As interest and concern rise in U.S. educational circles around the reading achievement of English language learners (ELLs) and struggling readers, researchers and practitioners alike are calling for the increased use of technology as a means to decrease achievement gaps in reading (Jiménez, 2003; Strangman & Dalton, 2005). In this article, we report results from a 4-week study of the English reading comprehension of struggling readers, including Spanish-speaking ELLs. Thirty 4th-grade students read several narrative and informational hypertexts that provided embedded vocabulary and comprehension strategy supports, along with text-to-speech readaloud functionality. Correlation analyses of pre-post standardized reading vocabulary gain scores revealed that vocabulary gain was associated, although not significantly, with the frequency of access of hyperlinked glossary items throughout the intervention, and that lower pretest vocabulary knowledge was associated with positive vocabulary gains. A similar pattern was detected for comprehension gains,

Technology reshapes our thinking about learning in multiple ways. This article proposes that middle school students can use asynchronous online discussions to improve their responses to literature, increase their engagement with the classroom community, and recenter the classroom around student voices. Working in small groups, students read the same novel. They are prompted to post their responses to the young adult literature in a closed, egalitarian online network. The authors examined online transcripts, interviewed students, and observed lesson sequences in eighth‐grade humanities classrooms over three years. They found that threaded discussions helped these middle school students to Engage with and learn new literacies Examine literature through a more critical lens Socially construct knowledge to create a more authentic community of learners The authors also found that the role of the teacher is transformed by technology to scaffold instruction through participation in online conversations.

This study followed a group of 12 individuals over a three-year period as they first participated in a preservice teacher education program in the Pacific Northwest, leading to K-8 teacher certification and a Masters in Teaching, and for the first two years of their teaching careers. Using a case study approach and the use of a new methodology called "Teacher Storylines" (Beijaard, 1998), the researcher examined participants' beliefs about and practice in reading/ language arts. Three case studies are presented, as well as summaries of the others, and cross-case analysis. The study found that teachers' funds of knowledge (professional, practical, personal) interact in complex ways to affect their classroom practice. In particular, professional knowledge from a coherent and cohesive teacher education program is influential in the ways new teachers teach. By the end of the second year of teaching, participants' professional knowledge and practical knowledge became intertwined, such that participants' had difficulty in acknowledging their respective influences.The effect of teachers' beliefs on their theoretical conceptions of reading and the way in which this influences teachers' classroom practice has been the subject of educational research for almost two decades and continues to be a topic of considerable interest in the current era of educational reform and accountability. The recent publication of the American Council of Education (ACE, 1999) has stated unequivocally that "the success of the student depends most of all on the quality of the teacher" (p. 5). Although educators may argue over the definition of the word "success" as applied to students and what "quality" means in terms of teachers, few would dispute that teachers' beliefs about the teaching/learning process are critical elements in educational reform agendas, Downloaded by [Universite Laval] at 03:39 26 December 2014 146 D. L. Grishamwhether these agendas are grounded in constructivist theory or part of the accountability movement. This report of research presents findings from a study conducted over three years to learn about the reading beliefs and practices of 12 teachers. In the first year of the study, all 12 participants were student teachers enrolled in a graduate-level K-8 teacher preparation program in the Pacific Northwest. At the end of an intensive 15-month Masters in Teaching (MIT) program, each also qualified for K-8 teacher certification. All 12 were students of the researcher over two semesters of literacy methods classes during the 1995-1996 academic year. In the second and third years of the study, all but one of the teachers were in various full-time or part-time teaching positions.A continuing goal of the qualitative study was to investigate the effectiveness of constructivist literacy coursework on the belief systems and teaching practices of these teachers. The original research questions included: (a) How do preservice teachers conceptualize reading instruction? (b) How does their belief system affect their teaching of rea...

