Today's most competitive basal programs make use of a variety of good children's literature and provide an organized sequential plan for teaching reading. General suggestions are provided for using a basal series as the core of a holistic program. (IAH)

Researchers from the Center for the Study of Reading at the University of Illinois assert that inadequate reading textbooks and the failure to teach reading comprehension in the primary grades contribute to reading comprehension problems in the upper grades. Shortcomings of textbooks are specified and methods for teaching reading comprehension are…

This article offers suggestions to teachers of middle school students on how to encourage children to read for pleasure and how to build a classroom library suited to their interests and abilities. (JD)

A teacher who once relied on a reading skills program describes her conversion to an approach that emphasizes the reading of books. A substantial part of each class period is set aside for free reading time. A sampling of book projects used to focus students' efforts is included. (PP)

This collection of short descriptions of activities provides tips for teaching elementary students. Activities focus on reading and book selection, differences between rain and snow, cooking bread snakes, place value, family heritage, clothing from around the world, and interviews with war veterans. (SM)