Background/Context: Improving reading comprehension has been a persistent and perplexing dilemma around the world since written communication was invented. Reading comprehension, which is the goal of reading, is a multi-faceted construct intertwining code-focused early reading skills and meaning-focused comprehension skills and strategies (Connor…

The study examined how, in the current context of reading reform, teachers' beliefs coalesced and aligned with prevailing paradigms of reading instruction (Science of Reading, Balanced Literacy, and Whole Language). The sample included 14 graduate students (in-service teachers) and 13 undergraduate students (pre-service teachers). Q Methodology…

A mixed methods study is used to investigate the effectiveness of a professional development program intended to enhance teacher knowledge and student learning so as to systematically improve student achievement in elementary literacy. In this study, a large urban school district partnered with a local university to provide intervention in a Title…

This paper reports on the Video Viewing Task (VVT), an assessment designed to measure teachers' developing understanding of two reading comprehension instruction approaches: Reciprocal Teaching (Palincsar, A. S. & Brown, A. L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. "Cognition and…

Ideal as a supplementary text for a variety of courses and as a guide for in-service teachers and for professional development settings, "Teaching English Language Learners: 43 Strategies for Successful K-8 Classrooms" provides teachers of all content areas with a broad, practical approach to teaching English language learners in the regular…

Professional development with proven positive effects on vocabulary instruction and student achievement: that's what reading teachers are looking for, and that's what the Teacher Study Group (TSG) model delivers. With the nine complete TSG sessions in this book, K-8 teachers will form dynamic in-school learning groups with their fellow educators…

This book presents a schoolwide model of instructional support designed to make the most of available time, resources, and personnel--one that is also fully compatible with other problem-solving models, such as response to intervention. The authors provide a comprehensive and cohesive framework for linking assessment and intervention. They show…

In this paper, I argue that in-service language-teacher education programs should consider all elements of the linguistic, geographical and cultural context of the teachers the course is designed for, and respond to this context in a constructivist way in program design and implementation. Using qualitative case-study data, I focused on the…

This article discusses the use of distance courses as an in-service training mechanism for early childhood personnel. The authors evaluated the efficacy of the in-service, satellite based distance course HeadsUp! Reading (HU!R). The analysis of HU!R data revealed that there were no initial differences in the Language and Literacy Early Childhood:…

In "Effective Literacy Coaching: Building Expertise and a Culture of Literacy," literacy experts Shari Frost, Roberta Buhle, and Camille Blachowicz provide more than 50 practical activities designed to help K-12 literacy professionals: (1) Assess the current literacy program; (2) Plan changes that will foster a culture of literacy; (3) Collaborate…

Describes positive results of taking part in a National Council of Teachers of English Reading Initiative study group. Proposes teachers need the long term study, experimentation, and conversation the study group provides. Lists ideas that will help support teachers as inquirers. (PM)

The National Writing Project at Work monograph series describes National Writing Project (NWP) work, often shared informally or in workshops through the NWP network, and offers detailed chronological accounts for sites interested in adopting and adapting the models. This monograph--"The Story of SCORE"--is a realistic look at how an…

Reading teachers need to have ample opportunities to experience professional growth. Teachers first need to experience excellent role models in reading instruction. Modeling new curriculum provides teachers opportunities to observe, reflect upon, and ask questions about proposed methods. Literature on new programs should also be passed out to…

This article, intended for Reading Recovery teacher leaders, site coordinators, and trainers, discusses the issue of field visits by teacher leaders to teachers. The article argues that it is helpful, in considering field visits to teachers, to understand the various means of assisting performance described by Tharp and Gallimore in 1988. The…

Describes how two university instructors implemented the staff development component of a competitive U.S. federal literacy initiative in two elementary schools. Notes that Reading Excellence Act (REA) was enacted to give schools direct financial assistance to improve reading instruction. Suggests the greatest lesson the authors learned was…