Individual Conferences to Promote Independent Reading is one of four classroom activities in the system of Individually Guided Motivation. A package of teacher-education materials designed to allow schools to implement the program of individual conferences was evaluted in six different school settings. Objectives were identified for both the…

This report describes a program for improving student independent reading skills through direct phonics instruction. Students were exhibiting inadequate reading skills, which interfered with academic achievement. The targeted population consisted of second and third grade students from a northwestern Illinois city of about twelve thousand.…

This supplement is designed as a resource for helping students in grades four through eight read and respond to literature and other forms of print. It notes that fourth through eighth graders are expected to: read independently with fluency and for meaning using a variety of strategies; and read, analyze, and respond in written and oral language…

Explains how a guided independent reading program became popular with junior high school students. (SW)

Describes a summer reading program that requires each high school student to read one carefully chosen background work, not a textbook, for each course to be taken in the fall. Sample titles in mathematics, science, and art are provided. (SJL)

Discusses adult students of English as a Second Language who are dedicated readers in their primary language, yet have not considered reading as a means of developing their second language ability. Concludes that the case for free reading is strong and that teachers can encourage their students to engage in second language reading activities. (10…

Explains that extensive reading (ER) programs involve students in silently reading large quantities of materials. Discusses the possible benefits of adding a group element to second language ER. Presents cooperative learning principles that can facilitate effective group interaction to accompany ER. Provides examples of activities that blend…

Discusses concerns about the current state of elementary school reading programs. Suggests specific ways these programs may be improved for the benefit of children and society. Discusses priority of reading in the schools, beginning reading programs, remedial reading programs, staff development programs, and the incidence and quality of…

Studies the views of parents and teachers on how they might effectively support independent readers. Examines children's views on parental involvement. Finds that the survey heightened interest in reading and literature among children and their parents. (MG)

Describes sentence collecting, an activity in which students do outside reading that may include content area textbooks, and bring to class interesting sentences found in their reading. Maintains that sentence collecting helps to model reading as a dynamic cognitive and social process in which readers participate actively. (SR)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a home repeated-reading intervention on the reading achievement of eight low-performing second-grade children in an urban school by taking into consideration their need to develop automaticity and the role their parents play in this process. Specifically we posed the following…