined the issue of reading…

This report addresses the question of whether culturally specific strategies are an effective means for literacy instruction, and how a culturally specific computer-based architecture, the "Lyric Reader," takes advantage of children's existing knowledge and experience to motivate them to read. Given the reading difficulties experienced…

Attempted to bridge home and school literacy contexts by involving families in literacy activities with their children to enhance children's achievement and interest in reading and writing. Activities included literacy centers in classrooms, teacher modeled literature activities, and writing and reading appreciation periods (WRAP). Results…

Explores mutual advantages for information literacy through public and school library partnerships. Highlights include different goals for the same audience, a shift in services and roles, exemplary national programs, and possibilities of joint collection development. Demonstrates the needs and actions to stimulate the opportunity for adolescents…

Suggests books and other materials that are interesting and supportive for struggling readers and reluctant readers, in several categories: repetitive texts, texts that can be performed, and popular texts that have particular appeal for reluctant readers. (SR)

This article presents ideas for turning elementary-level nonreaders into readers. Activities include teachers'"all-about-me letters" to gain insight into students' interests, and interviewing students to document their use of reading strategies. A reading strategy record sheet for the student interviews is included. (SM)

Reports on the reading habits of boys and girls, ages 10 through 14. Argues that boys need to be encouraged to understand how they have been socially constructed as readers and that they need to discuss the implications of the reading choices they make. Suggests that such discussions will help both sexes become more discerning and critical…

Describes a program called Get Real 'n' Read developed by Perth (Australia) public librarians to offer adolescents a greater incentive to use the library and to improve the image of reading. Topics include demographic characteristics of the area; planning; and advertising, including donations appealing to the target audience. (LRW)

Describes ways in which a small group of preschool children in an urban Head Start Program responded to typical information books during read-aloud sessions. Notes results of a group pretend reading of books children had just heard. Concludes even young children are attuned to characteristics of texts. (PM)

Examined two or four times during the course of a year the reading attitudes and reading skills of 41 prekindergarten and kindergarten learners. Found a slight decrease in reading attitudes during kindergarten. Expected skill increases were generally indicated, with pronounced increases in sight word recognition during kindergarten, after other…

Describes the experience of planning an author visit day at Longfellow School (Portland, Maine). Discusses advance arrangements; supplemental reading; creative curriculum enrichment with other books; and involving the school community. Includes an annotated bibliography of books to assist in planning author visits, as well as a sampling of the…

Describes Accelerated Reader (AR), a computer software program that promotes reading; discusses AR hardware requirements; explains how it is used for book selection and testing in schools; assesses the program's strengths and weaknesses; and describes how Grant and Madison Elementary Schools (Muscatine, Iowa) have used the program effectively.…