The Clearinghouse on Reading's Literacy Education Resources: Early Childhood to High School


Presented below are links to available online resources regarding literacy education from early childhood to high school level.

Mei-Yu Lu, Reference Specialist
The Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication


Associations, Organizations,
and Research Institutes

Special Projects,
Programs, and Initiatives

Evaluations of
Reading Programs

Literacy Assessment

Online Periodicals

Children's and
Adolescent Literature

Diverse Learners

Theories,
Perspectives, and Models

Curriculum Frameworks
and Standards

Lesson Plans

Online Discussion Groups

Instructional Approaches,
Methods, and Strategies



Associations, Organizations, and Research Institutes

National

  • Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar (ATEG)
    A national forum for discussing the teaching of grammar, welcomes all views on the role of grammar in our schools. Formerly the Association for the Teaching of English Grammar, ATEG is now an Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English.

  • Books for Kids Foundation
    A national organization for promoting literacy by giving books to kids, creating children's libraries, and encouraging a lifelong love of reading.

  • California Early Literacy Learning/Extended Literacy Learning
    California Early Literacy Learning (CELL) and Extended Literacy Learning (ExLL) are professional development programs designed to help elementary teachers strengthen their teaching of reading and writing.

  • Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA)
    CIERA's mission is to improve the early reading achievement of American children by generating and disseminating theoretical, empirical, and practical solutions of persistent problems in the learning and teaching of beginning reading.

  • Center for Inquiry
    The Center for Inquiry opened in the fall of 1993 as an Indianapolis Public School elementary magnet/option. Serving Kindergarten through sixth grade, the Center for Inquiry is housed within School 92 and is considered a school within a school.

  • Center on English Learning and Achievement
    A national center funded by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct research dedicated to gaining knowledge to improve students' English and literacy achievement in schools across America.

  • Center for the Study of Reading
    Established at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1976 by the National Institute of Education in response to the growing concern about the quality of reading instruction in American schools.

  • EdResearch.Info
    EdResearch.info seeks to make the findings of independent, peer-reviewed, replicated research on reading and writing education, as well as information on publicly reported tests of reading and writing achievement, accessible to busy parents, educators, and policymakers in order that they may make informed decisions about education and educational policies.

  • First Book Foundation
    A national nonprofit organization with a mission to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and own their first new books.

  • National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy
    Originally named the National Conference on Research in English, NCRLL's mission is to further research in the teaching of language and literacy and to improve instructional practice through the dissemination of research results.

  • National Council of Teachers of English
    The National Council of Teachers of English, is dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education.

  • National Reading Conference
    A professional organization composed of individuals who share an interest in research and dissemination of information on literacy.

  • National Writing Project
    The mission of the National Writing Project is to improve the teaching of writing and improve learning in the nation's schools.

  • Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
    RIF develops and delivers children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate school-age children to read.

  • Teachers and Writers Collaborative
    A nonprofit organization was founded in 1967 by a group of writers and educators who believed that writers could make a unique contribution to the teaching of writing.

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International

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Special Projects, Programs, and Initiatives

Government

  • The America Reads Challenge
    A grassroots national campaign that challenges every Americans to help all our children learn to read

  • Learning to Read, Reading to Learn
    From ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education; a network of researchers who help to provide technical assistance for schools trying to create an effective reading program for children with learning disabilities.

  • Exemplary Reading Programs in Illinois Public Schools
    by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory; this study was conducted in response to a request from the Illinois State Board of Education to examine closely what reading programs work best for Illinois students and schools.

  • National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read
    In 1997, Congress asked the Director of the NICHD, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to convene a national panel to assess the effectiveness of different approaches used to teach children to read. For over two years, this National Reading Panel (NRP) reviewed research on reading instruction. On April 13, 2000, the NRP concluded its work and presented it at a hearing before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

  • No Child Left Behind: US Department of Education
    From the US Department of Education; legislation, resources of parents, educators, and administrators.

