Describes an action plan to help every child read well. The research base for successful reading is outlined, and specific suggestions are made for reading strategies for preschool, beginning reading, and later elementary school programs. Ten strategies are mapped out to achieve the goal of every child reading. (SLD)

Presents annotations of eight books, journal articles, and research reports (published between 1991 and 1995) on the topic of helping underachieving readers. (RS)

Describes a powerful combination of technology and teaching in Orange County, Florida, that has raised the reading scores of struggling students by as much as two grade levels each year. The project features an interactive software system and a literacy workshop model. It strives to help students overcome two common problems: lack of reading…

Faced with low literacy levels, four schools in Santa Clara, California, decreed that every entering kindergartner would be a competent reader by the end of second grade. The schools then implemented the 1,000 Days Network--an uninterrupted morning literacy block tailored to children's needs. Preliminary results are encouraging. (MLH)

"America's Kindergartners," a National Center for Education Statistics report, suggests that kindergarten is becoming increasingly academic. Children's scores on the 1998-99 Early Childhood Study-Kindergarten reflected their mothers' educational and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Two-thirds of black and Hispanic kids fall into the lowest…

Investigated the joint effects of attitude survey format and language arts achievement level on students' (N=82) attitudes toward reading. Results indicate no significant main effect on attitude responses due to achievement level but the main effect due to survey format was significant. Interaction between achievement level and format was also…

The comprehensive approach to arts education, moving art from the academic fringes into the core curriculum, is producing excellent results at one Bedford, Texas, elementary school. Students there are thinking smarter and performing better. Mathematics, reading, and writing scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills are steadily improving.…

Examines school and classroom factors that moderated gender and home language gaps in reading achievement of New Zealand students. Uses data from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement survey to examine comprehension and word recognition scores of nine-year-olds. Shows that the magnitude of the gender gap and…

Differences in the reading achievement of girls and boys were studied in five southern African countries using International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement data for 14,917 sixth graders. There were no significant gender differences in reading achievement, but there were significant differences for socioeconomic levels…

Evaluates the effectiveness in enhancing young children's reading attainment by a computer system that gave prerecorded speech prompts on request. Finds that the intervention group made significantly higher gains on three measures of sight vocabulary than the control group. Suggests that some effective practice in reading can be given by a…

Compares the development of reading and spelling in a group of dyslexics and nondyslexics over a 5-year period (from ages 8 to 13 years). Notes that three distinct groups emerged: stable (identified at both ages), transient (identified at the younger age), and late emerging dyslexics (classified at age 13). Finds that dyslexic students do not…

Finds that both low-ability and average-ability first-grade readers, and to a lesser extent high-ability readers, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, select books that are beyond students' reading level. Discusses influences of gender and genre on these selections. Discusses the relation of frustration-level texts to interest and motivation,…

Ten parents administered a behavioral reading-therapy program to their second- to fourth-grade children with reading disabilities. The children received from 70 to 121 30-minute sessions. Parents were able to administer the program effectively and children participated enthusiastically. Children showed mastery of the reading materials and…

In 655 schools in 27 states, the Literacy Collaborative aims to improve elementary students' literacy achievement. A trained literacy coordinator trains other teachers and provides in-class coaching. Systematic collection of data on every child and data utilization by all program participants support continuous school improvement and create a…

Finds that children's self-perception as readers significantly related to their reading achievement; and mothers had stronger beliefs than did fathers in their ability to help improve boys' reading achievement. Concludes that significant differences favoring females were found in children's reader self-perceptions and their reading achievement.…