Dyslexia is a congenital disorder characterized by unexpected difficulties in learning to read and spell in relation to one's verbal intelligence, motivation, and educational opportunities (Aylward et al., 2003; Morgan, 1896). Because dyslexia can affect 1.5-5% of the population (Aylward et al., 2003; Vellutino et al., 1996), understanding how to…

Chapter books present young readers with many more challenges than do the picture books that initiate them into reading. This case study investigation explored ways in which three first graders used their literature response journals to help them negotiate their first chapter book read aloud. Findings of the three case studies revealed that the…

Recent studies indicate that many entering freshmen are not prepared for the demands of college reading, yet most higher education institutions do not require stand alone reading courses. Although critical reading is an often-cited objective of some college composition courses, little research exists that describes how composition instructors…

This study presents the results of a national survey of 1500 K-2 teachers describing understandings and practices related to guided reading. Results focused on five questions: What is the purpose of guided reading groups? What grouping techniques should be used? What texts should be used? How is instruction planned with and away from the teacher?…

In response to a challenge to integrate media activities into literacy lessons, teachers from elementary and middle grade classrooms initiated action research projects to determine the effectiveness of their efforts. Three projects are discussed in detail. Data collection and analysis were of a mixed design. Each action research project used media…

The purpose of this study was to explore the similarities and differences between high school students and their teachers' perspectives on the usefulness of content literacy strategies for learning. Based on 88 teacher surveys, 500 student surveys, 10 teacher interviews, 12 student interviews, and 30 classroom observations, we note the perceived…

Many students with reading difficulties have a specific learning disability called dyslexia, which is neurobiological in origin and characterized by problems with spelling, decoding, and accurate/fluent word identification, negatively impacting vocabulary growth and comprehension. Consequently, the role of the insightful teacher is critical in…

Much has been written to convince content-area teachers to include literacy instruction as part of their regular content instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine how the messages available in the literature are framed and how they might be viewed by content-area teachers, especially mathematics teachers. The analysis revealed that…