  • No Child Left Behind: NCLB and Professional Development
    From National Council of Teachers of English; Information and Resources regarding No Child Left Behind.

  • The Reading Excellence Act
    From the U.S. Department of Education; the culmination of a campaign to establish direct instruction phonics as the national paradigm for reading instruction.

  • The Strategic Teaching and Reading Project
    From North Central Regional Educational Laboratory; the Strategic Teaching and Reading Project (STRP) is a long-term, professional development project based on current research. This project was designed for schools seeking a professional development plan that uses reading as a framework.

  • Success for All, Roots and Wings
    Success for All is a comprehensive restructuring programs for elementary schools, especially those serving many disadvantaged and at-risk students. It goal is to ensure that every child becomes a confident, strategic, and motivated readers and writers throughout the elementary years.

States

  • Alabama Reading Initiative: Closing the Gap
    The goal of Alabama Reading Initiative is 100% literacy for all Alabama's public school children.

  • California Reading Initiative
    The goals of the California Reading Initiative are to (1)produce higher achievement scores on a statewide basis, (2) encourage use of research-based practices to prevent reading failure, (3) influence current practice in reading instruction so that it is more systematic and explicit, and (4) emphasize the need for consistency and continuity of instruction for students as they move through the grades or from school to school

  • Connecticut's Blue Print for Reading Success
    All Connecticut teachers be prepared to teach reading effectively to a wide range of children.

  • Florida Reading Initiative
    The Florida Reading Initiative is a K-12 research-based, school-wide project committed to providing the professional development necessary for schools to achieve 100% literacy.

  • Maryland Reading Network
    The Maryland Reading Network is composed of educators from each local school system in Maryland. These educators are committed to developing and modeling effective reading programs for students in schools throughout the state.

  • The Missouri Reading Initiative
    The mission of the Missouri Reading Initiative is to work with Missouri public schools to ensure that every child will be able to read proficiently by the end of third grade.

  • North Carolina--Smart Start
    Smart Start is a public-private early childhood initiative to help ALL North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to succeed.

  • OhioReads
    OhioReads is Governor Bob Taft's centerpiece education initiative to improve the reading skills of Ohio's kindergarten through fourth-grade students so they can pass the reading portion of the Fourth-Grade Proficiency Test.

  • The Oregon Reading Initiative : Reading Together!
    The goal of this initiative is to help students from kindergarten through grade 3 learn to read from a fully trained reading teacher.

  • Texas Reading Initiative
    The goal of Texas Reading initiative: every Texas child learn to read on grade level or better by the end of third grade and continue to read on grade level or better throughout his or her schooling.

  • Rhode Island Reading Excellence
    The goal: by 2005 at least 90% of fourth grade students will meet or exceed the standard in English Language Arts and mathematics.

  • Tennessee: The Governor's Reading Initiative
    The Tennessee's Governor's plan expects dramatic and quantifiable improvements in student performance within five years.

Professional Organizations

  • Born to Read: A Project Fact Sheet
    From American Library Association; Born to Read builds partnerships between librarians and health care providers to reach out to new and expectant "at-risk" parents and help them raise children who are "born to read."

  • Children's Literacy Initiative
    A non-profit organization, Children's Literacy Initiative (CLI) was founded in 1988 to enhance the opportunity for children from low-income families to enter school ready to learn and, once in school, to be successful in learning to read.

  • Every Child Reading: An Action Plan
    This action paper was adopted by the Learning First Alliance, an organization of 12 leading national education associations. It has been informed by many distinguished experts in reading.

  • The NCTE Reading Initiative
    The goal of NCTE's Reading Initiative is to increase teachers' knowledge and repertoire of instructional practices, to increase their effectiveness with all students, and to increase student achievement.

  • The NCTE Writing Initiative
    NCTE's Writing Initiative is a public service campaign to support sound practices in the teaching of writing across all disciplines, to increase policymakers' and the public's knowledge about the teaching of writing, and to make available professional development for schools and educators.

