This guide briefly discusses reading and writing, and then presents 43 strategies for becoming better readers and writers. The guide discusses writing and reading as processes, and lists questions that writers ask and that readers ask. Some of the 43 ways to help students listed in the brochure are: read aloud to students; practice journal…

This comprehensive guide is based on the premise that books and reading are an essential part of every child's development. The guide lists and describes more than 2000 books for children from birth to age 14; from stories that babies can literally chew on, to the best choices for bridging the critical gap between listening and reading, to the…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a program for at-risk parents designed to improve family reading and thus prepare at-risk children for school. The program, "Ready for Reading," consists of three two-hour sessions conducted with parents at their children's school while the children are in pre-kindergarten classes in various…

The Read with Me project was undertaken to help disadvantaged parents establish reading as a family priority. Included among the program's target audience were families residing at a 30-day shelter for homeless people, parents in adult basic education (ABE) classes, parents associated with a program for children from disadvantaged home settings,…

This study examined young children's cognitive engagement during classroom book reading with different types of books in Greek kindergarten schools. Twenty teachers read four books--two fiction (familiar/unfamiliar story format) and two information books (expository/narrative text). As expected, children's and teachers' cognitive engagement was…

A study presents descriptive and correlational results from questionnaires and tests administered to approximately 650 children in two cohorts, who, with their parents, are participating in a longitudinal study of reading comprehension development. Results from kindergarten and first-grade students showed low but positive correlations for parents'…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a program to improve the reading/vocabulary skills of an ability-grouped fifth grade class of "low achievers" (N=15) through the implementation of a literature-based whole language approach. Students were read aloud to from quality children's literature. From these books, spelling and vocabulary…

Reading to young children offers them many benefits including a sense of security which comes from physical closeness to an adult. In addition, the child perceives the format of print, begins to assimilate the basics of story construction, develops a prior knowledge base which is an essential ingredient of comprehension, and receives the message…

This introductory manual offers an overview of the Hawaii English Program in Literature for elementary students--a program designed to help children enjoy and understand literature through active exploration of a variety of stories and poems from contemporary works as well as from the classics. Part I, "Preparing to Teach the Program",…

Intended for parents and based on the premise that parents are their children's first and most important teachers, this booklet is a distillation of findings from the 1984 report of the Commission on Reading, "Becoming a Nation of Readers." The introduction reiterates the commission's conclusions (1) that a parent is a child's first…

The first volume of this final report of a large study that detailed the day-to-day workings of, and student response to, two philosophically different approaches to reading readiness as they were used in six Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) kindergartens reports on the literate environment approach. The background section explains that this approach…

Intended for reading and language arts teachers of multiethnic classes, this report discusses the use of children's literature featuring Asian American characters and how these books can have a negative or positive influence on attitudes toward and of ethnic groups. The first part discusses the importance of presenting Asian American children's…

Discusses a children's literature project involving a letter-writing exchange between eighth graders and second graders, and the students' collaboration composing short stories. Reports that the eighth graders' reading aloud to the second graders, and receiving suggestions for revisions, had significant audience awareness impact on the eighth…

Procedures for developing curriculum-based measurement (CBM) systems are presented as an approach to special education problem solving. CBM procedures are discussed within the context of a decision-making matrix, focusing on "what" and "how" to measure and how to use data. An example applies the method to reading-aloud…

Presents effective methods for the discussion, sharpening, and enrichment of readers' responses. Includes methods to teach students how to choose a good book, an individualized and/or group reading and response program, and journal writing techniques. Provides a bibliography of Canadian children's literature for intermediate grades. (MM)