Vocabulary knowledge is key to comprehension and expression. For students in the intermediate grades, the need for breadth and depth of vocabulary accelerates as they encounter more challenging academic texts in print and on the Internet. Drawing on research‐based principles of vocabulary instruction and multimedia learning, this article presents 10 eVoc strategies that use free digital tools and Internet resources to evoke students' engaged vocabulary learning. The strategies are designed to support the teaching of words and word learning strategies, promote students' strategic use of on‐demand web‐based vocabulary tools, and increase students' volume of reading and incidental word learning. The strategies emphasize developing students' interest in words as they read, view, interact with, and create word meanings in digital and multimedia contexts. Teachers are invited to ‘go digital with word learning’ and experiment with integrating technology to improve their students' vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Two high school teachers of Deaf students and two teacher educators present this article about the use of graphic novels as an important genre for teaching literacy and academic skills in the high school classroom. During a summer session for failing Deaf students at a state‐sponsored school, two English teachers taught and documented their students' experiences in reading and responding to selected graphic novels. They collaborated with two teacher educators in reviewing the literature on the usefulness of graphic novels in motivating and engaging struggling readers. The article provides a description of the project, a rationale for the use of graphic novels, and examples from students' work from the summer session. Resources are included for teachers interested using graphic novels with any group of students. يقدم معلما طلاب طرش وأستاذا معلمين في مدرسة ثانوية هذه المقالة بشأن استخدام مجلات مصورة كجنس هام لتعليم معرفة القراءة والكتابة والمهارات الدراسية في صف المدرسة الثانوية. وفي أثناء فصل صيفي خاص بطلاب طرش فاشلين في مدرسة مدعومة من الحكومة قد علّم معلما اللغة الإنكليزية ودوّنا تجارب طلابهم في القراءة والمجاوبة على مجلات مصورة مختارة. وهما تعاونا مع أستاذي معلمين في مراجعة الأدب من حيث فائدة مجلات مصورة في دفع القراء المواجهين صعوبات في القراءة وإشغالهم فيها. إذ توفر المقالة وصفاً للمشروع وعرضاً لسبب استخدام المجلات المصورة وتقدم كذلك أمثلة من واجبات الطلاب من فصل الصيف الدراسي. وتضم المقالة موارد للمعلمين المهتمين باستخدام مجلات مصورة مع أي مجموعة من الطلاب. 在本文中，两位高中聋生教师与两位教师教育工作者，报告他们在中学课堂里使用图画小说作为一种重要体裁来教导读写文化及学术技能的教学方法。在一所国家资助学校里为成绩不合格的聋生而设的暑期班中，两位英语教师教导学生阅读及对选读的图画小说作回应，并记录学生对该学习的体验。这两位教师与两位教师教育工作者共同协作，研究相关文献，探讨图画小说在激发及令有阅读困难的学生投入学习的用处。本文描述该项研究计划，说明使用图画小说的理论依据，并提供该暑期班学生习作的实例。本文亦提供一些教学资源，以供有兴趣利用图画小说于任何组别学生的教师参考。 Deux enseignants de sourds du secondaire et deux formateurs de maîtres présentent cet article qui traite de l'utilisation des bandes dessinées comme genre important pour enseigner la littératie et les savoir faire académiques qui sont nécessaires à un élève du second degré. Pendant une session d'été pour étudiants sourds en difficulté d'une école d'Etat, deux professeurs d'anglais ont enseigné et enrichi l'expérience de leurs élèves en leur lisant et en réagissant à certaines bandes dessinées. Ils ont travaillé en collaboration avec deux formateurs de maîtres en passant en revue la littérature relative à l'utilité des bandes dessinées pour motiver et inciter à s'investir les lecteurs en difficulté. L'article apporte une description du projet, un rationnel en vue de l'utilisation des bandes dessinées, et des exemples du travail des élèves au cours de la session d'été. On présente également des outils pédagogiques pour les enseignants intéressés par l'utilisation de bandes dessinées avec n'importe quels élèves. Два учителя старших классов в школе для глухих и два преподавателя педагогического университета, пишут об использовании графических романов – важного для старшеклассников жанра – при обучении грамотности и становлении академических навыков. Во время летнего семестра, организованного для слабоу...