Rethinking reading comprehension instruction: a comparison of instruction for strategies and content approaches

McKeown, Margaret G., Beck, Isabel L., & Blake, Ronetta G. K. (2009). Rethinking
reading comprehension instruction: a comparison of instruction for strategies and content approaches. Reading Research Quarterly,44(3), 218-253.

A framework for supporting scientific language in primary grades

Honig, S. L. (2010). A framework for supporting scientific language in primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 64, 23-32.

Effective academic vocabulary instruction in the urban middle school

Kelley, J. G., Lesaux, N. K., Kieffer, M. J., & Faller, S. E. (2010). Effective academic vocabulary instruction in the urban middle school. The Reading Teacher, 64(1), 5-14.

The relation between the type and amount of instruction and growth in children's reading competencies

Sonnenschein, S., Stapleton, L. M., & Benson, A. (2010). The relation between the type and amount of instruction and growth in children's reading competencies. American Educational Research Journal, 47(2), 358-389.

Developing early literacy skills: A meta-analysis of alphabet learning and instruction

Piasta, S. B. & Wagner, R. K. (2010). Developing early literacy skills: A meta-analysis of alphabet learning and instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 45(1), 8-38.

Morphing into adolescents: Active word learning for English-Language Learners and their classmates in middle school

Keiffer, M. J., & Lesaux, N. K. (2010). Morphing into adolescents: Active word learning for English-Language Learners and their classmates in middle school. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 54(1), 47-56.

Introducing science concepts to primary students through read alouds: Interactions and multiple texts make the difference

Heisey, N. & Kucan, L. (2010). Introducing science concepts to primary students through read alouds: Interactions and multiple texts make the difference. The Reading Teacher, 63(8), 666-676.

A lesson cycle for teaching expository reading and writing

Montelongo, J., Herter, R. J., Ansaldo, R., & Hatter, N. (2010). A lesson cycle for teaching expository reading and writing. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53(8), 656-666.

Beyond picture walks: Revaluing picture books as written and pictorial texts

Maderazo, C., Martens, P., Croce, K., Martens, R., Doyle, M., Aghalarov, S., & Noble, R. (2010). Beyond picture walks: Revaluing picture books as written and pictorial texts. Language Arts, 87(6), 437-446.

Building bridges to connect whole language theory and practice in literacy education.

Pollack, H. (2009). Building bridges to connect whole language theory and practice in literacy education. Talking Points, 21(1), 5-10.

Instructional coaching: Building theory about the role and organizational support for professional learning.

Gallucci, Chrysan, Van Lare, Michelle DeVoogt, Yoon, Irene H., & Boatright, Beth. (2010). Instructional coaching: Building theory about the role and organizational support for professional learning. American Educational Research Journal, 47(4), 919-963.

Recent research on human learning challenges conventional instructional strategies

Rohrer, D., & Pashler, H. (2010). Recent research on human learning challenges conventional instructional strategies. Educational Researcher, 39(5), 406-412.

The effects of explicitly teaching story structure to primary grade children

Stevens, R. J., Van Meter, P., & Warcholak, N. D. (2010). The effects of explicitly teaching story structure to primary grade children. Journal of Literacy Research, 42(2), 159-198.

“I don’t need your help!” Peer status, race, and gender during peer writing interactions.

Christianakis, Mary. (2010). “I don’t need your help!” Peer status, race, and gender during peer writing interactions. Journal of Literacy Research, 42(4), 418-458.

Oral reading fluency assessment: Issues of construct, criterion, and consequential validity

Valencia, S. W., Smith, A. T., Reece, A. M., Li, M., Wixson, K. K., & Newman, H. (2010). Oral reading fluency assessment: Issues of construct, criterion, and consequential validity. Reading Research Quarterly, 45(3), 270-291.

Understanding teacher candidate dispositions: Reflecting to build awareness.

Schussler, D.L. & Stooksberry, L.M. & Bercaw, L.A. (2010). Understanding teacher candidate dispositions: Reflecting to build awareness. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(4), 350-363.

These teacher educators used journal writing from 35 preservice teachers to test a model of teacher dispositions. They found the model, a three-part framework, encompassing The Intellectual Domain, The Cultural Domain, and The Moral Domain, to be useful in describing these preservice teachers' developmental processes, through the categories were not so important as how the preservice teachers reflected within them. As usual, a framework can help us structure our reflection about a difficult topic (like dispositions), but it is a tool only, and we must look carefully at the qualitative content of that reflection and try to draw inferences from that. The framework, or any assessment strategies that are drawn from it, cannot become so reified that they become ends in themselves. This is the danger when something like disposition assessment is mandated by accreditation entities like NCATE. The authors of this article put the issue in perspective: "although assessment is important, it is the development of dispositions that should be of the most concern in teacher education (p. 351)."

