Arguing that children are not taken seriously in the United States, this lecture states that basic education is not simply computing and decoding, but also dreaming and imagining. The lecture urges educators not only to stick to the reality of budget cutting and deficit spending but, for the children's sake, also to stick to a dream. In the…

Getting students to read can often be a very exasperating, frustrating experience for classroom teachers, parents, and reading specialists alike. However, the use of jokes, cartoons, funny stories, comedy records, and joke books can be used to instill a love of reading. Humor can also be used to improve interpersonal skills, and reading and…

A study identified the characteristics and practices of reading teachers that produce both skillful and interested readers. Subjects, 216 elementary, 101 secondary, and 74 special education majors enrolled in either an elementary or secondary reading methods course at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, were administered a 3-item survey…

There is considerable research evidence to suggest that (1) literature has a positive effect both on reading achievement and attitude toward reading; and (2) the use of a literature-based program is an effective alternative to the traditional basal reading approach. The majority of studies concluded that the literature-based approach produced…

Challenging educators and students to look at both the importance of secondary reading and the vital differences between secondary level and elementary level reading demands, strategies, competencies, and attitudes, the papers in this monograph indicate the broad range of theoretical issues in secondary reading that must be examined as a prelude…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: For the last three years, in the Flowing Wells Schools in Tucson, Arizona, Reading Specialists Susan Heintz and Carol McPheeters have directed a continuous program which involves a total schoolwide commitment to developing positive feelings toward reading. The name of this program is "Paperback…

In the past two decades, sustained silent reading (SSR) has gained attention as a component in many schools' reading programs. Some advocates of SSR differ slightly in their recommendations of specific rules, but most agree on the following guidelines: (1) no interruptions; (2) everyone reads, including the teacher; (3) students choose their own…

Noting that educators can help students have the positive experiences necessary to foster interest and growth in reading skills by guiding them toward the selection of library books at appropriate reading levels, this bibliography provides citations of high quality books for which a readability grade level has been determined using the Fry…

A survey was conducted to determine how much and under what conditions students read voluntarily. Subjects, 844 secondary students, completed a questionnaire that was then analyzed using the Crosstabulation Subprogram of "Statistical Package for the Social Sciences" to correlate results with students' sex, grade level, scholastic…

A study evaluated a program designed to improve the reading attitude of students who had the skills to read independently but chose not to during their recreational reading time. Subjects, 25 third grade students enrolled in a public school in a rapidly growing city in Florida, performed in the 80th percentile or above on county, state, and…

Research indicates that the use of children's literature can have a positive effect on both reading achievement and reading attitudes. The overemphasis on skills and the exclusive use of the basal reader does not appear to motivate students to become readers. Educators should be exposing children to worthwhile literature in order to motivate them…

Newspaper media provide one way to motivate students' parents to be in tune with the whys, the hows, the wherefores, and the importance of reading. For example, in the Phoenixville Area School District (Pennsylvania), the reading department writes a monthly column for parents in the local newspaper. The column's topics are based on data gathered…

Intended to help communities raise funds for Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) projects, this booklet lists ideas and examples, many volunteered and tested by RIF projects themselves. The first of the booklet's four sections offers suggestions for preparing for a fundraising effort. The next two sections contain ideas on the main avenues of…

Thirty-three first grade classrooms in Georgia were observed to determine the state of language experience instruction and to examine whether such instruction makes a difference in students' awareness of the reading purpose, their knowledge of instructional terminology, their reading attitudes, and their reading achievement. The Allen Level of…

One approach to preparing kindergarten children for beginning reading combines a meaningful print environment with active student involvement in the learning process. The environment of the classroom from the beginning exposes children to meaningful printed words and symbols. Children use name tags not only for identification but also as a way for…