Reading achievement gaps for diverse students in high-poverty schools is a persistent problem nationally (Berliner, 2017; Carter & Welner, 2013; Darling-Hammond, 2010; Milner, 2010a; National Center for Education Statistics, 2009) and at the site of study. To better understand this phenomenon at Aspiring Elementary School, using the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact a close reading approach had on the reading comprehension levels of twelve English I students. Studies in literacy theory have suggested that students' reading comprehension levels improve with the use of reading strategies. As part of a larger body of research concerning reading instruction for…

This mixed methods study endeavored to examine the close reading knowledge, perceptions, and practices of high school teachers of English/language arts in the United States. Through a quantitative online survey, and two qualitative approaches--one-on-one interviews and reflective instructional logs--data was collected regarding how teachers felt…

The purpose of the study was to uncover and describe psycholinguistic and sociocognitive factors facilitating effective reading by signing adults who are profoundly deaf and do not use hearing technology. The sample comprised four groups, each consisting of 15 adults, for a total of 60 participants. The four groups were "deaf…

Day and Bamford's ten principles for promoting second-language (L2) extensive reading (ER) have been commended for their highly applicable practicality. However, for various reasons, assuring successful ER instruction can remain a challenging task. This surprising contrast may in part be clarified by examining the relationship between Day and…

This mixed methods descriptive study examined the effects of job-embedded professional development (JEPD) in reading on the content knowledge and instructional practice of teachers of English learners (ELs). Four first-grade teachers of ELs at one urban elementary school received JEPD over the course of a year. Results of pre- and posttests of…

This paper explores the design, development and evaluation of an early childhood literacy iPad application, focusing on the English Alphabet, called "A to Z Safari" trialled in Australian classrooms. A to Z Safari was designed to assist students in the early years of schooling with learning the alphabet and building on their knowledge of…

Mary Kennedy (1999) introduced the problem of enactment to describe how novice teachers often struggle to put what they have learned in coursework into practice in the field. One approach to this problem is to put practice at the center of teacher education by specifying core practices of teaching around which to structure novices' learning…

Several early literacy programmes have documented their effectiveness in enhancing children's early literacy and language development. Despite recent interest in implementing evidence-based programmes, only a few studies have set out to capture the implementation process of early literacy programmes as seen from the programme users' perspectives.…

Few empirical studies have been conducted to investigate the educational uses of graphic novels. Because of this, misconceptions and stereotypes exist. This article presents findings from a study examining the effects of graphic novels on high school students' (N = 217) reading comprehension. A graphic adaptation of a traditionally taught text…

This paper describes the mixed methodology evaluation of the Own-Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) programme with 33 secondary students with persistent literacy difficulties. The evaluation involved a quasi-experimental evaluation in which 33 students in years 7-9 in four schools used OVIP over an 8 week period and were monitored at three times for…

This mixed-method study sought to examine the experiences of a group of 21 pre-service teachers in a collegiate literacy education class which required a semester-long exploration of the potential of tablets to enhance the reading skills of youngsters. The quantitative portions of the study identified the participants' daily use habits of…

Comprehension is a critical part of the reading process, and yet learners continue to struggle with it and teachers continue to neglect it in their teaching. Many reasons exist for the lack of focus on reading comprehension instruction, but for the most part, teachers simply do not seem to view comprehension as part of the reading process, are not…

Many administrators in Learning Assistance Programs (LAPs) have teaching duties, or take on teaching duties at some point in their careers. This study was designed to examine the impact of LAP experience on classroom pedagogy. A pilot study was utilized first through listservs and email chains to ask that question of LAP professionals. After…

Knowledge and understanding of foundational reading skills are critical in teaching both beginning readers and students who continue to struggle with reading in upper elementary grade levels. The purpose of this research study was to examine the essential knowledge and aptitude of teachers and the relationship between this knowledge and the…