Urges teachers to keep reading and writing alive in the classroom by assigning a variety of books, including the classics, and by integrating written responses with the reading assignments. (DD)

Explores how asking students to abstract a theme statement from a literary text as a main reading objective can actually disempower students' reading experience. Bases the claims on original research on how 288 readers read a short story. Considers how teachers might more profitably talk about theme. (HB)

Describes a method of individualizing textbook reading assignments. (MKM)

Describes a method of including students into a community of readers through which they are encouraged to respond individually to literary texts. Shows how writing prompts can be used in the classroom to foster reader response and the integrity of each reader's interpretation of a text. (HB)

Describes the Reporter's Reading Method, a student-directed reading system that requires students to write questions as they read, and use those questions as the basis for classroom discussion. (MM)

Offers an eight-stage activity which promotes critical thinking. Notes that the activity starts with analysis of literary characters and culminates with presentations based on interviews of respected adults. (PRA)

This paper describes the composition of one particular kind of study guide called a pattern guide that can be used by content area teachers to aid their students in reading and understanding their textbooks. The purpose of the guide is stated as highlighting the reading and thinking skills to be used as well as the most important concepts to be…

Prepared by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, this volume contains approximately 50 percent of the total number of reading exercises administered during the assessment. Exercises are ordered by release number, which indicates the major theme, exercise within the theme, and the exercise part for multiple-part exercises. In addition,…

Notes that when assigned writing topics requiring sophisticated reading students circumvent interpretation by rewriting the text in their personal idiom. Suggests that since meaning is discovered through process, students should be given numerous opportunities to respond to the same text. Offers several kinds of response activities. (JG)

Suggests that giving disabled readers assignments that involve a purpose and make reading secondary improves motivation and ability. (AEA)

Details the results of allowing student choice in reading and writing. Contends that introducing choice late in a student's schooling complicates that student's ability to reap the full benefits of autonomy. Concludes that choice as a key component of teaching reading and writing is problematic in a traditional setting filled with prescriptive…

This booklet begins with a rationale for a strategy for structuring reading activities in the English classroom in order to facilitate growth in reading ability and to accommodate students with varying initial levels of achievement. Specific suggestions are provided for prereading activities, the reading itself, and postreading activities. A…

Five points are: (1) don't assume students know how to use their textbooks; (2) don't ignore the problem or take only short term measures for improvement; (3) don't give undirected assignments; (4) don't force students to pronounce every word correctly; (5) don't send students to the dictionary for words they don't know. (Author/JK)

Includes articles that discuss (1) a quick fix for "agitata," (2) getting more effort out of remedial readers in high school, (3) using the "maze" technique to teach students about good style in writing, and (4) a collaborative learning experience. (JD)