In May 2016 an Invitational Symposium on the Reading for Understanding (RfU) Initiative was held in Alexandria, Virginia. Co-hosted by ETS and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the symposium brought together 160 state and local education leaders to examine the results of the RfU initiative. The goal of the U.S. Department of…

As extensive reading becomes more commonplace in the EFL/ESL classroom, there is a rise in the number of instructors and administrators who are looking for cost-effective and space-saving methods to carry out extensive reading activities. Two extensive reading systems to respond to such concerns were developed with the support of a Grant-in-Aid…

Combining goals from Teacher Corps and Individually Guided Education Programs, this paper presents seven mutually exclusive goals for teachers of middle school reading programs. They are: teachers will learn to conduct a needs assessment; teachers will involve parents and the community; teachers will use multicultural considerations in the reading…

This document discusses the founding and establishment of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's reading experience pilot project. The efforts of this project were aligned with those of Right to Read and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). Because of the response from parents and children, plans are being made to increase present operations within the next…

Both linking agents and training consultants can help school systems solve some difficult problems: how to learn about current research and successful programs, and how to adapt and implement promisisng programs. After a successful initial experience obtaining technical assistance from the Network of Innovative Schools, Inc., the Chelsea Public…

Intended for educators involved in developing secondary school reading programs, this paper describes a carefully balanced program implemented in the Wisconsin public school system for grades 7 through 12. Following a brief introduction to and rationale for the concept of a reading program that balances instruction in reading for skill…

Both the child and the task need to be considered in designing any reading program. The test of the sequence and structure of reading instruction is not simply a matter of completing the learning activities correctly, nor is it the level of attainment reached in the reading test, but it is rather the ability of the student to apply the skills…

This paper details the development and implementation of a feedback system designed to provide information to various strata of decision makers. Data were collected in each of eight city districts in the following areas of reading achievement: mastery of upper and lower case letters, mastery of phonic skills, level of sight vocabulary and…

An overview of the Essential Skills Program at the National Institute of Education is presented in this paper. The paper is divided into three parts. In outline form, the first part of the paper describes the history of the program since its formation in December 1973. Also included in the first part is a short discussion of a number of the major…

This article proposes steps for a systematic, logical method of moving from a nonexistent or limited reading program at the secondary or junior college level to a highly effective one which better meets the needs of the students. The first step suggested is to survey general reading ability within a school in order to formulate the direction the…

Against a background of declining student performance and fragmented programs, the Oakland (California) Unified School District reorganized its reading programs and instructional support personnel. This included reorganization of the central office, new positions, and a new department of curriculum and instruction. An instructional strategy…

Although it is not without flaws, decentralization of the school administration--returning decision-making power to school principals and classroom teachers--can contribute to a return to humanistic education and to the elimination of assembly-line education. Researchers, curriculum developers, and educational publishers can help in this movement…

This paper describes ways to initiate, organize, and administer a Learning to Read through the Arts and Humanities program, an interdisciplinary approach to reading instruction. The paper stresses that school and school district administrators involve teachers in the planning stages of the program to insure their interest in its success. The…

Educators, recognizing the role of the home in preparing a child for reading and in fostering reading growth, have organized outreach programs to systematically utilize home influence. However, thoughtful planning is needed if these programs are to make the most of family involvement. Consideration of who, what, when, where, and how provides a…

A functional reading program, as distinct from the standard middle school reading program, specifically ensures that all students will acquire the reading skills necessary for survival in our society. Survival reading behaviors to be achieved include the ability to read labels on packages, to locate references in a newspaper, or to translate…