  • Read Across America
    Sponsored by National Education Association; Every year on March 2 an estimated 20 million children and adults celebrate the joy of reading and the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

Others

  • Designated Reader Campaign
    The Designated Reader Campaign aims to motivate parents and others to read aloud to children every day

  • Literacy Initiatives in Primary Schools
    The National Literacy Trust, set up in October 1993 to work with others to raise literacy standards and encourage reading and writing for pleasure, has developed a unique computerised database of over 2000 literacy initiatives across the UK.

  • Reach Out and Read
    A national program that makes early literacy an integral part of pediatric primary care

  • Readers and Writers
    The Readers & Writers Program sends writers and their books to literacy programs, community centers, schools, prisons, and other sites nationwide, reaching out to Americans who have learned to read but do not yet have an active relationship with literature.

  • Reading Success Network
    A network of schools actively pursuing school-wide change to propel the reading achievement of every student.

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Evaluations of Reading Programs

Academy of Reading

Accelerated Reader

Breakthrough to Literacy

Carbo Reading Styles

Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC)

Direct Instruction

Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction (ECRI)

Failure Free Reading

Fast ForWord

Four Blocks

HOSTS - Helping One Student to Succeed

Invitations to Literacy

Junior Great Books (JCB)

Literacy Collaborative

Multicultural Reading and Thinking (McRAT)

Open Court

Reading Mastery, SRA

Reading One-to-One

Reading Recovery

Soar to Success

Success for All

SuccessMaker

Voyager Expanded Learning

Waterford Early Reading Program

Wilson Reading System (WRS)

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Literacy Assessment

  • Authentic Writing Assessment
    From Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation; this digest discusses some of the ways authentic writing assessment can be used in education.

  • The Early Literacy Advisor
    From Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning; the Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) is a research-based assessment system that helps teachers develop literacy skills in young children.

  • English Language Arts Classroom Assessment
    From Manitoba Education and Training; This site includes an overview of classroom assessment that assists learning and informs instruction on K- 4 levels.

  • Evaluating Student Writing: Methods and Measurement
    From the Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; this digest discusses the methods of response and the measurement of quality as represented by effective classroom teaching methods.

  • Focus on Reading Assessment
    A compilation of position statement and resources from the International Reading Association; The International Reading Association believes that assessment should be more than a means of labeling or categorizing students. Authentic reading assessments can provide a basis for making decisions about the needs of individual learners.

  • Guidelines for Portfolio Assessment in Teaching English
    From English Teachers Network; these guidelines provides the definition, purpose, and features of portfolios as well as ways for English teachers to implement portfolio assessment in their own classrooms.

  • Kid Watching: A Naturalistic Assessment Technique
    An inservice Presentation for K-6 Teachers given by Dr. Helen Gill, at Central Michigan University.

  • Literacy Assessment and Reporting: Changing Practices
    Paper presented at 12th European Conference on Reading by Heather Fehring

  • Literacy Assessment Techniques
    From North Central Regional Educational Laboratory; this website describes various literacy assessment techniques (also includes their purposes and characteristics) that teachers can use to in their own classroom.

  • NYSRA 98: Overheads and Suggested Contributions by Grade Level, and Analysis of Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh Grade Assessments
    Meeting the challenge of the new 4th, 8th, and 11th grade NY State Literacy Assessment, by Sean Walmsley.

  • Miscue Analysis
    By Monica Della Pia and Danielle Kammeyer, this website includes a definition on miscue, types of miscue, and how to conduct a miscue analysis.

  • Miscue Analysis
    A bibliography of available Clearinghouse documents and books on miscue analysis

  • The Nation's Report Card
    From National Center for Education Statistics; resources and the results of the most recent reading assessment in National Assessment for Educational Progress.

  • Planning for Instruction and Classroom Assessment Using Learning (1)
    From Manitoba Education and Training; This site provides assistance in reading student learning outcomes and discusses approaches to planning with learning outcomes.

