Shared interactive book reading (SIBR) is a broad term used to describe the act of adults reading aloud to children, while encouraging interaction by asking questions and engaging in a discussion about the book. SIBR can be used to embed naturalistic communication teaching strategies, creating learning opportunities to promote a child's language…

Gender identity is influenced by a variety of characteristics, including race, social class, sexual orientation, language, and gender. This article explores the importance of critical literacy, critical pedagogy, and the influence on identity development. Furthermore, it seeks to provide practitioners and teacher educators with an understanding of…

Tess is a joyful eight-year old girl with epilepsy, frontal lobe dysfunction, and dyspraxia, as well as delays in language, fine motor, and gross motor skills. However, despite her disabilities, Tess happily embraces life. With assistance from a few support professionals, Tess currently functions successfully in a regular education second grade…

Evidence strongly suggests that shared book reading at home and in preschool is important for young children's development of the foundational skills required for the eventual mastery of decoding and comprehension. Yet the nuances of how learning from book reading might vary across these contexts and with children's skills are not well understood.…

This annotated discography lists 114 audiocassettes of 56 famous authors reading or discussing their own works. (MES)

Research indicates that reading aloud to children, a key activity in early childhood classrooms, can result in improved reading comprehension, decoding skills, and language skills. Suggestions are presented for using this technique in elementary classrooms. (CB)

Presents guidelines for reading/listening activities for the holiday season. Eight suggested stories about Christmas or Hanukkah for grades 2 through 6 are listed. (MES)

Presents five ideas for helping second through fifth graders make important gains in reading fluency, including: model fluent reading; do repeated readings in class; promote phrased reading in class; enlist tutors to help out; and have a reader's theater in class. A sidebar offers poetry books for repeated and phrased readings. (SM)

A children's poet offers suggestions to overcome the reluctance to read poetry, teach the difference between poetry and prose, help children follow their natural instincts, enjoy poetry, and share it with others. (MT)

New research shows that certain conditions surrounding read-alouds will ensure the greatest benefits. Suggestions for getting the most out of reading aloud include: engage students' interests; make sure the books are at the right difficulty level; spend an appropriate amount of time on reading aloud; offer a range of materials to read aloud; and…

Discusses the development of the market for books for infants; presents reasons why even young infants can benefit from being read to; and provides guidelines for selection of appropriate books for babies. The guidelines include sturdiness and developmental appropriateness. A list of recommended books is appended. (SKC)

Weekly poetry fests, using poetry throughout the curriculum, and giving children a sense of the tremendous variety of poetry are discussed as methods for helping children appreciate poetry. (HTH)

The article describes an elementary school's "celebrity reader" program, where students invite representatives of various professions to visit their class and read one of their favorite stories. Suggestions are presented for identifying and inviting guest readers and follow-up activities. (CB)

Discusses the value of literature and reading aloud in developing critical thinking skills and suggests several books to supplement the basal textbook. Ten references are listed. (MES)

Discusses ways that parents can help young children acquire reading skills without directly teaching them to read. A list of books for beginning readers, parent-child activities, and an annotated list of three books for parents are included. Two references are listed. (MES)