This article is a revised and expanded version of my presidential address delivered during the 74th Annual Conference of the Literacy Research Association. Part biography and autoethnography, I discuss the need to 'trouble five dark spaces' that affect the literacy development of black male children and teenagers: (1) bounded research orientations…

Summer reading programs are a common means of providing wraparound services to improve the performance of students' with or at risk for reading disabilities. Today's programs are not merely camps but are complex and costly academic efforts that require year-round planning to be successful. School personnel responsible for these programs typically…

Interventions for individuals with or at risk for reading disability (RD) need not occur only during the typical school day. Educators and researchers have been actively seeking opportunities to extend literacy learning through home-based, summer, and other tutoring programs. Nevertheless, alternative settings can pose greater difficulty with…

This paper contains an instructional unit designed for teaching elementary students who struggle with reading comprehension. The literacy strategies that comprise the unit are grounded in the relevant research-based literature that is cited and referenced in the paper. Methods for instructional delivery are included as well as detailed lessons.…

The purpose of this Technical Assistance Paper (TAP) is to provide school districts with updates and changes relative to third-grade student progression policies, including information on alternative assessments, promotion criteria and resources. This paper provides: (1) General Information; (2) Student Portfolios for Third-Grade Students; (3)…

For five years I have supervised a summer literacy camp that connects graduate education majors with students from diverse ethnicities. Each summer I noted I inadequately challenged the education majors to extend their knowledge, examine their attitudes, and expand their abilities to offer culturally responsive literacy instruction to students in…

This issue of "Learning Times" includes a feature on understanding dyslexia. Dyslexia is a brain-based, often inherited, disorder that impairs a person's ability to read. It is not the result of low intelligence, lack of motivation, sensory impairment, or inadequate instruction. Early diagnosis of dyslexia is critical, and a child can be…

Two case studies of early intervention programs demonstrate the benefits of providing special help prior to first grade. A summer program at a reading center helped the students acquire foundation skills of fine motor coordination, listening, expressive language, and attention control. (CL)

The two traditional ways of dealing with students' inabilities to read--holding them back or passing them on to the next teacher--were rejected by one Delaware district anxious to improve its first-graders' reading skills. Teachers suggested involving parents, providing more reading time, and using teacher aides more effectively. A successful…

Resulting from an investigation of reading programs that refuse to tolerate acquiescence to the inevitability of reading failure, this book describes what works and why in adolescent literacy, through case studies and through observations gleaned from extensive literature searches and site visits. Chapters are as follows: (1) "Adolescent…

Creating accessible and engaging lessons for students with reading disabilities (RD) in inclusive classrooms is particularly challenging for special educators in upper elementary and middle school settings. Older students with RD have difficulty accessing the texts that serve as the basis for instruction, and years of repeated failure can leave…