Students and teachers inevitably enter classrooms with differing expectations and experiences; those differences provide opportunities for both conflict and growth. This article examines this phenomenon in an undergraduate teacher education course on reading instruction at the middle-school level, presents case studies of students' improvisations…

Reading aloud is an accepted and effective practice in early childhood settings, often taking place several times a day. Research has shown that reading aloud children's literature facilitates literacy development in young children and promotes a love of books and reading. In fact, many children begin to learn to read through their responses to…

How children feel about school and about themselves in the early years can set the stage for their future success in school and in life. Learning to read and write in those early years is pivotal: children who are not successful by the end of grade three have little chance of ever becoming fully literate. This failure diminishes their chances of…

The foundation of all learning is rooted in the development of language and literacy abilities. Literacy development begins well before children enter school and can accelerate in an early childhood classroom setting. Teacher educators often hear about the importance of literacy development. In particular, the significance of phonological…

The progress and effects of a collaborative study group as a method of job-embedded professional development were studied. Eight high school teachers representing a variety of disciplines and the author (a literacy specialist) met monthly as a collaborative group for one school year to investigate materials and methods for literacy strategy…

This article systematically reviews research on the achievement outcomes of four types of approaches to improving the reading of middle and high school students: (1) reading curricula; (2) mixed-method models (methods that combine large-and small-group instruction with computer activities); (3) computer-assisted instruction; and (4)…

Students often enter preservice teacher literacy curriculum and pedagogy classes with conflicting and certainly varied notions about which literacy practices matter in middle years classrooms. Debates about authentic learner-centered tasks versus basic skill acquisition circulate in the media, in school curricula, and in the talk of teachers and…

This article describes an unconventional method to teach un-contracted braille reading and writing skills to students who are blind and have additional disabilities. It includes a keyboarding curriculum that focuses on the whole language approach to literacy. A special feature is the keyboard that is adapted with braille symbols. Un-contracted…

In this interview, Dave Krupke, retired speech-language pathologist in the Davenport, Iowa public schools, describes "See The Sound/Visual Phonics," whose shortened name is "Visual Phonics," and its use with struggling readers and students with communication disabilities. What distinguishes See The Sound/Visual Phonics from…

With the current pressures on teachers to increase academic achievement for all students, high-quality teacher training is more important than ever. Elementary teachers are faced with high expectations for their students to achieve literacy proficiency, and these expectations became law with the No Child Left Behind Act. With or without this…

During the 1890s, the library media specialty was established through "a School Library Section as an integral part of the National Education Association" (Cole 90). In the ensuing decades, this role has expanded and changed; it demands a balancing act between the more traditional roles surrounding books and reading, and the newer expectations and…

Whole language versus phonics: the debate rages on over the proper techniques for teaching reading. Whole language is a child-centered, literature based approach to language teaching that will immerse the students in real communication. The reasons placed behind whole language teaching are based on linguistics, pedagogy, and psychology. In the…

The key objectives for Polish and English reading in Chicago's public schools are presented in this document. Objectives, in Polish and English, are listed separately for eight different primary reading levels (through grade 3) and cover the areas of word attack, comprehension, study skills, and literature. (CMG)

Suggests using the cloze procedure as a means of helping poor readers develop critical reading skills. (RB)

Describes a method for the teaching of basic reading skills through poetry. (RB)