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Large numbers of children in the United States are not functioning at adequate levels of literacy. Students who have weak reading proficiency skills are identified as at-risk; failure to acquire competency early in their schooling adversely affects performance in all academic fields and limits their potential for achievement in life. There is an extensive knowledge base about the skills and strategies children must learn in order to read well. Effective fluency and comprehension strategies need to be taught to help students become powerful, active readers who are in control of their learning. This study evaluated a structured classroom model for delivery of small group reading instruction called the Intermediate Extended Literacy Routine (IELR). The IELR is a model for delivery of explicit reading instruction that incorporates fluency instruction with the intent to provide a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. This study examined the effects of the IELR on the achievement of third graders designated as struggling readers. A repeated single subject experimental design was used. Thirteen students in two classrooms at the same west-central Florida school were given the IELR 4 days a week for 8 weeks. The IELR incorporated explicit strategy instruction and was delivered in the form of focused mini-lessons that targeted specific reading strategies the researcher identified as lacking in the subjects. Assessments of performance were made with timed readings, running records, narrative retellings, and the school district's reading comprehension common assessment tool. Results are presented in tabular and graphic form for analysis. The IELR had a positive effect on reading rate (measured in words read per minute), reading accuracy and increased instructional level assessments: students who received the IELR maintained or increased their instructional level on running record assessments and showed evidence of increased reading rate on timed readings. Reading comprehension, measured by narrative retellings, did not improve for most students over the course of the study. Recommendations for future research include the use of a control group; oral (rather than written) retelling measures to assess comprehension, and a longer duration of IELR application to gauge its effectiveness.

Research has shown the value of using children's literature for reading instruction. As teachers incorporate more children's literature into their programs, questions arise as to the choices they are making about which books to use for literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of children's literature in two literacy activities, teacher read aloud and literature circles, in grade four through six classrooms in Central School District. Teachers from this group were asked to complete a survey for each children's literature book they used for teacher read aloud and literature circles during one school year. A descriptive analysis summarizing the characteristics of the information collected in the surveys was conducted. Results indicated there was variability in the number and titles of books the sample teachers used in their classrooms, some books were read in more than one classroom, fiction and chapter books were chosen more often than informational or picture books. The sample teachers selected books for a variety of reasons, with the greatest consideration being what they thought the students would like. Teachers selected books for literature circles from the schools' guided reading libraries most often, and teachers chose books for teacher read aloud based on their own likes and according to other teachers recommendations. The teacher's responses to the research questions reflected heavy reliance on the contents of the school guided reading library to support literature circle reading groups. While the development of the guided reading library in each of the sample schools has created a resource for teachers, the contents may limit the genres of children's literature that teachers use for literacy instruction. If, indeed, teachers depend upon the guided reading library for the majority of the books they use in literature circles, the quality and quantity of the books in the guided reading library may warrant further study.

Educational research has demonstrated that there is a correlation between struggling readers and poor vocabulary knowledge skills. In this quasi-experimental study 53 fifth and sixth grade struggling reader in a low socioeconomic suburban school district were assigned to one of three treatments designed to improve their knowledge of 30 high frequency words by: 1) a word-mapping treatment in which students focused on the definition, synonyms, a sentence and drawing to illustrate the meaning of the targeted words; 2) a guided reading treatment in which students were presented with four different reading passages and asked to focus on and define the targeted words; and 3) a control treatment in which the district-wide use of flashcards drill and practice were used to learn words from the high frequency list. Students completed pre-tests and four week delayed post-tests after the treatment on each of five measures. Sentence construction was tested after the treatments were completed. Analysis of Covariance and correlated t-tests were done to investigate two questions: 1) Considering each treatment on its own, did word mapping, guided reading and flashcards treatments have a significant effect on vocabulary knowledge, comprehension, word recognition, fluency, sentence completion and sentence production; 2) Were there significant differences among the word mapping , guided reading and flashcard treatment groups? There were significant differences at the post-test among the three groups for word recognition and fluency. / CITE/Language Arts

