In the Classroom: Strategies for Poor Readers (Mar. \u2790)

All readers need successful learning experiences. Recent research suggests that poor readers benefit from using the same whole language reading and writing strategies as more successful readers. In her introduction to the April 1988 themed issue of Vie Reading Teacher on what works with poor readers. Irene West Gaskins stated: The research I was doing supported the current view that reading is a process in which an active and strategic reader gains meaning through an interaction between background knowledge and information in a text. Since I have adopted this definition, the way I teach has changed and students in the classrooms in which I teach seem to be benefitting — especially the hard-to-teach students. I no longer believe that I am successful as a teacher when most of my students are learning- Unless I have reached the hard-to-teach. I may not have taught at all. The challenge is for classroom teachers to accept responsibility for providing successful learning experiences for all children in their classrooms, including the poor readers (p. 749)

In the Classroom: Reading and Writing in the Content Areas (Dec. \u2789)

Students comprehend content material by reading, discussing, writing, questioning, investigating, exploring, and organizing. Reading and writing in the content areas relates prior knowledge, classroom interaction, cooperative learning, vocabulary instruction, and questioning techniques. Children practice research skills by organizing information in a meaningful and practical manner. This month\u27s In the Classroom column presents ways in which teachers can enhance their students\u27 comprehension of content area topics by involving them in various classroom activities. Additional resources for content area reading and writing activities follow : Dupuis, M.M. (1983). Reading in the content areas: Research for teachers. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Graves, D.H. (1989). Investigate nonfiction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Heimlich, J.E. and Pittelman, S.D. (1986). Semnntic mapping: Classroom applications. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Marzano, R.J, and Marzano, J.S. (1988). A cluster approach to elementary vocabulary instruction. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Thelen, J.N. (1984). Improving reading in science. Newark, DE: International Reading Association

In the Classroom: Using Children\u27s Literature (Oct. \u2789)

Lists children\u27s literature in reading instruction. Children\u27s Literature in the Reading Program ; Literature-based Reading Programs at Work ; Children\u27s Choices: Teaching With Books Children Like ; Transitions: From Literature to Literacy

In the Classroom: Vocabulary (April \u2790)

Vocabulary knowledge is one of the most critical elements of comprehension. Helping students to expand their own vocabularies and to become more interested in words is a challenge for all teachers. The following techniques provide teachers various ways to enhance students\u27 vocabulary development. To read more about vocabulary instruction, see: Heimlich, J.E., & Pittelman, S.D. (1986). Semantic mapping: Classroom applications. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Johnson, D.D. (Ed.) (1986). Vocabulary [Special issuel. Journal of Reading, 29 (7). Johnson, D.D., & Pearson, PD. (1984). Teaching reading vocabulary (2nd ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Marzano, R.J., & Marzano, J.S. (1988). A cluster approach to elementary vocabulary instruction. Nevrark, DE: International Reading Association