This article describes the development of a family literacy project that involves university preservice teachers creating literacy backpacks. The family literacy project was developed with two objectives: (1) to encourage parent/child participation in literacy activities; and (2) to give preservice teachers the opportunity to develop literacy…

In this collaborative self-study, two teacher educators examined transcripts of preservice teachers' inquiry groups focused on assessment and tutoring of struggling readers as part of a reading methods course. The analysis identified instances of scaffolding by the course instructor that influenced preservice teachers' development. Types…

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of two written journal techniques used to encourage teacher candidates' inquiry-based reflection regarding course textbook content. Ninety-six participants were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental conditions, journaling with Questions, Quotes and Reflections (Double Q R) or…

Vocabulary development is a crucial aspect of literacy. It is our duty as teachers to enrich the language of our students to better prepare them for a successful lifetime of communication. This paper offers several methods to enhance levels of speech in the classroom. Some of the techniques included are the use of repetitive reading, reading…

What do great teachers do differently? It is obvious that some teachers simply have better student achievement than others. Some teachers have stellar results year after year with all students. The age old question then becomes, how do these teachers have this level of success? This research started with an examination of teachers who had strong…

Despite efforts from the No Child Left Behind Act (2000) aimed at better educating minority children, the African American-Caucasian test score gap persists. The population of public school students is increasingly diverse; yet, 90% of public school teachers are Caucasian females (Graybill, 1997). Within this ethnographic dichotomy, what effect…

Previous research regarding technology integration in education has indicated that when technology is integrated into the classroom with fidelity it can enhance educational experiences. Research has also indicated, however that despite the growing presence of technology in classrooms, it is not being effectively utilized. The present study…

The main purpose of this study is to define the effect of the juvenile fiction on secondary school students' reading skills. In the study; 6th grade students', reading juvenile fiction, attitudes to reading, reading speed, comprehension ability of what's read are examined. The group of students reading juvenile fiction is compared…

The writer, serving as university supervisor of student teachers in the public schools for thirty years, assessed pupil listening quality in observational visits made. The art of listening definitely needs improvement and teachers, regardless of academic subject matter taught, must aid pupils in listening achievement. Good listening habits are…

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…

This study determined the effectiveness of a parent support intervention to improve parental involvement and students' scores in reading. During the past 4 years (2006-2010), the students' seventh-grade reading scores at the study site on the state end-of-grade (EOG) reading test declined from 71.1% to 28.1%, which represented a decrease of 43.0%…

Teachers can use literature written for the young adolescent as a powerful tool for establishing and enhancing the community in the classroom that is arguably a necessity for learning to occur. In order for the young adolescent to be successful in the school classroom, a shared sense of community must exist. The students must feel connected to,…

When being a student in grade school as well as in high school (1934-1946), grammar was heavily emphasized in English/language arts classes, particularly in grades four through the senior year in high school. Evidently, teachers and school administrators then saw a theoretical way to assist pupils in writing achievement. Grammar and writing were…

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…

Most of us recall with pain the unpleasant experiences associated with the teacher's announcement that we would once again initiate a unit of learning designed to both widen and deepen our knowledge of the words of our language. This was said to establish the foundation for all of our future academic pursuits. A strong vocabulary was said to be a…