This paper questions the "science of reading" as offering a secure bridge to practice and instead argues for socio-cultural grounded forms of best practicing. The paper argues for a shift from viewing curriculum as generic and standardized to viewing it as particular and generative--requiring formative and dynamic approaches to design.…

The demand for confident reading teachers is greater than ever before. To guarantee successful reading instruction, teachers across the nation are being trained in the science of reading, which focuses on explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Large reading initiatives are tirelessly working on…

This paper details how a 7-month reading-focused professional development initiative, centered on the assessment-to-instruction cycle, supported teachers' growth by combining small group sessions with related individualized literacy coaching. Analysis of participants' experiences revealed the significance of differentiated professional learning in…

This volume is a milestone year for the Yearbook, the conference, and the College Reading Association (CRA). At this conference, CRA celebrated its 50th year. The title of this thirty-first yearbook mirrors the theme of the 2008 conference--"Mentoring Literacy Professionals for 50 Years." The title "Mentoring Literacy Professionals:…

Four responses to speeches regarding William S. Gray presented at the May 9, 1985, Annual Convention of the International Reading Association (IRA) are presented in this paper. Gray--whose accomplishments include his association with the University of Chicago from 1912 (student) to his death in 1960 (Professor Emeritus); his pioneering work in the…

Reading instructors have valuable expertise to share with writing instructors to improve the writing ability of students. Writing instructors often give reading assignments to provide topics for students' essays or discussion, without understanding the reading process. A reading teacher can (1) show the writing instructor how to determine the…

Both research about what teachers do that makes a difference in pupil learning and observation of teaching practices give information about what is effective and helpful in teaching reading. Research shows that effective teachers spend more time in task-related activities and less time dealing with matters unrelated to course content. They…

A study examined how reading teachers' reading habits impacted their teaching practices. Subjects, 625 teachers who attended the Book and Author Luncheon at the 1993 International Reading Association in San Antonio, completed a survey. Teachers represented all 50 states and Canada. Results indicated that: (1) the majority of the teachers viewed…

To develop courses which would emphasize instruction in writing specifically needed to successfully carry out the professional responsibilities of a reading teacher, a study surveyed inservice reading teachers about their writing activities and compared those results with the writing activities required of preservice reading teachers in existing…

A survey of Canadian and United States reading education faculty was conducted to find out if there was a consensus as to the "classic" works in the field of reading research. The questionnaire included a brief definition of "classic study" and invited respondents to list works under five general headings: (1)…

With the "publish or perish" atmosphere of graduate study, a student without a publications list has a difficult time in the job market. Graduate programs in reading should include coursework that will help students break into print. The content of such courses at Rutgers University (New Jersey) and at the University of Houston (Texas)…

The Florida Online Reading Professional Development (FOR-PD) program is funded by the Florida Department of Education (DOE) and is housed at the University of Central Florida (UCF). FORPD is an online staff development project designed to help teachers improve reading instruction for learners in grades preK-12. Developed collaboratively with…

A study obtained information from classroom teachers, principals, and reading specialists about what they believed was important in creating effective Chapter 1 programs. One-day meetings were held in three different parts of Pennsylvania during which each group of educators (who were recommended by an advisory board) were interviewed using focus…

A study examined the relationship of independent variables to scores on the National Teacher Examinations Test of Professional Knowledge (TPK) to determine the best combination of predictor variables to account for variance on the TPK. Data were elicited from 202 undergraduate students at Furman University who had already taken the TPK and were…

To her students at the University of Arizona, Ruth Strang emphasized the theme "look beyond." By that she meant to look beyond the mediocrity and routine that stiffles lives and be a creative reading teacher and diagnostician. Reading teachers, she maintained, should understand that reading comprehension requires the ability to read the…