In this article the authors integrate literacy with classroom-based technologies to create a student produced movie. The authors explain the steps to classroom movie production that deepens students' comprehension, engages students' in purposeful writing, and utilizes new technologies. (Contains 6 figures.)

The present study explored the speed, accuracy, and reading comprehension of vowelized versus unvowelized scripts among 126 native Hebrew speaking children in second, fourth, and sixth grades. Findings indicated that second graders read and comprehended vowelized scripts significantly more accurately and more quickly than unvowelized scripts,…

This paper describes the theoretical framework, as well as the development and testing of the intervention, "Comprehension Tools for Teachers" (CTT), which is composed of eight component interventions targeting malleable language and reading comprehension skills that emerging research indicates contribute to proficient reading for…

This paper describes the theoretical framework, as well as the development and testing of the intervention, Comprehension Tools for Teachers (CTT), which is composed of eight component interventions targeting malleable language and reading comprehension skills that emerging research indicates contribute to proficient reading for understanding for…

Although there is widespread recognition that arts experiences enhance children's social-emotional development, the mechanisms through which this process takes place are little understood. This article provides insight into the role of the arts in development, through a review of recent research on child development and interviews with inner-city…

This article describes how Readers Theatre was implemented as an engaging means for reading fluency instruction in a second-grade classroom. A weekly Readers Theatre format was utilized over the course of a school year. The format was added to the existing literacy program. Data collected during the school year revealed significant gains in…

Despite over 25 years of research supporting the instruction of comprehension strategies, it seems that such instruction is not readily found in many classrooms or basal readers, resulting in students that struggle with analyzing and comprehending text. This is particularly true in the primary grades. Originally designed with seventh grade…

Having a special or highly focused area of interest is a characteristic that is commonly found in many children with autism. These interests include a wide range of fascinations and can be highly motivating for students with autism. Although recognized as an inherent characteristic of autism, special interests and their role in motivating children…

Teaching communication skills to children with autism is a primary concern because speech and/or language delay characterize autism. One method of teaching verbal communication skills to children with autism is script fading. This study examined the effects of teaching children with autism to exchange information to peers about objects and…

This book contains 25 story theater scripts appropriate for Grades 2 through 6. The scripts are designed to accommodate whole-classroom participation. The book also includes a description of the process for working with students to create a school Story Fest.

This article explores the impact of integrating literacy and social studies instruction through Readers Theatre and shadow puppetry. During an inquiry-based social studies unit on national symbols, second graders created shadow-puppet performances. During the literacy block students worked in small groups to research a topic, develop a script,…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a readers' theater fluency program. The participants were 12 students with learning disabilities in a combined second/third grade exceptional education classroom. Through the use of pre and post reading attitude surveys, field notes recorded by the observer, and pre and post oral fluency…

The influence of social relationships, positive interdependence, and teacher structure on the quality of partner reading interactions was examined. Partner reading, a scripted cooperative learning strategy, is often used in classrooms to promote the development of fluent and automatic reading skills. Forty-three pairs of second grade children were…