The Effects of Two Computer-Based Reading Software Programs on Student Reading Performance

Reading below grade level at the elementary level continues to be an ongoing nationwide trend in many schools. With an increasing amount of struggling readers and the rising use of educational technology, it is important for school systems to understand the effectiveness of various types of available technology applications to support student reading performance among struggling readers. With this in mind, school systems must know how to determine which technology applications are more effective for increasing student performance with reading. This study focused on two computer-based reading software programs that claim to aid in improving student reading performance, ABCmouse and Starfall. Participants included 20 second grade students who were randomly assigned to two comparison groups. Data from this technology-based intervention was collected and analyzed to determine which reading software programs had the greatest impact on student performance with reading

The Impact of Experiential Learning in Literacy and Teacher Efficacy: A Study of SA Reads

This study examines the impact of an experiential learning course work component on teacher candidates’ perception of literacy knowledge, their perspective of a community-based literacy partnership, and their self-reported sense of general and personal teaching efficacy. Initial findings reveal there is growth in all areas of perception of literacy knowledge, with knowing how to assist a struggling reader with fluency and vocabulary skills being the greatest areas of gain. Findings indicate there is minimal change in the participants’ perspectives of the community-based literacy partnership. Finally, participants gained in the areas of general and teaching efficacy. Extant literature will be reviewed and implications for future practice will be explored

Transforming the Literacy Lives of Postsecondary Students: A Preliminary Study of Writing Workshops at the University Level

This study aimed to address the growing need for postsecondary students to become better writers. The researchers implemented a writing workshop, which is typically designed for many elementary classrooms, in a university. Twenty-one postsecondary students participated in the writing workshops that provided students with opportunities to learn about academic writing through the use of mini-lessons. Students were also able to conference with their peers and the facilitators. Overall, the writing workshops provided a positive effect on students’ perceptions about their writing. In addition, the students felt that the writing workshops had a positive effect on their overall learning of a specific academic writing skill

Increasing the Literacy Knowledge of Teacher Candidates: Why Service-Learning Matters

Educator preparation programs seek to provide teacher candidates with authentic learning experiences that support the learning process, and one means is to engage teacher candidates in service-learning. Elementary schools are tasked with improving the literacy outcomes of struggling readers, and community-based programs focused on literacy, seek to improve the literacy achievement of its’ citizens. This work explores how an educator preparation program collaborated with a community-based organization to provide elementary, struggling readers with 1:1 literacy instruction via teacher candidates from the local university. The aim is to showcase the process, procedures, and benefits of universities partnering with local PK-12 schools and community-based organizations

Using Authentic Literature to Enrich Young Children’s Literacy Experiences

This article focuses on the five components (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) needed to effectively teach children to read. Early childhood educators can teach these five skills through the use of authentic literature. To be classified as authentic literature, books and texts need to utilize “real life” writing that is written to engage the reader. Authentic narrative texts generally appeal to the reader and offers a theme and a moral to the story. The article explains the five components needed to teach children to read and offers some authentic texts, synopses, and lesson ideas specifically for each of the components. Although children may not be able to read the texts, the texts selected are at the child’s listen-ing comprehension level. In addition, the selected texts will aid early childhood educators and parents in infusing these skills for engaging implementation

Using Multicultural Children’s Literature to Address Social Issues: The Power of Interactive Read Aloud

As the demographics of U.S. schools are changing, educators have to embrace this change and prepare students to adopt diversity and inclusivity as a means to increase students’ understanding of their peers. Not only are race and ethnicity identities at the forefront of these changes, gender identity and ability identity must also be supported, as more students are challenging traditional gender roles and as more students are mainstreamed into regular education classes. This article seeks to address usage of interactive read alouds of multicultural literature as a means to help bridge students who need inclusiveand equitable pedagogical practices in race, gender, and ability identity and those who need to understand those who identify as one or more of the aforementioned. A recommended list of multicultural literature is included withdiscussion starters to assist educators in establishing critical conversations with students who identify as one of the listed identities or for those students who need to understand those students who identify differently than them

The Importance of Teaching Vocabulary: The Whys and Hows

This article focuses on providing teachers with the whys and hows to implement tier-two vocabulary instruction in PK-12 grade classrooms. The article examines what is meant by tier-two vocabulary words and the need for increased vocabulary instruction to gain word knowledge. It also offers teachers applicable texts and activities to be used when they become teachers and ways to incorporate a school-to-home connection in support of students\u27 learning of new vocabulary words. The texts and activities are divided into three grade levels: K-2, 3-5, and 6-12. In addition, the article is divided into two sections which outlines the whys and how for increasing student\u27s vocabulary knowledge