  • Planning for Instruction and Classroom Assessment Using Learning (2)
    From Manitoba Education and Training; This site provides assistance in reading student learning outcomes and discusses approaches to planning with learning outcomes.

  • Planning for Instruction and Classroom Assessment Using Learning (3)
    From Manitoba Education and Training; This site provides assistance in reading student learning outcomes and discusses approaches to planning with learning outcomes.

  • Principles of Effective Literacy Assessment
    By J. D. Copper, from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory; a short essay that lists and describes eight principles of an effective literacy assessment.

  • Reading Assessment Database from Grade K to 2
    This database describes in detail all available early reading assessment tools that are published and distributed in the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory region

  • Reading Assessment Handbook
    Developed by Pennsylvania Department of Education Division of Evaluation and Reports; this publication presents an overview of the state assessment system, samples of student work, and details the Reading Assessment.

  • Reading Assessment Portal for Teachers and Researchers
    From the Literacy Assessment for Diverse Learners Web; this site presents a list of links on instruments, methods, and resources in assessing learners from diverse backgrounds.

  • A Guide to Taking Running Records
    Step by step guides of taking running records for analyzing students' miscues

  • Running Records
    Running records are often used by classroom teachers to assess students oral reading; this site provides information regarding the definition and use of running records in a classroom.

  • Student Portfolio: Classroom Use
    A consumer guide from the Office of Research, Office of Educational A Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of ducation; this document provides information regarding the definition, use, strength, and weakness of using portfolio as an assessment tool and also research and scholarship in this portfolio assessment.

  • Understanding Authentic Classroom-Based Literacy Assessment
    The authors argue that although assessment is used for many different purposes and comes in many different forms, all assessment should help us become better teachers and should help our students become more accomplished learners.

  • Using a Cloze Procedure
    From LinguaLinks Library; This site provides definition of cloze procedure, things to do when using a close procedure, and a list of reference.

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Online Periodicals

General Language Arts

  • Currents in Literacy
    Currents in Literacy highlights examples of research, discussion of classroom practices, reviews of children's books as well as professional texts, and examples of children's writing.

  • English in Australia
    The Journal of the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (Selected fulltext articles available online, volume 118/May 1997 forward).

  • Journal of Literacy Research
    JLR Journal of Literacy Research is an interdisciplinary journal publishing research related to literacy, language, and schooling from preschool through adulthood.

  • Language and Literacy
    Language and Literacy is an on-line journal for educators interested in a broad range of literacy issues encompassing research and teaching in multimedia, print, and oracy.

  • The Multicultural Electronic Journal of Communication Disorders
    The mission of the journal is to provide information on multicultural issues in the field of speech-language pathology, to share their information internationally and cross-culturally, in a quick and timely fashion via the internet.

  • New Horizons for Learning
    The missions of the magazine are (1) acts as a catalyst for positive change in education; (2) seeks out, synthesizes, and communicates relevant research and information; (3) supports an expanded vision of learning that identifies and fosters the fullest development of human capabilities; (4) works to implement proven strategies for learning at every age and ability level; and (5) Builds support for comprehensive lifespan learning communities.

  • Reading Online
    Reading Online (ROL) is one of five peer-reviewed journals published by the International Reading Association as a professional benefit to its members.

  • Rethinking Schools Online
    Rethinking Schools began as a local effort to address problems such as basal readers, standardized testing, and textbook-dominated curriculum. Today, it remains firmly committed to equity and to the vision that public education is central to the creation of a humane, caring, multiracial democracy.

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Children's Literature

  • Achuka
    A British on-line journal edited by Michael Thorn, containing information about children's and young adult literature.

  • The ALAN Review
    By the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council for Teachers of English; reviews and articles about young adult literature from winter 1994 to present.

  • Booklist
    By American Library Association; a selection of current reviews and feature articles.

  • The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
    One of the nation's leading children's book review journals for school and public librarians (selected fulltext articles available online).

