When schools and teachers adopt core reading programs they can use them with fidelity or make intelligent decisions about the texts, lessons and components they select to use. The evidence suggests that these programs are not research-based documents, but rather compromises between what the research suggests about effective reading instruction and…

In this article, the author uses Gary Saul Morson's concept of sideshadows to attend to the multiplicity of narratives that occur in a third-grade classroom. The author advocates for experiential learning in order to make more visible to teachers children's internal thinking within language arts, especially English-language learners. Additionally,…

Despite over 25 years of research supporting the instruction of comprehension strategies, it seems that such instruction is not readily found in many classrooms or basal readers, resulting in students that struggle with analyzing and comprehending text. This is particularly true in the primary grades. Originally designed with seventh grade…

Provides, in chart form, information about basal reader series that can help teachers choose texts at appropriate difficulty levels. (FL)

While many basal readers do portray characters reading, others could do more to provide children with role models. (DD)

Reviews the assessment systems which accompany three of the most recently published and widely used basal reading programs. Examines the materials designed for the second half of second grade and for fifth grade. (PRA)

Suggests that by modifying the manner in which workbook pages are presented to students, teachers can increase their effectiveness as teaching tools. (FL)

Presents a research-based system for developing lesson plans to be used with any basal series. (DD)

Traces the history of vocabulary control in children's readers from the turn of the century, describing the enormous impact of Edward L. Thorndike. (DD)

Reports on an examination of intermediate level basal readers in eight series, concluding that they reflect reasonably well the interests of intermediate children. (DD)

Indexes 68 reading series or supplementary reading materials by 29 publishing companies and indicates which of them are at the same readability level. (DD)

Notes that children often fail to interpret metaphors correctly and that instruction in basal readers is not always helpful. Offers a strategy that shows students how to figure out metaphors on their own. (FL)

Argues that Piaget's cognitive stage theory complements psycholinguistic theories of fluent reading by clarifying how readers acquire and then use prior knowledge. Suggests that, in this light, teachers may want to rearrange the order and manner in which they present units from basal readers. (FL)

Provides a guide for designing lessons for teaching content area reading in the elementary grades. (FL)

Describes a reading program that uses a combination of basal readers to teach beginning reading. (RB)