Argues that students must have time to experience and respond to (not about) literature. Discusses influences that obstruct this. Outlines eight ways teachers can promote reading as an aesthetic experience, including: give students reading choices; model what it means to be a reader; read aloud to students; allow class time for independent…

Examines a peer-led middle school literature discussion to demonstrate the social and performative nature of interpretation. Finds that two students' stances in relation to a text are shaped by social and cultural conditions within and beyond the classroom. (RS)

Draws from the text of "Jack" (a story about a teenager dealing with his father's homosexuality) several narratives from class discussions. Analyzes the teaching and learning in the middle school class and the teacher's role. Presents responses from Patricia Enciso and Lauren Myracle which comment on this article. (PA)

Drawing on data gathered during a fourteen-month study of reading practices among poor and working-class girls, this essay explores the challenges of creating a responsive and critical reading pedagogy across boundaries of class. Set largely in a summer and after-school reading program for pre-teen girls, the study addressed the question of how a…

Special education as a percentage of total enrollment has risen significantly across the nation, increasing from 8% of the school-age population in 1975-76 to 12% in 2001-02. These growing numbers have garnered increased public attention and have raised questions as to whether the type of special education funding formula used by states may be…

Training young people in work-related interpersonal skills can be difficult. For them adopting ritualistic tactics such as using an extreme opening statement in a negotiation is a very different approach to communicating than the cryptic and concise technique they use when, for example, they send a text message. This study assesses whether the use…

The three books reviewed in this article represent the continuous effort to make visible the significant bridge between theory and practice in the fields of literacy and children's literature. While the authors maintain distinct purposes for their creations, the texts each speak to a strong theoretical support for the practices they describe. The…

Response journals seem to be promising vehicles for inviting children's written comments because they allow children to reflect on their experiences with books and provide them with opportunities to raise questions and formulate ideas. While both teachers and researchers have indicated the benefits of written responses to books, less is known…

An undergraduate course in children's literature was developed at De Montfort University in Bedford, England, United Kingdom (UK). In a children's literature course for first year students from a variety of backgrounds, age groups, and future intents, it is important to consider the discourse of children's literature, to trace intertextual…

Focusing on children's books identified as "notable" for their rich use of language, this book presents essays that discuss literary genres and literary language, responding to the language of Notable Books, and developing an appreciation for language diversity. The book also presents brief essays by well-known children's authors…

This paper reviews the literature on the impact of technology on reading instruction, with a specific focus on language development as enhanced by the use of CD-Rom programs. The paper cites a study in which two separate groups, preschool children and third graders, were asked to talk about a story they listened to and saw on CD-Rom, providing…

This book is an exploration of the crossroads of reader-response and second language acquisition theories and research as a foundation for practice. It provides a model for teaching with literature that supports language and literacy development for students learning English as a first or second language. The book is organized in three parts. Part…

A study analyzed preservice teachers' responses to contemporary published scholarly articles dealing with various facets of the American political economy in relation to the historical developments in schooling. Subjects, six students in a "Historical Perspectives in Education" course, commented in writing on their weekly reading…

This guide describes "Parent Power," a program designed to help parents help their children become better readers. The guide makes such suggestions as pre-reading the book before reading it to children; reading about a variety of subjects; and showing children the importance of reading by parents reading and modeling the reading process…

Building on one aspect of a large-scale longitudinal investigation, a study examined first graders' engagement with literature. Subjects, five Euro-American students (two males, three females), were videotaped during two 30-minute storybook reading sessions one week apart. During the reading session, child and adult sat side-by-side in an effort…