Describes how one teacher researcher helped a class of low-achieving African American eighth graders dramatically increase their reading achievement. Discusses barriers to reading and creating a supportive classroom community. Describes how the author combined explicit skill and strategy development using a framework to address fluency, word…

A study assessed the effectiveness of direct instruction in improving reading skills. After a 3-week summer remedial program in which direct instruction was the main instructional strategy, along with a controlled curriculum, 18 rural students aged 7-15 with severe reading difficulties showed notable improvement in reading and spelling. (Contains…

Traces the author's own literacy development to her girlhood in a village in rural Jamaica. Looks at storytelling, singing, and rhymes in the rhythm of the village; reading from the Bible and stories told at home; rhythms of song and language in church; and the rhythm of poems and stories in school. Looks at implications for literacy instruction.…

Provides a cognitive reading guide for the first four chapters of the novel, "Where the Red Fern Grows" (Rawls, 1961), that incorporates teacher-directed whole-class instruction with a student reading guide to equalize instruction for various levels of learners. Ideas for whole-class instruction are contained within the lesson plans. (CR)

Notes only a small number of widely-circulated studies are central to the idea that teachers should specifically teach phonemic awareness skills to young children. Shows that they selectively and misleadingly cite other studies out of context to support their argument and that their statistical procedures do not support their propositions. Offers…

A meta-analysis compared the academic achievement of students (grades 6-12) who received traditional instruction or traditional instruction supplemented with computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in science, reading, music, special education, social studies, math, vocational education, and English. The study determined that students receiving…

Describes a peer tutoring program used in grades two and three of a school where the majority of children entering school do not speak English as their first language. Shows impressive gains made by the children in reading fluency, comprehension, and in spelling. Notes the program's positive effects on reading attitudes, positive social skills,…

Describes a summer reading program designed to improve low-achieving students' reading skills and to assist them in becoming focused and motivated readers. Finds that the summer reading program provided the necessary stimuli for the participants to develop an appreciation for reading, improve their vocabulary, and develop critical thinking skills.…

This article draws connections between first- and second-language literature on listening and reading in order to explore the implications for integrated instruction in English for academic purposes (EAP). It compares academic listening and reading experiences, discusses EAP curriculum design principles, suggests alternative strategies for…

An interactive, child-initiated software package was used in teaching reading and communication skills to 3 groups of children (n=30), including 20 children with autism and mixed disabilities. Results suggest that such programs may stimulate reading and communication, but that interventions must be individualized and include detailed planning and…

Discusses the use of children's literature within the social studies curriculum, focusing on the study of the Civil War. Considers the benefits of literature for literacy acquisition, language skill development, critical thinking, and vocabulary development. Provides an annotated list of Civil War related materials with extension activities. (JPB)

Describes how the author, a third-grade teacher, deals with the challenges of teaching within a school-based reform package. Describes how she finds ways of satisfying the required number of minutes of reading, math, and science instruction without sacrificing what she knows about what works for her students and their learning. Discusses pros and…

Discusses 11 books that present thought-provoking ideas to help classroom teachers, parents, and administrators understand the world of developing literacy. Addresses a variety of professional books ranging from texts that focus on issues of race, to books that take up emergent literacy, to texts on beginning teaching. (SR)

Six teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders were observed during reading instruction and interviewed. Three teachers provided some reading instruction that was documented as effective and designed to meet students' needs. Controlling student behavior through isolating students, providing extensive time for worksheets, and negative…

Identifies effective teaching methods that can enhance the reading skills of fourth grade African American students. Notes that the teachers identified independent reading and writing, phonics and vocabulary, teacher modeling, the use of multicultural materials, engagement of parental involvement, incorporating prior knowledge, and cooperative…