Examines reading instruction in the context of Montessori curriculum. Four major areas are explored: (1) goals; (2) identification of landmarks (significant or critical events) in the child's development; (3) enhancement of teachers' responsiveness; and (4) development of relevant skills by creating a supportive physical and psychological…

Explores the relationship between the principles of whole-language teaching and whole-language learning, especially for elementary school students, and the culture of many Native American students, listing seven points of compatibility. The experience of the Miccosukee Indian School in Miami (Florida) illustrates the use of whole language. (SLD)

This article reviews the literature on the development of literacy, showing literacy beginnings in the infant and young child within a literate family community, literacy development in a literate school community, and literacy specialization in a teacher education community. The literature is applied to preparation of teachers of students with…

Reports a case study of three kindergarten teachers who were introduced in a university class to emergent literacy research from a developmental perspective. Observations and interviews with the three teachers indicated teachers believed external constraints inhibited child-centered teaching. They held conflicting beliefs about child-centered and…

Eighty-nine experienced teachers of reading, language arts, and special education were found to understand too little about language structure to be able to provide sufficient instruction. The teachers subsequently took a course focusing on phonemic awareness, spoken-written language relationships, and spelling and reading behavior, and judged…

This response to Vicki Snider (EC 602 672) claims that teaching reading through students' learning style strengths has resulted in accelerated learning and significant gains in student motivation, reading fluency, and comprehension. The commentary discusses the research base on phonics instruction, learning styles, and The Reading Style Inventory.…

This study found that training teachers (n=5) to use prediscussion questioning techniques to integrate computer software into the reading instruction of high school students with mild disabilities did not result in significant differences in students' comprehension scores. Homogeneously grouped students (n=29) demonstrated greater achievement than…

The mother of a son with dyslexia documents her son's success in learning to read in a private school using the Orton-Gillingham approach and her efforts to bring that approach into the public schools of Delaware, through Project ASSIST (Alphabetic Sound Symbol Instruction Systematically Taught) and its volunteer tutors and teacher training.…

Reports a study that used belief statements and lesson plans to examine preservice and inservice secondary teachers' orientations toward content area reading and instruction. Data analysis indicated preservice teachers favored an interactive model of reading but reader-based instruction. Inservice teachers held reader-based beliefs in both areas.…

Autobiographical reports were collected of workplace collegiality from elementary teachers who had successfully made fundamental changes from more traditional and routine to nontraditional, less routine reading and writing instructional practices. Results found collegial talk was an important component in the gradual process of making a…

Illustrates through examples how elementary and secondary students can be motivated to enjoy books by making a connection to reading through listening to audiobooks. Sidebars include comments from fifth-grade English-as-a-Second-Language students about audiobooks, selection/usage tips for librarians, and a list of selected audiobook publishers.…

Describes a project in which 16 classroom teachers from seven different schools collaborated with researchers in an extensive investigation of book access and rereading. Discusses enhancing book access in school and at home, and enhanced book access at home with books and audiotapes. Shows how these school/home programs helped young…

Presents 29 brief descriptions of research in the teaching of English (published July through December, 1999) in the areas of: bilingual/foreign language education; classroom discourse; discourse processes; literature; professional development; reading; research methodology; technology and literacy; and writing. (SR)

Teachers in a Spanish/English dual language elementary school in Tucson (Arizona) promote Spanish literacy using a school-designed program. The schoolwide, nonscripted program has been successful in supporting the transfer of reading skills from Spanish to English and in including special education students in dual language schooling. (Contains 33…

Examined the perceptions of preservice elementary teachers enrolled in reading, mathematics, and integrating reading and mathematics methods courses about integrating mathematics, reading, and writing instruction at the elementary/middle school level. Surveys indicated that all students were generally positive about instructional integration. They…