Volunteers from the International Reading Association (IRA) participated in the teacher education component of Macedonia's Secondary Education Activity, an initiative to reform vocational/technical education (VET), funded from 2004 to 2008 by USAID. Volunteers offered professional development to VET teachers using a trainer-of-trainers model,…

Describes the use of some read-alouds from Alexandre Dumas'"The Count of Monte Cristo" which helped to demonstrate some principles of learning foreign languages. Describes briefly the read aloud selection, discusses some specific activities that relate to foreign language learning, and discusses specific language arts activities. (SR)

Discusses a mystery novel ("The Butcher's Theater" by Jonathan Kellerman) in which one detective has a physical disability and another has a learning disability. Discusses how this novel and a specific read-aloud from it can create an awareness of what disabilities are and how to acknowledge them. Notes specific language-arts activities related to…

Describes the picture book rendition of the operatic story "Aida" (based on the opera composed by G. Verdi) as retold by opera diva Leontyne Price. Describes how this picture book is appropriate for introducing adolescent readers to opera. Describes specific activities for music classes, musical resources, specific art activities, and specific…

Presents a read-aloud from Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary." Discusses briefly the novel and the selection, and then describes specific activities for English and for language arts instruction. (SR)

Presents a short excerpt from Barbara Kingsolver's book "High Tide in Tucson," intended as a read-aloud for adult beginning readers. Discusses the selection, why it was chosen, and specific activities (both language arts and other) that could grow out of this excerpt. (SR)

Describes a lesson for ninth-grade science students based on a read-aloud selection about science in space taken from "Lift Off! An Astronauts Dream" by R. Mike Mullane. Discusses specific science and language arts activities related to the selection. (SR)

Presents a short section from a science fiction/fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett called "The Colour of Magic." Discusses its usefulness as a read-aloud for mathematics instruction of geometry, particularly the concept of circumference. (SR)

Presents a read-aloud from Mark Twain's "Life on the Mississippi" and describes its use (and class activities for it) in algebra and geography classes. (SR)

Suggests as a read-aloud an entire novel that is particularly well suited for English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners: "Grab Hands and Run," a story about a family living with and then fleeing from the dangerous situation in El Salvador. Identifies several brief passages in the book and presents each in relation to ESL issues. (SR)

Presents a read-aloud from Lois Lowry's novel "Anastasia Krupnik" showing how Anastasia's first experience writing a poem helped form negative attitudes. Discusses the selections and offers suggestions for teaching poetry and for integrating poetry in other classrooms. (SR)

Recommends a young adult read-aloud selection for science classes on endangered species. Describes listening, writing, discussing, investigating, and debating activities capitalizing on this read-aloud. (SR)

Discusses two passages from novels (Sheri Tepper's "After Long Silence" and Cynthia Voight's "A Solitary Blue") that feature music. Discusses ways language arts teachers might use these passages in the classroom. (SR)

Describes Suzanne Fisher Staples' young-adult novel "Haveli." Presents two passages from it as read-alouds. Suggests class activities related to the book as a means of discussing cultural diversity and differing attitudes towards literacy in other cultures. (SR)