This paper focuses on a 1997 pilot project carried out in five secondary schools in South Africa that examined children's reading and information use. This study (n=958) was part of a larger study from 1995 and 1996 carried out in the United Kingdom. The primary goal was to examine what young people are reading at the end of the 20th century. The…

Reports results of interviews with children ages 4 to 12 regarding their reading interests that were conducted by graduate students in a children's literature course. Common themes are discussed, including enthusiasm about reading, positive reading experiences, adult influences, positive attitudes, and reading preferences. Possible reasons causing…

One Israeli junior high school initiated an extensive reading program that promotes independent English reading and increases acquisition of English. This article explains how to get such a program started, develop guidelines, and handle problems. Student surveys indicated that similar numbers of students enjoyed reading English and reading…

A superintendent interviewed gang members in northeastern cities to determine their views about school and discover what gang-culture characteristics might improve their school success. Many were discouraged by teachers' low expectations. Prevention/intervention strategies include empowering students, encouraging a sense of belonging, and…

This dialogical project is framed within critical inquiry methods to bring an Amish teacher's voice to the forefront. Henry, an Amish middle school teacher, and two university teacher educators in northeastern Indiana collaboratively critiqued educational literature written about the Amish culture from the past 15 years. Building on critical…

Promoting reading through a library program does not have to mean a major offensive involving the latest in technology. Little, engaging activities--storytelling, book talking, book displays, puppetry, games, author visits, songs and chants, readers' theater, hands-on centers, and special event celebrations--can have the same effect. This author,…

This book contains 14 essays on reading and vocabulary learning in second language acquisition. Chapters include: "Research on ESL/EFL Vocabulary Acquisition: Putting It in Context" (James Coady); "Implications for L2 Vocabulary Acquisition and Instruction From L1 Vocabulary Research" (Fredricka Stoller and William Grabe); "Patterns and Perils of…

An examination of the literature on how parents reading with their children affects children's interest and ability in reading was informative. Especially useful were 3 articles--those of Scarbrorough, Dorbrich, and Hager (1991); Ridout (1992); and Martin (1993). The first article states that not all children follow in their parents' desire for…

Several of the papers in this collection describe university programs or provide practical suggestions for using technology to enhance literacy instruction; other papers focus on a diverse range of issues, instructional strategies, and research findings related to different aspects of literacy. Papers in the collection are: "A Community of…

Interest is a powerful psychological factor in learning. Middle school students need to be involved in both selecting reading materials and choosing the method of appraisal. Approaches used need to encourage, not hinder interest in reading. Some student projects that have been used as evaluation tools are dioramas, pictures, pantomime, oral…

Intended as a guide for local-level policymakers, curriculum planners, teachers, and librarians, this book lists over 1200 titles of books as examples of good literature for high school students. It is intended to encourage educators to review their literature programs and the accompanying instructional materials and to encourage students to read…

Doubts about the reading vocabulary adequacies of today's high school graduates led to an experiment with a list of 199 difficult words culled from the "Reader's Digest." College juniors and seniors (298 in the first stage and 388 in the second stage) were asked to indicate whether they knew the pronunciation and the meaning of the…

Intended for use by teachers who wish to help students select library materials for personal and classroom reading, this instrument is designed to assess student reading attitudes and knowledge. The instrument is divided into upper elementary, junior high school, and high school levels and consists of questions that assess (1) how students feel…

The Learning Support Center (LSC) at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, has developed the Three R method--resources, retention, and renewal--of helping high risk students understand the material in their classes and remain in the university. The first method, resources, involves four types of resources--state-of-the-art equipment, qualified…

Modern information technology holds both threats and promises for the young generation in every aspect of life--social, political, economic, cultural, and personal. Already research is showing some consequences previously unsuspected. The case for mass literacy must be reappraised to assess what sort of literacy is now required, how it must link…