  • CM: Canadian Review of Materials
    By Manitoba Library Association; reviews of Canadian children's books and other materials, as well as news and feature articles, and archives that go all the way back to 1970.

  • Canadian Children's Literature
    A bilingual (English and French) journal of criticism and review covering Canadian books and other media for children and young adults.

  • The Looking Glass: Perspectives on Children's Books
    An electronic journal about children's literature that combines an interest in the traditional with an eye to the modern.

  • The Lion and the Unicorn
    A theme- and genre- centered journal of international scope committed to discussions of literature for children.

  • School Library Journal Online
    From School Library Journal; a site includes reviews of recommended CD-ROMs and computer software, Calendar of Events, the latest news from the world of youth services in libraries, and the monthly SLJ editorials.

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Children's and Adolescent Literature

  • Children's Literature
    From the Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; collections of links including the following categories: (1) Authors and Illustrators, (2) Resources for Writing and Illustrating Children's Books; (3) Book Prizes, (4) Book Reviews, (5) Lesson Plans; (6) Organizations, Associations, and Societies, (7) Individual Homepages on Children's and Adolescent Literature, (8) Publishers and Children's Bookstores, (9) Online Children's Stories, (10) Online Children's Magazines, (11) Online Journals on Children's Literature, (12) Special Library Collections, (13) Syllabi on Teaching Children's and Adolescent Literature, (14) Online Discussion Groups.

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Diverse Learners

Challenged Learners

Language Minority Learners

  • Bilingual Research Journal
    This journal is the field's scholarly, peer-reviewed publication about bilingual education theory and practice.

  • Center for Applied Linguistics
    CAL is a private, non-profit organization: a group of scholars and educators who use the findings of linguistics and related sciences in identifying and addressing language-related problems.

  • Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research
    The Center provides a base for those interested in multilingual education, English-as-a second language, and foreign language instruction, multicultural education and related areas; and the opportunity to come together for research and program collaboration.

  • Dr. Cummins' ESL and Second Language Learning Web
    By Dr. Cummins, a list of resources related to ESL and bilingual education.

  • English-Only Movement: Its Consequences on the Education of Language Minority Children
    From the Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; this digest provides information on the ideologies undergirding the English-Only movement, a brief review of the consequences of imposing English-Only legislation on the language minority population, a summary of research findings on the importance of mother tongue maintenance, and the implications of the movement on equality and equity education for all children

  • International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
    This journal aims to spread international developments, initiatives, ideas and research on bilingualism and bilingual education, and to ensure collaboration between different continents, allowing rapid access to up-to-date information in an easily digestible form.

  • James Crawford's Language Policy Web Site & Emporium
    By Dr. James Crawford, a list of resources regarding issues in ESL and bilingual education.

  • Kenji Hakuta's Homepage
    A list of publication, research paper, and resources by Hakuta and others regarding ESL and bilingualism.

  • Meeting the Needs of Gifted and Talented Minority Language Students
    This digest explores the controversy surrounding the underrepresentation of minority language students in gifted and talented programs and makes recommendations for more suitable assessment techniques and program models.

  • National Association for Bilingual Education
    The National Association for Bilingual Education is a tax-exempt non-profit national membership organization founded in 1975 to address the educational needs of language-minority students in the U.S. and to advance the language competencies and multicultural understanding of all Americans.

  • National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs
    The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs (formerly NCBE, the National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement & Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA, formerly OBEMLA) to collect, analyze, and disseminate information relating to the effective education of linguistically and culturally diverse learners in the U.S.

  • Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs
    Established in 1974 by Congress, the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs helps school districts meet their responsibility to provide equal education opportunity to limited English proficient children.

  • Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition
    A website that summarize and provide information regarding Krashen's second language acquisition theory.

  • Teaching Diverse Learners (TDL)
    From the Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory at Brown University (LAB); this website contains a resource dedicated to enhancing the capacity of teachers to work effectively and equitably with English language learners (ELLs). (selected fulltext articles available online).

