This article focuses on a literacy approach called free voluntary reading. In schools, this approach is often called sustained silent reading, or SSR. The secret of its effectiveness is simple: children become better readers by reading, and it may be the only way to help children become better readers, writers, and spellers. Study after study has…

Most people associate read-alouds with bright-eyed preschoolers and elementary school kids--not with struggling at-risk teens. But read-alouds are fun for students of all ages. And studies by education researchers such as Stephen Krashen, Jim Trelease, and Janet Allen have shown that reading to kids boosts their reading comprehension, increases…