The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of literature circles on the reading comprehension and attitudes toward reading of gifted students in an elementary school. Using a quasi-experimental design, this action research compared two groups of gifted fourth grade students in the reading programs. The experimental group included…

This study documents the process of implementation of an adolescent reading intervention. Using data from observations of teachers (n=17) during the 2013-14 school year, I conducted a nuanced descriptive analysis of fidelity of implementation (FoI). I also analyzed weekly logs completed by literacy coaches (n=3) to examine variation in quantity…

Extensive reading and digital storytelling can utilise "the power of stories" effectively to enhance learners' receptive and productive skills. For the past five years, the author has been working on a classroom project combining these two activities, as a way of integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into his…

(Purpose) The purpose of this study was to describe how secondary preservice teachers of diverse subject areas shared their reading with an individual student in school. A second purpose was to describe the barriers (if any) that they faced sharing their reading. A third purpose was to report their beliefs about the positive aspects of sharing…

As an English teacher who has been teaching nearly 10 years in a college of southern Taiwan, the presenter reports his successful experience on a course, titled "Selected Readings from American Literature." In this try-out study, the presenter adapts a multigenre-response model via which he encourages Taiwan college students to bravely…

Intended for teacher educators in reading, this paper provides criteria for evaluating texts for reading methods courses. The first part of the paper discusses some considerations in choosing a text, including course format, how frequently the text will be used, and whether the text will be a supplemental, companion, or principal resource. The…

A study examined the reading approaches used by teachers and how accurately the teachers described the approaches to reading they purported to use. Subjects, 206 teachers in 19 elementary schools from 9 schools districts in a southeastern state, completed a questionnaire. Results indicated that (1) 68.75% of the teachers cited the basal as their…

This paper suggests that the idea of "taking stock" of the current program--reflecting on what educators believe to be best practice--and then "charting a course" of action to better align practice with vision is a deliberate way for teachers to build capacity to enact reform. It begins by providing a brief overview of the changing direction of…

A study examined primary school teachers' matching of instructional reading methods to models of reading difficulties and how often they used each activity in their classrooms. Subjects were 39 primary school teachers from the northeast section of a Great Lakes, midwestern state. For the study, teachers characterized each reading method according…

A study tested the usefulness of the Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile (TORP) in terms of its accuracy in measuring preservice teachers' change in theoretical orientation to reading as a result of having taken a reading methods course. Subjects, 27 upper division elementary education majors (the experimental group) and 15 upper division…

This study explored the perceptions of whole language instruction held by a group of teachers of young children. Four questions framed the study: (1) How do teachers of young children define a whole language program? (2) What kind of whole language activities have the teachers tried in their classroom, and how did teachers feel about the outcomes…

A study focused on the effects of the Writing to Read program piloted at kindergarten and first grade levels in Community Consolidated School District 65. The report included measures of students' writing, performance on district-made and standardized reading tests, and a follow-up on second graders. Statistical techniques of group comparison and…

This presentation describes how to use reading to improve second language acquisition. Part 1, "Building Awareness of Reading Habits and Attitudes," has students report their habits and attitudes about reading in English and their native language and recognize the importance of reading for improving English skills. Part 2, "Choosing a Book," has…

A descriptive study investigated the ability of student teachers to translate and apply textbook knowledge in the daily reading instruction of public elementary school students. Subjects, 24 teachers, were surveyed regarding their student teachers' use of 36 reading and management strategies covered in college courses. The participating teachers…

Unsuccessful college education often turns our students into book haters who will stop reading as soon as they graduate. The idea of literature circles embraces the concept of "reading for fun" and is intended to create more independent readers and book addicts who will continuously read for the rest of their lives. Pioneers in literacy…