  • TESOL Online
    TESOL's mission is to develop the expertise of its members and others involved in teaching English to speakers of other languages to help them foster effective communication in diverse settings while respecting individuals' language rights

Gifted and Talented Learners

  • Challenging Gifted Readers
    From Booklinks, by Patricia Austin; a list of books which help young gifted readers to explore the richness of language, structure, perspective/point of view, ambiguity, and content used in high quality children's literature.

  • Gifted Readers and Reading Instruction
    From the Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; This Digest discusses some of the aspects of differentiated reading instruction for the gifted.

  • Gifted Readers: What do we know and what should we be doing
    From National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at University of Connecticut, by Sally M. ReisE. Jean GubbinsSusannah Richards; Information and literature reviews regarding gifted readers, such as their characteristics, reading interests, strategies they use in reading, approaches to work with gifted readers, and a list of reference.

  • Guiding the Gifted Readers
    From ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education; discussing characteristics of a gifted reader and the development of gifted reader.

  • Librarians and Gifted Readers
    From Nueva Library, by Debbie Abilock; The article provide information regarding the myths and reality of gifted readers and reading development among these group of children.

  • Meeting the Needs of Gifted and Talented Minority Language Students
    This digest explores the controversy surrounding the underrepresentation of minority language students in gifted and talented programs and makes recommendations for more suitable assessment techniques and program models.

  • Reading with Young Children
    This report provides research-based answers to questions parents and teachers often ask about how reading and writing develop from infancy to about age 6 years.

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Curriculum Frameworks and Standards

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Lesson Plans

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Theories, Perspectives, and Models

General

Balanced Reading Instruction

  • Balanced Reading Instruction
    From ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; the purpose of this digest is to review various interpretations of balanced instruction and to explore the relationship between this instructional approach to beginning reading and state reading standards.

  • Balanced Reading Instruction
    From Pathways to School Improvement; overview, review of literature, publications and articles, and internet resources on balanced reading instruction.

  • Balanced Reading Instruction: New Metaphors for an Enduring Idea
    By David P. Pearson; providing information on the history of reading instruction and issues on different perspectives in reading instruction.

  • Components of a Balanced Literacy Program
    List components in a balanced literacy program, such as reading aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and recognizable characteristics of readers from K-12.

  • Phonics in Whole Language Classrooms
    From ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication; This digest discusses some of the ways children develop functional phonics knowledge in the context of authentic reading and writing, as well as some of the ways teachers can foster such development.

Constructivism

Critical Literacy

  • Critical Literacies: Politicising the language classroom
    In this article the authors are concerned to explore the issue "What possibilities and problems do critical literacies offer to classroom teachers?"

  • Critical Literacy
    A site that provides definition, classroom implication, and reading relating to critical literacy

  • Critical Literacy
    A site that includes the following: What is critical literacy? Why is critical literacy important? What are the features of a critical literacy approach? What kinds of critical questions can we ask of texts? What does critical literacy look like in the classroom? Where can I find more ideas to use with students? Where can I find out more about critical literacy? How does critical literacy link with literacy?

  • Critical Literacy
    Links to definition and issues in critical literacy.

  • Facundo on Freire
    Paulo Freire is a widely known and respected advocate of "critical pedagogy". Included here are Facundo's lengthy critique plus various commentaries, notably Robert Mackie's critique of Facundo's essay and John Ohliger's bibliography and article.

  • 'Pressing (the Right?) Buttons: Literacy and Technology, Crisis and Continuity'
    Claims that far from presenting a threat to accepted literacy practices, computer games help students gain an awareness of how texts work and become more reflexive about the reading process.

  • What is Critical Literacy
    by Ira Shor; Providing a detailed introduction to critical literacy

Cultural Literacy

Reader Response

Whole Language

  • Whole Language Umbrella (WLU)
    WLU is based on a view of Whole Language as a dynamic philosophy of education. It is a group of action. From its conferences and publications, to its Interest Action Groups, WLU represents the voice of whole language education.