The present study identifies reading instructional practices used in upper elementary classrooms during the age of high-stakes test accountability and compares reading practices among schools of varying accreditation status and socio-economic status (SES). The current study partially replicates and extends a study conducted by Baumann, Hoffman, Duffy-Hester, and Ro in 2000. The Baumann et al. (2000) study provides a frame of reference to compare instructional practices prior to high stakes testing with those used in the current high stakes testing environment. Third- through fifth-grade teachers in seven school districts in central Virginia were asked to complete an electronic survey. Descriptive statistics from 113 surveys identified current instructional practices, materials used for instruction, and grouping strategies used for reading instruction. Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to identify differences between groups based upon socio-economic or accreditation statuses. Participating teachers reported using a balanced approach to reading instruction, indicated a desire to develop independent readers, and noted that a considerable amount of time is spent on comprehension instruction. Leveled guided reading books, fiction books, and nonfiction books are used frequently for instruction, but basal readers are used infrequently. Ability-based groups were reported as a primary grouping structure, but many teachers indicated they also use whole-class mini-lessons. Schools with higher percentages of students receiving free and reduced lunch, Title 1 status, and those that have not met accreditation benchmarks are more likely to spend time on vocabulary instruction. Title 1 schools are also more likely to use test preparation materials and twelve additional classroom resources, such as general reading skill workbooks, phonics workbooks, and commercial classroom libraries. While most teachers felt pressure to modify instruction to match assessments, no differences in the degree of pressure felt were found based upon either measure of SES or accreditation status.

While Deaf students are not typically classified as English as a second language (ESL) students, the majority of deaf students first become fluent in a signed language, making them ideal candidates for ESL research. This case study has been designed to explore the ways in which one method of ESL reading instruction, known as modified guided reading (MGR), affects the language acquisition process, and resulting reading comprehension level, of a deaf student over eleven weeks. The study documented the student’s language acquisition development both in American Sign Language (ASL) and in English, as well as tracked the student’s growth in reading comprehension, metalinguistic awareness, and visual attention skills. The Accelerated Reader (AR) program, benchmark testing, and daily observations were used to measure growth. Findings of the study suggest that the ESL methods implemented through MGR positively impacted the student’s language acquisition process, reading comprehension level, metalinguistic awareness, and visual attention skills. Results showed an increase in all three of the student’s AR scores as follows: 31% in reading level, 13.1% in number of words read, and 13.2 % in comprehension test scores. Observations and benchmark testing revealed increased metalinguistic knowledge in word, syntactic, and pragmatic awareness. Visual attention skills were found to be the key element in allowing reading comprehension to take place and strategies for improving these skills were found to be a necessary part of the MGR process.

