Greater utilization of certain Literacy by 3 classroom practices is associated with the increased likelihood of a campus exceeding district average growth in reading. Though the Literacy by 3 program has been in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) since the 2014-2015 school year, this study is the first to examine the relationship…

Wide variation exists with respect to how Literacy by 3 is implemented. Though the Literacy by 3 program has been in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) since the 2014-2015 school year, there remains wide variation with respect to which aspects of Literacy by 3 are implemented in classrooms and to what extent the practices are utilized.…

Many of us are plagued by negative memories of sustained silent reading. In some of these memories, we are the students, attempting to read a book that didn't hold our interest or trying to read over the din of our disengaged classmates. In other memories, we are the teachers, suffering through a ten-minute classroom management nightmare, deciding…

This study of two successful first grade teachers examines the forces that guide their instructional decisions. Findings reveal the complexities of forces that influence the moment-to-moment decisions made by these teachers. Teachers repeatedly attempted to balance their desires to be student-centered while addressing state standards and…

With a renewed focus on early intervention, teachers must address the difficulties students are having as early as possible to promote their progress. Culturally and linguistically diverse students may not respond to universal interventions that have shown efficiency for mainstream populations. In order for Response to Intervention to be…

For many teachers of middle school and high school, the greatest challenge they face in trying to help struggling readers improve their skills can be students' self-perception. When young people do not see themselves as members of the "literacy club," it is not just a simple matter of persuading them that becoming a fluent reader is…

This article takes us inside two urban middle school classrooms where the majority of students speak African American English. In addition to exploring the nature of literacy instruction inside Mrs. Baird's and Ms. Lawson's classrooms, we examine both teachers' underlying beliefs with respect to language, literacy, and learning. This inquiry…

As education policy in the U.S. focuses increasingly on the quality of classroom instruction, there is a growing need to identify valid constructs and develop reliable tools that measure student opportunities to learn academic knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the relative contributions of two different classroom…

This practical, teacher-friendly book provides indispensable guidance for implementing research-based reading instruction that is responsive to students' diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Structured around the "big five" core topics of an effective reading program--phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension--the…

Many schools mandate that teachers use scripted lessons and specific reading programs. To minimize the many problems that such instructional inflexibility can create for struggling readers, this article describes five principles of motivation and shows how teachers can apply these principles with struggling readers within the framework of mandated…

This article reviews research on the achievement outcomes of alternative approaches for struggling readers in grades K-5: One-to-one tutoring, small group tutorials, classroom instructional process approaches, and computer-assisted instruction. Study inclusion criteria included use of randomized or well-matched control groups, study duration of at…

This paper discusses fluency's role in reading development and suggests ways of incorporating fluency instruction into the literacy curriculum through a range of oral reading approaches. It concentrates on two distinct groups of learners: students who are making the shift to fluent reading (generally second and third graders) and those who have…

Examining the translation of mastery learning theory into the practice of reading programs, this paper challenges the appropriateness of mastery learning for reading instruction. Noting that the use of the term "mastery" is arrogant, conservative, and dogmatic, the paper explores the ramifications of translating mastery learning theory…

Uses "novice educators" in an introductory reading methods course to examine basal readers, compare basal stories and trade books, and consider the teaching of reading using these two primary tools. Finds that the merits of using an integrated or eclectic approach far outweigh the "ease" of using preplanned instruction provided…

Describes a program, involving individualized instruction and classroom management techniques, that has increased the reading skills of one district's students. (IRT)