Writing Across the Curriculum

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Online Discussion Groups

  • CIERA Forums: Online Discussion Boards
    Discuss today's important issues with other supporters of opportunities for literacy development for America's children.

  • Center on English Learning & Achievement Discussion Board
    A discussion board is for anyone interested in students' abilities to read well, write well, think about the information they receive from any source, and then communicate their knowledge and thoughts to others.

  • NCTE-Talk
    This site hosts a number of email lists from NCTE. Many of them are specialized, created for use by small groups focused on particular tasks and projects.

  • READPRO--The Reading Professional's E-Mail Mailing List
    An online discussion forum will be devoted to the thoughtful analysis of issues facing reading professionals of all types, whether they be reading specialists, elementary or secondary classroom teachers, college professors, librarians or researchers.

  • Teachers Applying Whole Language
    A discussion list for teachers who are interested in applying Whole Language philosophy in their classrooms or in furthering the overall refinement of Whole Language.

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Instructional Approaches, Methods, and Strategies

Author's Chair

  • Author's Chair
    During this procedure, a student reads aloud then written drafts or compositions to receive other's feedback in order to assist his/her future writing efforts. One particular chair or area of the classroom may be designated for this activity.

  • Author's Chair
    Describe what an author's chair is, what the purposes are, how to go about it, and how long it lasts

Big Book/Blown-up Book

Book Talks

  • Book Talks
    During book talks, students discuss with classmates books they have read, heard or "discovered."

  • Book Talks
    Procedures to conduct a book talks in the classroom.

Choral Reading

  • Choral Speaking/Choral Reading
    In this activity, students are involved in the oral interpretation of literature. Choral speaking refers to experiences in which students recite passages from memory.

  • Choral Reading
    This site provides information regarding Choral Reading Instruction and scripts for a choral reading lessons.

  • Choral Reading Method
    This site provides definition, principles, and suggestions for teaching to implement choral reading in their classes.

DEAR/Drop Everything and Read

Dialogue Journal

DOL/Daily Oral Language

Environmental Print Reading

  • Reading Environmental Print
    Through the incorporation of this strategy, students and teachers explore print and its many functions using materials that are readily available in the immediate environment.

  • Print Rich Environment
    This site provides information on preparing different types of environmental prints.

  • Creating a Print Rich Environment
    This site provides resources on creating a print rich environment for young learners.

Focused Study/Inquiry Based Curriculum/Multiple Ways of Knowing

Guided Reading

  • Guided Reading
    Guided Reading is a strategy in which the teacher works with a small group of children who use similar reading processes and are able to read similar levels of text with support.

  • Guided Reading and Thinking
    During this reading strategy, students' comprehension of a selection is guided and developed by teacher questions. The focus is on the use of context to predict meaning.

  • Guided Reading
    This sites provides information regarding guided reading and development of a guided reading lesson.

  • Guided Reading
    Information about how a school implementing a guided reading program.

Informational Books/Nonfiction Use in the Classroom

Interactive Writing

  • Interactive Writing
    This site provides a definition for interactive writing, implementation it in the primary classroom, and resources on interactive writing.

  • Interactive Writing
    This site includes the following information: (1) Descriptive of Interactive Writing, (2) Samples of Interactive Writing, (3) Helpful Hints for Interactive Writing, (4) Teaching Points, and (5) Kindergarten Interactive Writing Lessons.

  • Interactive Writing: A Study of Sociocultural Relations
    Looking at interactive writing with a sociocultural lens provides insight into the idiosyncrasies that contribute to children's writing development.

Invented Spelling/Inventive Spelling/Functional Spelling/Creative Spelling

  • Using inventive spelling
    This site introduce the function and guidelines for teachers to apply this strategy in the classrooms

  • Invented Spelling
    An account of experiences and strategies to work with young literacy learners

  • Invented Spelling
    This site provides information on Invented Spelling and the common strategies that young learners use for invented spelling.

