A large extant research base documents the positive effects shared book reading (SBR) can have on children's language development, reading comprehension, and other reading-related outcomes. Most studies examined the effects of researcher directed SBR, with an assortment of components that go beyond simply reading the text. It is possible, however,…

Novice reading teachers often struggle to provide high-quality reading instruction. The reasons for their difficulties include "transition shock," challenging school contexts, lack of proper preparation, and poor support. One way to improve the quality of novice teachers' reading instruction is through improving their access to high…

Students need proficient literacy skills if they are to be successful in school and in life. Students typically master foundational literacy skills in the primary grades, and their abilities continue to develop throughout middle and high school as they encounter increasingly difficult academic work. Unfortunately, a substantial percentage of…

The adoption of highly scripted curricular programs to promote literacy has become increasingly widespread. Little is known, however, about the extent to which teachers implement these programs as prescribed or, instead, make adaptations to the curriculum and its delivery. Even less is known about teachers' reasoning behind this decision-making.…

There is growing concern among policy makers over the quality of the teacher workforce in general, and the distribution of effective teachers across schools. The impact of teacher attrition on overall teacher quality will depend on the effectiveness of teachers who leave the profession. Likewise, teacher turnover may alleviate or worsen inequities…

The overall aim of this quantitative non-experimental study was to investigate the degree to which content-focused professional development, active based-learning professional development and teacher self-efficacy predict student performance in reading, within persistently low-performing schools. The need to investigate professional development in…

The 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey revealed that 90 million adults performed at the two lowest levels of literacy (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). As legislation advances the mandate for greater accountability in adult education programs, it is paramount that research is conducted that identifies programs that align with the federal…

The purpose of this study is to explore Florida public school highly effective elementary coaches' perceptions on how to best evaluate the effectiveness of the position of reading coach. The study attempts to answer the research questions: (1) What are Florida elementary public school exemplary reading coaches' perspectives on the performance…

Math and reading teachers who also coach athletics in the public school system are challenged to balance the responsibilities that come with fulfilling dual occupational roles. While many studies have examined teacher-coaches' stress levels and job perception in the context of role strain, there is no evidence of how student achievement in tested…

Opinion regarding the importance of skilled reading converges in an almost unanimous voice. Despite the overwhelming importance of reading, 33% of fourth graders experience reading failure (The National Center for Education Statistics, 2009). Additionally, classrooms are composed of diverse learners with various learning styles and abilities…

The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold. First, using a qualitative, single case study design, I explored the roles and responsibilities of a middle school reading coach to understand how the coach distributed her time to support content area teachers in improving literacy instruction within their content areas. In addition to…

My Virtual Reading Coach (MVRC) is an online program for students who have been identified as struggling readers. It is used as an intervention within the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, as well as for students with disabilities. The software addresses reading sub-skills (i.e., comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, phonics, and…

Little research exists to help us understand why some beginning special education teachers of reading engage in more effective classroom practices than others. Factors that may influence these differences include personal attributes, preparation, and school environment. This mixed-methods study examined beginning special education teachers (N =…

This study reviews the state of professional development (PD) for teachers of beginning readers in Florida's rural schools. Teachers of beginning readers need to have a deep understanding of language, of how the reading process develops, and of effective pedagogy in early literacy. Few teachers begin their careers with sufficient knowledge and…

While there has been growing interest in the last few years to address the literacy needs of adolescents, this interest comes when alarming numbers of students are challenged by academic literacy demands in high school. Many students entering high school without passing state assessment examinations are required to take developmental reading…