Phonological awareness and phonics instruction are necessary components of beginning reading instruction and require teachers to have specialized content, pedagogical, and pedagogical content knowledge. This includes knowledge about language structures; reading components, processes, and development; and effective instructional practices. In this…

Because reading is not a natural process like language, young learners must be taught to read. Knowledge about how the reading brain develops has critical implications for understanding which teaching methods to use and helps reconceptualize previous debates. In this excerpt from "Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World",…

As reading is vital to success in life and opens the door to nearly all other learning opportunities, it is essential that educators understand why students with learning how to read. Therefore, it is key for both professionals and researchers to establish their own approaches to assist those with reading difficulties. "Developing Effective…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) place a high focus on close reading -- a form of strategic reading associated with the gradual release of responsibility model, text complexity, and text dependent questioning. However, all readers should be provided this opportunity to dig deeper. One method of presenting this opportunity in elementary…

Argues that a model of metaphorical thinking developed by 18th-century Italian rhetorician Giambattista Vico demonstrates how meaning is constructed in the reading process. Presents key Vichian concepts, followed by an explanation of how metaphors are created to construct new meaning. Compares the process to an interactive model of reading. (RS)

Considers a reading assessment procedure that offers teachers a way of using miscue analysis in the course of a busy classroom day. Presents "Over the Shoulder Miscue Analysis" as a foundation for reflection, the opportunity to revisit and make meaning of a literacy event. Explores how Over the Shoulder has helped teachers as researchers…

Responds to five questions which are frequently asked about the purpose and nature of Reading Recovery, a popular and successful program. (MG)

Gives a brief history of miscue analysis, and then describes miscue analysis procedures, how to code and analyze miscues, and the reader's knowledge of the language cuing systems. Includes an appendix of markings for miscue analysis. (SR)

An elementary school reading teacher describes how she restructured her teaching methods by encouraging children to read and write as part of an integrated process, rather than teaching reading alone as a set of fragmented steps. (GC)

Contains part of the Keefe Inventory of Silent Reading, a silent informal reading inventory. Presents a case study of a student to whom it was administered, including analysis of this individual's reading ability and description of the specific strategies used with this individual on the basis of the results of the inventory. (RS)

Describes the writer's experiences rethinking his reading instruction in his special education resource room. Demonstrates how miscue analysis helped him see his students' strengths. (SR)

Hearing poetry read aloud should help pupils to achieve feelings of being relaxed and reenergized. Poetry might help pupils to achieve vital objectives in reading. Phonics instruction could become an inherent part of the reading of poems. For example, a student teacher and a cooperating teacher introduced pupils to a unit on "Poetry with…

Describes an informal classroom study in which students tape recorded their thoughts as they read, wrote, and "conferenced" with classmates, and how they discovered the organizational benefits of using the recorder. Also describes the writing conferences and workshops that took place in the classroom. (HTH)

Intended for reading teachers and school administrators, this paper proposes a whole language, comprehension based approach to reading instruction that is rooted in the humanistic acceptance of the learner as problem solver and that builds on strengths and minimizes preoccupation with reading deficiency. Following an introduction and rationale for…

Classroom teachers will find it easier to use a literature based approach to the teaching of reading if they work with a teacher or librarian who is knowledgeable in the areas of children's books, the children, and the process of reading. (DF)