In this essay I pose questions to literacy teacher educators and classroom teachers to inspire them to review their epistemological beliefs about teaching, learning, and knowledge. I also provide some history of transdisciplinarity, and introduce readers to "Miss Smith", a composite of five middle school teachers who hold a transdisciplinary…

Reading coaches have become a strategic tool to impact student achievement in elementary schools. Understanding the effectiveness and the necessity of coaches is critical as schools are facing greater accountability. Are reading coaches impacting student achievement scores effectively and are they necessary within today's elementary school? This…

This research study examined the values and perceptions of prospective teachers relative to a series of issues in what has become known as the New Literacies, the way youngsters read, seek information, and react to it through use of new technologies. The findings of this research reveal significant differences between female and male prospective…

This study aimed to understand the views of prospective teachers with "phonic-based sentence method" through metaphoric images. In this descriptive study, the participants involve the prospective teachers who take reading-writing instruction courses in Primary School Classroom Teaching Program of the Education Faculty of Pamukkale University. The…

Concern has been expressed about teaching English to the fifth- and the sixth graders in the public schools of Japan. There appears to be an insufficiency of materials as well as anxiety among teachers who must instruct these grades. Story telling may be an important step for developing English competence. The current study replicated the work of…

This case study explores seventh grade students' experiences with writing and performing poetry. Teacher and student interviews along with class observations provide insight into how the teacher and students viewed spoken word poetry and identity. The researcher recommends practices for the teaching of critical literacy using spoken word and…

For decades there has been a divide between educational research and practice. Sometimes the blame is placed on teachers for not following research-based strategies or not being trained well enough to read the literature. Just as frequently the blame is placed on researchers for not (a) studying topics important to teachers, (b) writing them so…

In Turkey, the Ministry of National Education (MONE) changed the reading instruction method in elementary schools from whole language approach to phonics emphasis in 2005. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of phonics method on reading acquisition in a Turkish sample; to understand what elementary school teachers…

The purpose of this article is to present an integrated alphabetic approach that "simultaneously" teaches letter sounds and formations. We share with you the research that supports this integrated approach and present the procedures to implement this approach. Further, we document the effect of using this new integrated alphabet approach on the…

The purposes of this study were (a) to create and validate a scale measuring beliefs regarding dyslexia, (b) to use the scale to investigate the beliefs of educators regarding dyslexia, and (c) to recommend ways that educators can be better prepared to help students with dyslexia. Participants included university faculty as well as undergraduate…

For the two past two decades, a child-centered view and integration of curriculum have become critical to developing literacy. Also, the emphasis on the importance of the teacher's role in teaching literacy has increased. Thus, teachers have been provided with the opportunity to reflect on their beliefs about children literacy and to increase…

This study examined teachers' expressed perceptions of states' provisions for instructional materials and professional development opportunities related to state literacy initiatives for K-6 classroom teachers in ten southeastern states. Approximately 400 teachers responded to a survey instrument which included the topics of materials and…

Coursebooks are an indispensable tool of the language arts instruction in elementary schools across California State. They are designed for teachers with precise indications of instructional practices, classroom social and participatory structures. However, these pre-designed practices are hardly evaluated for their appropriateness to meet…

The purpose of the study was to explore measurement of preservice teachers' reading beliefs, perceptions, and teaching styles, implementing The Teachers' Reading Aptitude "Voice" Scale (TRAVS). An educational problem exists of effectively linking beliefs, qualities, and actions that affect instructional decision-making, collaboration,…

This pilot descriptive study examined expressed perceptions of a diverse group of teachers who, in the 2002-2003 school year, piloted implementation of a new standards based supplemental program in reading/language arts, EduSTRANDS. Over 600 teachers in 153 schools using a supplemental, standards based reading/language arts program were surveyed…