Increased accountability in contemporary public elementary schools requires that teachers provide evidence they are using research-based strategies that reinforce skills assessed on standardized tests. There is a need to provide empirical evidence that literature circles can reinforce skills assessed on these tests. A literature circle is a research-based strategy that is common in language arts classrooms. This study investigates the connection between these skills and student discussion that takes place during literature circles. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of skill-focused minilessons on students' independent use of reading skills. The study investigated whether application of skill-focused minilessons prior to literature circles would have an effect on students' independent use of reading skills within student discussions during literature circles. Sixteen students participated in the study. The study also investigated the impact that minilessons prior to literature circles had on students' scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in reading. Students were randomly assigned to the researcher's fifth grade class in the 2008/2009 school year. All students read the same material and received the same treatment. During the course of the study, students first took the FCAT diagnostic in reading and then engaged in five literature circle meetings, each preceded by a minilesson. Students then engaged in five literature circles with a different book and without skill-focused minilessons, followed by the administration of the reading FCAT. The data, which included content analyses of transcriptions of students' discussion and the collection of FCAT scores, yielded several findings. / The two skills most commonly used by students in independent literature circles were analyzing character and discussing plot. The two least commonly used skills were describing conflict and using context clues. Each skill within student discussion.The way in which students transferred the use of these skills to literature circles not preceded by skill focused minilessons varied. Multiple modes of transfer were identified for each skill. A dependent t-test for the FCAT scores did not indicate a statistically significant increase in the use of the five skills identified for this study when minilessons preceded literature circles. / by Gail Kennedy. / Abstract page (p. v) has author's name as Gail Sigelakis. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Guided reading is a common component of literacy instruction in elementary classrooms. The purpose of this research was to examine multiple areas of guided reading from the perspective of teachers who were using guided reading in their classrooms. Knowledge and beliefs, grouping, management and organization, dialogue, and assessment issues were the five instructional topics of guided reading that were investigated using a mixed methods approach. The research was carried out in a single school division located in northern Alberta and involved Kindergarten – Grade 3 language arts teachers. Survey data collected from 27 respondents were analyzed using an interpretational focus. The data were coded and categorized using the five identified instructional topics as a framework. Common themes and patterns of response were identified for each instructional topic. The survey findings were then used to generate a focus group agenda. The transcripts of three focus group sessions that involved 16 teacher participants were also analyzed using an interpretational focus. The findings of the study suggested that guided reading is an important component of early language arts instruction for the teachers who participated in this research. Two types of guided reading instruction were identified: a small group guided reading approach (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996) and a Four Blocks approach to guided reading (Cunningham, Hall, & Defee, 1991). The teacher participants identified a wide variety of goals and purposes in using guided reading. The grouping practices of the teachers shared some similarities and many teachers indicated that they used a variety of sources of information to determine students’ placement in guided reading groups. Repeatedly, the survey and focus group participants communicated how their guided reading instruction was affected by their perceptions of differences among students and classes as affecting their guided reading instruction. The teachers indicated that their continuous attempts to maintain balance and focus during guided reading instruction also affected their organization and management. The teachers’ responses to survey items and focus group questions that addressed dialogue also focused on maintaining balance and focus during guided reading instruction. The teachers also discussed how they used dialogue for instructional purposes and commented on their ability to maintain balance and focus during the discussions during guided reading lessons. Many teachers indicated that they used running records to inform their guided reading instruction. Various other assessment tools that are consistent with an assessment for learning focus were also identified by the teacher participants. Overall, many of the findings suggested that individual teachers have adapted their guided reading practices to such an extent that they are no longer consistent with a single guided reading approach. The findings of the research indicated a need for teachers the have opportunities to engage in reflective activities with respect to their guided reading practices.

This project consists of two, two-week thematically planned language arts units containing all the components of a balanced literacy. It was created to teach second and third grade at risk students at Chester Morrison Elementary School, in Menifee, California during two weeks of their off track time. Both sessions have daily detailed plans for the teacher outlining all the components of a balanced literacy program. Both sessions contain relevent books that students make and take, shared reading to increase comprehension and skill building, and constant literacy opportunities.

In today's classrooms, many teachers meet students' reading needs by providing guided reading. However, little is known about how teachers combine student data and pedagogical content knowledge to plan guided readings lessons. This study focused on understanding how elementary teachers use guided reading pedagogical content knowledge and student data when planning a guided reading lesson. The conceptual framework was based on Fountas and Pinnell's guided reading framework, and Clay's theory of data collection with respect to literacy processing. The research questions concerned how teachers' use, guide, and reflect on guided reading pedagogical content knowledge and students data when planning a guided reading lesson. A qualitative study using both phenomenological and case study aspects was utilized to capture insights of elementary teachers from a successful Title 1 school. This study included a single elementary school. Participants included 10 elementary teachers from grades K-5. Data sources included introductory and follow-up teacher interviews as well as teacher lesson plans. Data were analyzed using coding for identification of patterns. The findings revealed that teachers believe their success lies in searching for the right books use to differentiate their guided reading instruction based on each student's individual data. They also believe their success comes from providing background knowledge to students when teaching guided reading lessons to pique their students interest and help them better understand what they are reading. This study can contribute to positive social change by providing administration insights to how to prepare high quality professional development to help teachers plan guided reading lessons.