It is essential for middle school leaders to develop and promote school-wide literacy models, organizational structures that have a significant impact on the learning environment for all students in their building. However, school-wide literacy models can be difficult to implement and sustain over time. Drawing from an Office of Special Education…

This booklet describes the creation of a community education course to provide the one-to-one teacher-student ratio for adults and children who require it to learn to read and spell proficiently. The booklet begins with a discussion of arguments against establishing such a class, including: (1) parents cannot teach their own children; (2) teachers…

This guide provides information critical to developing and implementing an effective school-level intervention program. It is designed to suggest some guiding principles along with examples of how these principles can be operationalized to develop an effective school-level system for meeting the instruction needs of all students. This guide may…

Offers advice and guidance to those wishing to develop a volunteer tutoring program that costs little and helps many children in need of tutorial assistance in reading. (FL)

In developing appropriate reading instruction for language minority children, the following factors should be considered: the developmental nature of literacy, the connection between speech and print, the conventions of the writing system, the importance of comprehension, the role of native language and literacy, and the transferability of skills.…

This article addresses two sets of organizing principles to guide prevention and intervention in beginning reading: (1) the complexity in our alphabetic writing system, and (2) the complexity in our schools. The first set is related to instructional design, while the second set is related to a schoolwide model. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The principles and techniques useful in designing a phonological awareness training program for children at risk for reading disabilities are discussed. The paper asserts that speech-language pathologists have the training, clinical expertise, and opportunity to play an integral role in such programs. (Author/JDD)

This article describes Technology Option for At-Risk Readers (TOARR), a program that uses technology to help students with reading difficulties. The program uses specialized reading software plus a host of motivating reading activities to encourage reading. Steps in developing the TOARR needs assessment and implementing the program are discussed.…

This theme issue focuses on literacy education and prereading activities for very young children who may be at risk for reading failure. It contains several papers, with the following titles and authors: "The Beginnings of Literacy" (Joan Brooks McLane and Gillian Dowley McNamee); "A Book Is a Child's Companion" (Jeree H. Pawl); "What's It Mean To…

This guide was designed for developers of mastery learning materials for competency based learning situations. Topics include: (1) how mastery learning works and how the mastery learning process can be used in the classroom; (2) the advantages of mastery learning; (3) how to determine if mastery learning is right for student needs; (4) how to…

The 19 chapters of this book address theoretical and practical aspects of the development and implementation of inclusive education programs. Chapter titles and authors are: (1) "Inclusive Education: The Past, Preset, and Future" (Lissa A. Power-deFur and Fred P. Orelove); (2) "Inclusion and School Restructuring: Meeting the Needs of All Children"…