Teachers hold beliefs about how children best learn how to read. It is clear from the literature how beliefs are acquired, and that it is possible for beliefs to change. What is not clear is if teachers' beliefs are connected to classroom practices as they relate to teaching reading, and if legislation mandates impact instructional practices. The…

Schools taking part in the federal Reading First program are showing significant progress in boosting students' reading fluency and comprehension, according to state-reported data compiled and released by the U.S. Department of Education last week. In releasing for the first time detailed, multiyear data on how Reading First schools are performing…