Offers 12 suggestions to principals who want to be effective instructional leaders in literacy education. (MG)

Describes the development of a Spanish version of the Lexile Framework(R) and a Spanish readability equation. Discusses some differences between Spanish and English and how these differences affect the development of the Lexile measures. (SLD)

Uses an acrostic of the word "vocabulary" to present enjoyable and effective strategies and activities for vocabulary instruction with elementary students. (SR)

Ponders why and how reading/literacy in secondary schools has become secondary, that is, of lesser importance. Argues that, if literacy development is a continuum, then on-going literacy instruction should be increasing rather than declining. (SR)

Shows that a combined reading and phonological awareness training group made greater progress in learning to read than the Reading alone and Phonological Awareness alone groups in addition to that of the unseen control group. Affirms, contrary to earlier criticism, the stability of the treatment effect, the Sound Linkage hypothesis and the…

Describes how the Primary Literacy Institute, a teaching practicum for practicing teachers, was used to help teachers in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District develop a variety of student learning strategies. Five Juneau teachers created the Institute in 1995. (PKP)

Considers ways to describe complex learning that teachers would find useful, especially with respect to the teaching of reading. Identifies a generic set of ecological factors that seem to support such complex learning. Refers to these factors as "conditions of learning." (SG)

Critical analysis of recent National Reading Panel report on teaching children to read based on meta-analysis of research on reading instruction. Asserts that because of problems with meta-analysis and interpretation, report's findings should not form sole basis for reading-instruction policy and legislation. Proposes four reading propositions.…

Presents a fairly detailed analysis, from both psychological and linguistic standpoints, of the behavior called "reading." Considers some ways in which the teaching of this behavior may profit from psychological theory and experimentation. Weaves this latter discussion around a point of view concerning the nature of instruction and its…

Critical review of the National Reading Panel report on fluency. Asserts that panel omitted or misinterpreted studies confirming the value of free reading in the classroom to improve student literacy. (Contains 24 references.) (PKP)

The decoupling argument--that schools respond to pressures from the institutional environment by decoupling changes in structures from classroom instruction--has been a central feature of institutional theory since the early 1970s. This study suggests the need to rethink this argument. Drawing on a study of the relationship between changing ideas…

This essay argues that sense depends on the circulation of nonsense. A realisation of the reciprocal relation can result in a micro-level praxis that helps us, as educators, to free ourselves from the polarisations that have occurred in the field of literacy, such as the phonics/whole language debate, replacing the antagonism with a more…

Explicit directions about what to seek in a text will help students to tackle difficult assignments. Teachers will have to clarify the meaning behind the mission while helping students master challenging texts and will also have to improve comprehension by explicitly identifying what information students need to absorb from a text.

Vocabulary is the hallmark of an educated person as it not only promotes reading comprehension but also enables to actively participate in the society. The four practices that teachers can use to expand students' vocabularies and improve their reading are presented.

The opportunity for students to successfully complete the material increases when teachers take time and care about what they are reading. Students can read the contents of a text successfully if they keep their thoughts moving and ideas developing.