This article presents the results of qualitative research into how middle school students experience school reading. Students from grades 4 through 8 from four different schools were asked individually to draw and then to talk about specific times of their choice when they were and were not engaged in learning. The combined method of drawing and…

Many educators recommend reading aloud to students, but little is known about the nature of teacher read-aloud practices beyond elementary school. This article describes a survey of 141 middle school teachers in one U.S. school district. Eighty-six percent of the teachers reported reading aloud to their students; however, teachers defined reading…

This article discusses how registered therapy dogs can motivate and support children as they practice reading aloud in the company of the dog and with the support of the dog's handler. It also offers practical advice to educators, librarians, administrators, and community members seeking to implement such a program in their communities.

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of the literacy histories of developmental reading students enrolled in a South Texas college. A literacy history questionnaire was used to collect written responses regarding the students' early literacy experiences prior to entering the college setting. Analysis of the written responses…

In this book, author Peggy Campbell-Rush shares the strategies she relies on to teach young students not only how to read and write, but also to love to read and write. Teachers will find close to 100 tips, ideas, and activities that they can implement immediately, including: the dos and don'ts for reading aloud; putting new twists on tedious…

This issue of "Focus On" provides an overview of several key early literacy components: phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, concepts of print, oral language development, writing, family literacy, and reading aloud. Suggestions for assessing early literacy development are provided, and examples of implementation of effective early literacy…

This study examines how teachers' use of affective strategies (voice intonation, dramatization, personal involvement comments) during the reading and discussion of books influence young children's affective reactions (dramatization, personal engagement, language play comments). Twenty kindergarten teachers read four books, two fiction and two…

The early years are a time of joy and a period of great learning for young children. They are beginning to interact with print and experience the delights of being read to. This article presents the experiences of a kindergarten teacher during her class' independent reading time. Aside from just plain fun, children can acquire a wide range of…

Reading was, is, and always must come first in the early school years. Without a firm basis in reading, children are going to have a tough time in school and, later, in the world beyond the elementary school doors. Children need math and all the other wonderful things they are exposed to in school, but without some degree of success in reading,…

In this article, the authors describe the balanced literacy pilot program at Monroe Middle School in Tampa, Florida. Monroe implemented the program as part of a districtwide effort to improve student literacy. It uses a four-pronged approach to improve literacy: (1) read-alouds; (2) independent reading; (3) shared reading; and (4) guided reading.…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a method for teaching strategies to students in order to increase their levels of reading comprehension. The targeted population consisted of first-grade students from three schools located in lower- to middle-socioeconomic neighborhoods in Rockford, Illinois. The problem of below grade level reading…

A study determined what variables in the home literary environments of ninth-grade students influenced their attitudes toward reading. Subjects, 316 students from 2 ninth-grade classes at 2 metropolitan high schools, were given the Estes Reading Attitude Scale and a researcher-developed, 30-question inventory of their home literary environment.…

A descriptive study examined whether reading aloud to children regularly would have an effect on creating independent readers. Subjects, 269 preschool through third-grade students in Cranford, New Jersey, were given a questionnaire to be completed by the parents. Ninety-one questionnaires representing 200 children (ranging in age from 3 months to…

Noting that poetry reading and writing can be arduous or self-fulfilling for children, this paper presents guidelines, activities, and a list of suggested books for enhancing poetry appreciation. Guidelines presented in the paper for poetry reading include: read poetry aloud every day to help children understand the rhythm and music of the form;…

This book is about teaching beginning reading and writing. It is based on the belief that children can be taught to be more observant and conscious of the patterns at work as people communicate--particularly through reading and writing--and that teachers can use what children are able to do and what they are able to see to bring them rapidly and…