Noting that the quality of literacy instruction in the upper grades is equally essential as literacy in the primary grades, this book focuses on helping students' needs in the upper grades and the needs of all teachers in grades four through twelve who endeavor to help students read to learn across the curriculum and comprehend at grade level, and…

An outline of some instructional principles by which reading instruction may be analyzed. (Author/HB)

Examines research on teacher effectiveness and comprehension instructional strategies and proposes six principles for the development of reading comprehension instructional methods and materials. (FL)

In the bottom-up model of the reading process, the reader's first task is to decode the symbols into sound representations. By contrast, the top-down model assumes that the reader begins by guessing about the meaning of some unit of print. Each model suggests different instructional practices. (Author/SJL)

Examines computer modeling of the reading process and the instructional technology of basals, the two pillars of Marilyn Adams text, "Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print." Explains why the author believes Adams is fundamentally wrong in her theoretical approach to reading instruction. (MG)

Argues that as reading is taught increasingly as a tool, the delight that comes from personal literacy is becoming obscured. Argues that bringing personal values and experiences to poetry is an important way for students to discover the meaning of a poem. Describes how students can "map" their reading journey. (RS)

Discusses the problems of teaching critical reading and the lack of progress toward the solutions to the problems. Suggests a definition of critical reading and methodologies for its teaching. Presents a classroom observation checklist to evaluate students' critical reading processes. (MG)

Tests a new model of the child's meaning-making process in response to literary text. Finds that the model is not disproved and serves as a valid means for adults to share information and ideas about young peoples' transactions with literary texts. (MG)

Investigates the relationships among teachers' stated theoretical orientation to reading and several psychological measures. States that teacher educators need to be creative and intentional to reach all varieties of learners. Cautions that no single methodology should ever be mandated by administrators. (MG)

Introduces teachers to the development and use of story maps as a tool for promoting reading comprehension. Presents a definition and review of story map research. Explains how to construct story maps, and offers suggestions for starting story map instruction. Provides variations on the use of story maps. (MG)

Presents an interactive instructional model of reading instruction, in which teachers have a central role in determining the goals, materials, and methods of instruction. Suggests that this approach would improve students' reading performance. (MM)

Uses the author's experiences as a less-able member of a university choir as metaphor for how less-able readers experience the demands of learning a complex symbol system. Translates the positive experiences as a choir member into classroom contexts. Advocates choral reading, heterogeneous grouping, regular opportunities for practice, limitation…

Argues that the way teachers and students transact with a piece of literature needs to change if teachers are to change the way students read and see themselves as readers. Suggests teachers need to support a variety of responses and avoid the tendency to reduce discussion to a search for a single main idea. Includes a brief response by Susan…

One of the characteristics of the well-documented bifurcation in collegiate foreign language (FL) instruction is the difficult transition from lower- to upper-level instruction. Particularly pronounced are the expectations placed on readers at the upper level. No longer engaged in surface readings and sentence-level exercises that stay focused on…