Reports on a survey designed to identify how Talking Book software is being used to support reading development in U.K. classrooms and the potential benefits of adapting such software to meet individual learners' needs. Preliminary results highlight the success of this software for both early readers and older children experiencing difficulties in…

Describes how the parents of the author's fifth-grade students joined the literature circles in her classroom--either in person, through writing, or through recorded conversations. Notes that the literature discussions became richer and more sophisticated as families added layers of meaning to the context built in class. (SR)

School-community partnership programs can help teachers reach children in the crucial years from birth to 4, thereby preventing reading difficulties and raising future test scores. Many organizations help families in starting their children on the road to lifetime reading by distributing free books and pamphlets on reading aloud to children. (SM)

Suggests that by nurturing a pleasant, meaningful, and self-motivating atmosphere, Fluency First reading and writing assignments prove rewarding to teachers and students alike. Fluency First is a systematic set of activities for developing fluency and then focusing on clarity and correctness. It was designed and implemented by English for academic…

Describes how Directed Reading Sequence, a small group cooperative learning method for teaching reading to low achieving students, may be used effectively in middle schools. Presents suggestions for group formation and the four-step Directed Reading Sequence: (1) selecting selection; (2) establishing the roles; (3) intermittent use; and (4)…

Explores the stance of the teacher in the teaching of reading within a literature-based classroom. Describes one elementary teacher using a holistic, inquiry-based curriculum. Discusses fundamental beliefs informing his practices; the informative and transformative role of literature; strategy-sharing sessions with the class; and becoming…

Describes the school climate, the building-level specifics, and some effective teaching strategies that make Western Hills Elementary School an appropriate and successful setting for the development of multicultural language practices. Discusses the partnership between the school district and the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the role…

Illustrates how a struggling third-grade reader named Maddie used her own writing as a logical place for beginning to become a reader. Describes how her teacher built on Maddie's strengths and immersed her in meaningful activities in order to promote a positive attitude toward reading which became the foundation for her acquisition of reading…

States that parent involvement appears to hold great potential for the improvement of literacy education. Interviews over 60 teachers about their attitudes toward parent involvement in reading. Indicates that teacher perceptions of what constitutes parent involvement differed by grade level, and teacher perceptions of parent role appeared to…

This study examined reading instruction and grouping practices for students with learning disabilities through interviews with 14 special education teachers and observations of their resource room instruction. Teachers primarily provided whole group reading instruction and little differentiated instruction or materials despite the wide range of…

This poetry activity encourages K-3 students to recognize figurative language and symbolism in their reading and helps make them aware of different cultural heritages. The activity involves reading and discussing the poem, "Tradition," by Eloise Greenfield, (which is provided on a reproducible tear-our sheet), as well as assorted other…

Finds that K-12 literacy professionals: (1) read journal articles and books more often than research journals or electronic sources; (2) believe in collaborative experiences among teachers; (3) are interested in becoming teacher researchers; (4) feel book clubs are valuable; (5) do not want portfolio assessment to replace other forms; and (6) feel…

Presents a model for methods classes that shows what can be accomplished on a small scale by one professor. Suggests that teacher educators can impact the future one class at a time--they can use their expertise and status in the local educational community to improve the experiences of novice teachers. (SG)

Discusses the need for children to go beyond literacy to become lifelong readers. Highlights include the reading process; reading instruction; and the role of the librarian, including reading books aloud, allowing children to choose their own books, book discussion groups, teaching different purposes of reading, and author studies. (LRW)

Offers suggestions for building school library collections in English and language arts. Discusses how the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) tests for proficiency in three purposes of reading and how it can be used to evaluate a library collection; and includes four annotated bibliographies of books suitable for elementary…