Journal Writing

  • Journal Writing
    A journal contains students' thoughts, feelings and reflections on various topics or experiences. It is used to explore ideas and to communicate with oneself. It is often referred to as personal or free writing.

  • Journal Resources
    This site provides information on types of journals in the classroom and journal writing activities.

  • Effectuve Use of Student Journal Writing
    This ERIC digest provides information on how teachers can help students' writing development through the use of journal writing.

KWL

Language Experience Approach

Literature-Based Instruction

Literature Circles

  • Introduction to Literature Circles
    This site provides the following information: (1)What are Literature Circles, (2) Teacher Resources, (3) Student Resources, (3) Assessment, and (4) Integration

  • Literature Circles: Voices and Choices in Book Clubs and Reading Groups (fulltext book)
    This book provides strategies, structures, tools, and stories that show readers how to launch and manage literature circles effectively

  • Literature Circles
    In Literature Circles, small groups of students read the same book. After Reading a chapter or two, each student completes a different task. After completing the tasks, the group gets together and discusses what was read and shares what they did.

  • Literature Circles
    This site provide a detailed guide for setting up literature circles, providing information on the characteristics of literature circles, and reference on literature circles.

Paired Reading/Buddy Reading/Dyad Reading

Poetry Writing

Point-of-view Stories

  • Point-of-View Stories
    By comparing stories and rewriting familiar selections from various points-of-view, students increase their understanding that the perspective from which a story is written affects readers' interpretations.

  • Point of View
    A lesson plan, detailing the procedures for conducting a point-of-view story writing lesson.

Reader's Theatre

  • Aaron Shepard's Reader's Theatre Page
    This site provides scripts and tips for Teachers to use Reader's Theatre in the class.

  • Reader's Theatre
    Providing information on the background of Reader's Theatre, scripts, and resources for teacher.

  • Reader's Theatre
    Readers' theatre is an interpretive oral reading activity. Students use their voices, facial expressions and hand gestures to interpret characters in scripts or stories. Teachers and students may adapt favourite stories for readers' theatre through collaborative script writing activities

  • Reader's Theatre
    The site provides teacher's guides for implementing Reader's Theatre in the classroom.

  • Dramatic Storytelling in the English Classroom
    This site provide purpose and process of doing dramatic storytelling in the classroom, and it also includes scripts, resources for reader's theatre.

Reading Workshop/Reader's Workshop

Reading Aloud

Reading Log/Reading Response Journal

Repeated Reading

Shared Reading/Shared Book Reading

Spelling Instruction

SQ3R

Storytelling

Story Grammar

  • Story Grammar
    A story grammar is a charted outline that summarizes main story events, settings and characters. Story grammar develops students' "sense of story" by acquainting them with a structure that outlines most stories.

  • Town Mouse Country Mouse: Recognizing Story Grammar
    A lesson plan (primary grades) using story grammar.

Story Map

Sustained Silent Reading/Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading

  • Sustained Silent Reading
    During Sustained Silent Reading, students and teachers silently read books or materials of their own choosing. If the entire school participates, the principal, office staff and custodians also pause to read self-selected resources.

  • Sustained Silent Writing
    The procedure for Sustained Silent Writing is similar to the Sustained Silent Reading. Regardless of their writing abilities, students should be encouraged to express their ideas and feelings about self-selected topics.

  • Using sustained silent reading
    Provides definition, guidelines, and resources on Sustained Silent Reading.

  • Sustained Silent Reading Workshop
    This site provides a background information on Sustained Silent Reading and how to manage it for a seventh grade classroom.

Taped Reading/Reading Along

  • Taped Reading Method
    Tape recording books can be a valuable tool for motivating readers, and at the same time provide a model for good reading. Children and adults can listen to a story on cassette while following along in their copies of the book.

Vocabulary Instruction

Webbing/Semantic Webbing/Concept Map/Thematic Webbing

Word Bank

  • Word Bank
    Definition of Word Bank and steps for making a word bank.

Word Wall

Writing Workshop/Writer's Workshop

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Others

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