This article describes Success Express, a program planned and implemented as part of a collaborative 1990 Javits project for gifted students between Lamar University and Texas A & M. The program has been continued by Lamar and Beaumont Independent School District as a two week summer program to identify high-potential, low-income 4-5 year olds…

This analysis indicated that from variables theorized to influenced score changes in NAEP reading scores from 1994-1998, two were the most consistent with pattern of correlations found in the data. Together, both median household income (AVGINC) and the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-priced lunch (FRELCH) had fairly large…

As yet, psychoeducational practice lacks a reliable and valid set of established classifications of learning behaviors, which is an indispensable starting point for the diagnosis of a child's problems. This paper reports an epidemiologycal study in which we collected descriptive behavioral data from a fairly representative sample (N = 150) of…

Exploratory Practice emphasizes integrating research into pedagogy, and attaches great importance to the quality of life in the classroom. It suggests that we work primarily to understand language classroom life, to bring people together, and to develop students' language competency in a harmonious atmosphere.By putting EP principles into my…

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). The revised law is different from the previous version in at least one important respect. Whereas practitioners were previously encouraged to use IQ-achievement discrepancy to identify children with learning disabilities…

The paper outlines a framework for the development of reading that shows it is heavily dependent upon spoken language processes. Within this view, reading difficulties can follow from difficulties with speech processing (decoding problems) or from broader language processing impairments (comprehension problems). The paper describes the literacy…

The author examined the effectiveness of a vocabulary intervention that employed structured, supplemental story read-alouds and related oral-language activities. Within each of 7 Title I schools across 2 sites, 15 third-grade teachers were randomly assigned to either use the intervention (treatment condition) or continue their usual practice…

A random sample of primary-grade teachers from across the United States was surveyed about within-class ability grouping in reading. Sixty-three percent of participants reported using within-class ability groups. Groups are smaller and more flexible than those formed in the past, with teachers emphasizing teaching comprehension, reading…

While the past issues of the "Journal of Children's Literature" have shared many professional resources that support thinking about international children's literature, the field is continually refreshed by new titles such as the ones described in this article. Each title offers a unique consideration of how literature might be used or…

This article discusses a reading instruction applicable to widely diverse classrooms, because it weaves together dynamic strands from three approaches to teaching reading: literature circle method, reciprocal teaching, and modern literary theories. The author presents three stages to achieve reading success: (1) applying the key features of…

Out-of-school programs provide a context for enriching academic experiences. This study describes a 12-week after-school reading program, Project Expanding Horizons, which is based on the Schoolwide Enrichment Model-Reading (SEM-R) framework. SEM-R has three phases: exposure, supported independent reading, and choice. The exposure phase is…

Young children today are exposed to technology at a much younger age than they were five to 10 years ago, and technology is now an important component of literacy. To be able to function in the world today, children need to learn how to read beyond a paperbound book. In this article, the author highlights Web sites that provide unique…

Two curriculum evaluation projects were conducted in response to requests from practitioners interested in determining the quality of commercially developed reading programs. The 1st project, sponsored by 3 school districts in Texas, focused on 5 1st grade reading programs. The 2nd, conducted at the request of junior high, middle-, and high-school…

We examined the effects of a three-tier strategic model of intensifying instruction using "Reading Mastery Plus" in grades K-3 at a Title I school. Teachers received training and coaching before and during the program evaluation. They were assessed on their satisfaction with the program as well. The "Diagnostic Indicators of Basic…

In this article, the author describes how she came to develop a unit that embraces the genre of mystery and suspense writing and allows students to explore the world of ghouls through four major projects in the areas of reading, writing, art, and research. The unit was introduced in the first two weeks of school to allow students some time to work…