In this essay, I outline some of the essential ingredients of a universal theory of reading acquisition, one that seeks to highlight commonalities while embracing the global diversity of languages, writing systems, and cultures. I begin by stressing the need to consider insights from multiple disciplines including neurobiology, cognitive science,…

The current study examined the relation between the amount of literacy instruction and student reading achievement (word reading and reading comprehension), using data from 927 students and their 189 teachers from Grades 1 to 3 in the US. Literacy instruction was observed once in the Fall and once in the Spring each year from two projects. We…

Background: In South African primary schools, reading is central to curriculum delivery, with a structured three-step process: pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading. Many learners struggle with reading comprehension, which affects their academic performance. Research emphasises the importance of pre-reading for activating prior knowledge,…

Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak, and listen in a way that facilitates effective communication. For students with extensive support needs (ESN), acquiring literacy skills is challenging because these students often need accommodations, modifications, and multiple layers of support to learn and practice literacy. These challenges are…

The aim of this research is to determine the functional reading teaching experiences of special education teacher candidates studying in the final year of the faculty of education special education teaching program. Teacher candidates' functional reading teaching experiences, the difficulties they experienced in functional reading teaching, and…

We investigated whether congruent action while reading informational texts about physics improves science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) vocabulary learning and reading comprehension. Second- and third-grade Spanish-speaking children (N = 216) were randomly assigned to one of five conditions implementing forms of Embodied-Action or…

Today's students must acquire the necessary reading skills and strategies for active engagement in a fast-paced, information-laden, globally connected society. One opportunity imperative for gaining these skills and strategies is participation in independent reading. As facilitators of the learning environment, teachers play a critical role in…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) and English learners (ELs) represent diverse populations with varied academic needs. This analysis focuses primarily on teachers who are certified or endorsed to work with these student populations. This analysis mainly centers on teachers who serve students with mild to moderate disabilities, who make up the…

Research indicates that reading strategy instruction improves comprehension. Conceptualizing strategy training as mediating reading strategy use through collaborative and reflective practices, the present study examined the combined effect of peer-collaborative strategic reading and reflective journaling on strategy use and comprehension. Data…

Sensory reading refers to reading that engages all six of the human senses - vison, hearing, touch, gustation, olfaction and proprioception. The author proposes that increased attention be paid to the three 'hidden' senses of gustation, olfaction and proprioception to advance innovative reading studies. She articulates the problematic of visually…

Praxis (ethical, self-aware, responsive and accountable action) is necessary because English teaching is ethical professions that demand teachers to constantly make morally complex decisions in their outside-of-class preparation and in-class interactions. This case study investigates how teachers determined the praxis of the TPACK framework in EFL…

The purpose of this research was to analyze the performance of pupils (N = 6,023) who took part in Reading Recovery (RR) in England on a decoding test, the Phonics Screening Check (PSC), administered at the end of Year 1 when children are approximately 5 to 6 years of age. The data cover two academic years (2015/2016 and 2016/2017) and include…

A warm demander is an educator who provides a loving classroom environment while holding students to high academic standards--a warm demander models culturally specific practices, incorporating elements representative of students' culture through their teaching. Educators adapt instruction to reflect the needs of the students. This qualitative…

Reporting verbs (RVs) are commonly used features in academic texts. While college textbook authors are less likely to be transparent about their views, they frequently employ RVs to signal their attitudes about the claims and findings of others. University students, particularly those placed in transitional reading courses, however, may have…

This article presents the outcomes of a study conducted in Victoria, Australia, that recognised teachers' knowledge and understanding of phonics teaching, and early literacy acquisition processes more generally. In total, 45 teachers and 220 students from the 18 focus schools who engaged in the reform initiative agreed to participate in this…