Because fluency instruction was identified, only recently, as a cornerstone literacy subject--it is still unfamiliar terrain for many teachers. This volume fills a crucial gap by offering a thorough, authoritative examination of what reading fluency is--and how it should be taught. Contributing authors, who include the field's leading authorities,…

The Pacific Communities with High-performance in Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD) Professional Development Model research project was initiated in response to an overwhelming need in PREL's Pacific service region for improvement of teachers' knowledge and instructional practices in early reading. This report examines the question of the…

This paper is a summary of the evaluation of the second complete year of the implementation of the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), which is designed to achieve 100% literacy by targeting reading performance of beginning reading and first-grade students, to expand the reading power for second- through twelfth-grade students and to intervene for…

This book focuses on middle school and high school literacy programs that effectively support student learning in an era of national and state standards and high-stakes testing. The book offers a programmatic vision, a set of principles, and real-life examples to guide educators who wish to inform their practice with research-based knowledge to…

A study described and evaluated the Cooperative Communication Project, which was designed to improve communication between inner-city families and schools about young children's literacy development. A total of four pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers from two schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools completed an inservice course (a…

The State University of New York (SUNY) Bridge Program is a federally funded work force preparation program that was initiated in October 1992 to help mothers receiving welfare achieve self-sufficiency by helping them acquire job skills. The program is housed at the Urban League of Northeastern New York and SUNY's 10 educational opportunity…

This report examines whether Head Start and Even Start are substantially similar in key areas. At the request of a congressional subcommittee, the Government Accounting Office determined: (1) how similar the programs are in legal requirements and administration and the extent to which they have similar purposes, performance goals, and indicators;…

This report summarizes statewide findings about Maine's Reading Recovery (RR) program based on data from the 1996-97 school year. The information presented in the report includes a brief history of the program in Maine, school-level implementation of the program, demographic information about the children served, the amount of time children spent…

Coral Way Elementary School (Florida), the nation's oldest 20th-century public bilingual school, is recognized as a model for bilingual education. Its curriculum promotes enrichment and language development while building on the languages students bring to school. As well as a medium for moving students to English proficiency, it is a vehicle for…

The Even Start Family Literacy Program is a national program that addresses the literacy and educational needs of adults in eligible families, teaches effective parenting skills, and addresses the preschool readiness needs of young children in the family. The Monongalia County (West Virginia) Even Start Program was unusual in that it took place in…

Discusses a Houston Independent School District project that investigated the effectiveness of providing computers in computer-student ratios of 1-1, 1-two, or 1-three. Describes curriculum modifications and applications to drill and practice, tutorials, management, simulation, games, computer literacy, programing, and word processing in classroom…

Examined the effectiveness of specific psychoeducational tutoring methods on achievement in reading, self-esteem, auding, and verbal language in 132 youths and adults reading below fifth level. Found subjects made significant improvement. Also tested the adequacy of a developmental reading model for adult illiterates. (Author/JAC)

Evaluated an Even Start project in Maryland, using results from the National Evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program for comparison. Found that participants significantly improved in their literacy skills, and that children of parents in the project were much more likely to be exposed to literacy activities such as library visits.…

Thanks to a joint effort between the Orange County (Florida) Schools and Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, nonreading middle schoolers are moving beyond shame to conquer literacy problems. Students participate daily in a learning lab employing multimedia software designed to improve word recognition, reading comprehension, and spelling…

Argues that bilingual (American Sign Language/English) education programs for all children with deafness, regardless of the severity of their hearing loss, may be ineffective in promoting English language literacy and access to the academic curriculum. (12 references) (MDM)