Interest in Reading Aloud (RA), once considered outdated in modern English language learning classrooms, has recently seen a resurgence. Based on a review of the trajectory of RA over the past seventy years, this article identifies a research gap regarding current practising teachers' beliefs about its usefulness. To address this gap, the authors…

A large extant research base documents the positive effects shared book reading (SBR) can have on children's language development, reading comprehension, and other reading-related outcomes. Most studies examined the effects of researcher directed SBR, with an assortment of components that go beyond simply reading the text. It is possible, however,…

Early literacy skills such as print knowledge are essential building blocks for children's later reading and academic outcomes. Shared book reading activities in early childhood classrooms offer rich opportunities through which educators can support children's print knowledge development by explicitly referring to a book's print. Such references…

In this manuscript we show how readalouds can significantly enrich student vocabulary and comprehension by demonstrating enhancements that will foster student learning and language development. We anchor our examples to empirical evidence demonstrating that the content of a readaloud (i.e., the what we teach) as well as the quality of the…

In this study, a traditional practice was adapted to the online environment by considering the digital transformation in reading instruction. The study discusses technology as a new learning environment rather than regarding it merely as a scaffold. The paired reading strategy, which is an effective method for improving reading skills and which…

This article examines findings from an umbrella review of 95 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on effective reading instruction. The analysis highlights that reading is a multifaceted process, requiring the integration of key components such as decoding, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. The review underscores the importance of early…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to address the problem concerning the lack of research on how rural elementary school teachers describe their understanding and practice of ORF instruction in their classrooms, in the Southern part of the United States. John Dewey's conception of habits and reflective thinking was utilized to…

The purpose of this article is to comment on ways that writing-reading connections can take place enhancing reading comprehension and composition. Drawing from a genre-based instructional approach, examples are provided to explain such connections in the process of (a) a rhetorical analysis conducted on writing prompts and prior to reading, (b)…

Although shared book reading is an extensively studied activity with young children, limited research has focused on typical, holistic patterns of teacher--child interactions during this routine classroom activity. This study sought to describe profiles of teacher talk during shared book reading in 98 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms.…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital texts for reading instruction, and research identities both potential advantages and drawbacks for using digital texts for reading instruction. Methods: This paper presents the results of a quantitative survey of a representative sample of US elementary-grade teachers (n = 468)…

This study contributes to the science of teaching reading by illustrating how a ubiquitous classroom practice -- read alouds -- can be enhanced by fostering teacher language practices that support students' ability to read for understanding. This experimental study examines whether and to what extent providing "structured teacher read…

Purpose: Children learning to read in English must learn to read words with varying degrees of grapheme-phoneme correspondence regularity, but there is very little research comparing methods of instruction for words with less predictable or irregular spellings. Therefore, we compared three methods of instruction for beginning readers. Method:…

Memorizing spelling lists and looking up words in the dictionary and then using the words in a sentence is a traditional strategy used for vocabulary acquisition. However, because the students do not learn words in context, their application of knowledge and understanding from this method is uneven. Because picture books may be used for pleasure…

Purpose: Opportunities to actively engage in literacy instruction should be accessible to all students in the classroom. Shared book reading provides a literacy-based context in which teachers may adapt their communication to allow students with a range of abilities to participate. The current study examines teacher communication during shared…

With its focus on evidence-based instruction, the science of reading (SOR) is crucial to ensuring all students unlock strong literacy skills, the foundation for future success. This Spotlight will help readers get up to speed with the latest state initiatives; review a reading comprehension glossary highlighting the key components for success;…