Background: South Africa's long-standing reading crisis is well recognised. At various stages since 2000, national government has presented the inculcation of a culture of reading as a solution to this crisis. Objectives: This article critically interrogated the term 'culture of reading' as used in national government discourse with reference to…

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a powerful tool that motivates students of all ages and abilities to read for pleasure. A wealth of data is routinely collected about children's reading skills to monitor and help manage their independent reading. However, no information is collected on the "softer" reading outcomes, such as reading enjoyment…

Many reading programs today overlook an essential component of literacy instruction--helping children develop an enduring love of reading. This authoritative and accessible guide provides a wealth of ideas for incorporating high-quality children's books of all kinds into K-6 classrooms. Numerous practical strategies are presented for engaging…

Independent reading is a necessary adjunct to a school reading program. If caried out with commitment, it can greatly influence students' lifetime reading habits. Unfortunately, today's educators are so involved with reading instruction and competency testing that independent or recreational reading may become a lost art. This paper asserts that…

Describes a whole school supplemental reading program for secondary schools based upon the development and use of a schoolwide reading list that includes titles of books, the types of teachers (chemistry, history, physical education, etc.) who sponsor the books, and the "linked courses" that bestow academic credit for each title. (SR)

Using the Pizza Hut "Book It" Program which encouraged students to read a certain number of books per month, a study examined the effect of this program on standardized test scores. Subjects, 98 fifth grade students, were placed in high, middle, or low reading groups according to teacher assessment. Half of the students from each group…

Describes the successful implementation in a Georgia elementary school of the Reading Millionaires Project, a reading incentive program to promote recreational reading and to create student interest in reading. (SR)

Combining award-winning literature with effective instructional approaches, this book discusses how to select and use nearly 100 Newbery titles (representing almost one-third of the entire Newbery collection) to spark student interest and enthusiasm for reading. Chapters in the book discuss instructional approaches which include literature…

Designed to offer teachers suggestions to make independent reading an integral part of the school day, this pamphlet discusses the following topics: the importance of independent reading; motivating students to read; arranging time for independent reading; setting up the classroom library; and establishing schoolwide reading programs. Lists of…

Intended for classroom teachers and administrators who want their schools to reflect commitment to the idea that reading for pleasure is an essential part of every successful reading program, this book provides suggestions by which educators can coordinate their efforts with librarians and parents to get children to read voluntarily. The book is…

Reasoning that in a basic English class there is barely enough time to read one or two novels a year, an English teacher convinced the principal of a Youngstown junior-senior high school that an independent reading course would be of tremendous value to those students who are avid readers as well as those who enjoy reading but can never seem to…

SIXTEEN ARTICLES PRESENT DISCUSSIONS OF THE ROLE OF THE LIBRARY AND CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN THE TOTAL SCHOOL READING PROGRAM. THE ARTICLES OFFER SUGGESTIONS FOR BUILDING POSITIVE ATTITUDES IN READING, PLANNING THE LITERATURE PROGRAM, USING BASAL READERS TO FOSTER READING, STIMULATING READING HABITS, AND DEVELOPING THE LIBRARY SKILLS AND READING…

Finds that college freshmen's opinions on vocabulary acquisition agree with the results of recent research, which states that free reading is the most efficient and effective means of acquiring vocabulary in a first language. Results contrast with a study of university foreign language students, most of whom did not value reading as a means of…

This booklet presents descriptions of 19 reading programs that encourage Indiana middle-grade students to read. The programs described in the booklet were part of the Middle Grades Reading Network and were funded with competitive $5000 "minigrants." Essays (descriptions of the reading programs) in the booklet are: "Building a…

Shows how regularly scheduled activities with books and well designed library corners can increase children's interest in reading, using a study of four summer recreational daycare centers to illustrate. (JC)