A study of thoughtful literacy and the motivation to read

Applegate, Anthony J., & Applegate, Mary DeKonty. (2010). A study of thoughtful literacy and the motivation to read. The Reading Teacher, 64(4), 226-234.

Soaring above the clouds, delving the ocean’s depths: Understanding the ecologies of human learning and the challenge for education science

Lee, Carol D. (2010). Soaring above the clouds, delving the ocean’s depths: Understanding the ecologies of human learning and the challenge for education science. Educational Researcher, 39(9), 643-655.

Extended time testing accommodations for students with disabilities: Answers to five fundamental questions

Lovett, Benjamin J. (2010). Extended time testing accommodations for students with disabilities: Answers to five fundamental questions. Review of Educational Research, 80(4), 611-638.

How can you motivate high school seniors in an English class?

Maloney, D. & Taylor, M. (2010). How can you motivate high school seniors in an English class? Talking Points, 22(1), 20-27.

Contemporary children’s literature recommendations for working with preadolescent children of divorce

McMillen, Paula, & Pehrsson, Dale-Elizabeth. (2010). Contemporary children’s literature recommendations for working with preadolescent children of divorce. Journal of Children’s Literature, 36(2), 29-36.

Tripartite growth trajectories of reading and math achievement: Tracking national academic progress at primary, middle, and high school levels

Lee, Jaekyung. (2010). Tripartite growth trajectories of reading and math achievement: Tracking national academic progress at primary, middle, and high school levels. American Educational Research Journal, 47(5), 800-832.

Teaching secondary English Learners to understand, analyze, and write interpretive essays about theme

Olson, Carol Booth, Land, Robert, Anselmi, Thelma, & AuBuchon, Charlie. (2010/2011). Teaching secondary English Learners to understand, analyze, and write interpretive essays about theme. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(4), 245-256.

Teaching (dis)abled: Reflections on teaching, learning, power, and classroom community

Green, Nicole E. (2010). Teaching (dis)abled: Reflections on teaching, learning, power, and classroom community. English Journal, 100(2), 86-92.

Learning to read: The unofficial scripts of succeeders and strugglers

Brown, Tammy B. H. (2010). Learning to read: The unofficial scripts of succeeders and strugglers. The Reading Teacher, 64(4), 261-271.

The unequal effect of Adequate Yearly Progress: Evidence from school visits

Brown, Abigail, & Clift, Jack W. (2010). The unequal effect of Adequate Yearly Progress: Evidence from school visits. American Educational Research Journal, 47(4), 774-798.

Questioning a white male advantage in STEM: Examining disparities in college major by gender and race/ethnicity

Riegle-Crumb, Catherine, & King, Barbara. (2010). Questioning a white male advantage in STEM: Examining disparities in college major by gender and race/ethnicity. Educational Researcher, 39(9), 656-664.

Let’s start leveling about leveling

Glasswell, Kath, & Ford, Michael. (2011). Let’s start leveling about leveling. Language Arts, 88(3), 208-216.

Text complexity and oral reading prosody in young readers

Benjamin, Rebecca George, & Schwanenflugel, Paula J. (2010). Text complexity and oral reading prosody in young readers. Reading Research Quarterly, 45(4), 388-404.

Accelerating reading inequities in the early years

Souto-Manning, Mariana. (2010). Accelerating reading inequities in the early years. Language Arts, 88(2), 104-113.

2009 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

2009 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts. Journal of Children's Literature, 35(2), 17-27.

This annual list of children's and young adult books that provide teaching opportunities in the language arts is always good. This time, as always, I say to myself, "I've got to have those books!"

That being said, it seems that this year's 30 selections are more overwhelmingly geared to older children than in the past. Maybe that's just my own perception, since I've been working with really young children over the past two years, so I'm sensitive to age-appropriateness. Still, it's another good list. My eye was especially caught by the choices for the young ones, including E. Choung's Minji's Salon, Nikki Giovanni's anthology, Hip hop speaks to children: A celebration of poetry with a beat, and Y. Morales's Just in case: A trickster's tale and Spanish alphabet book. I think Jon Scieszka's memoir of growing up, Knucklehead: Tall tales and mostly true stories about growing up would be another useful acquisition.

Reframing the reading process through EMMA (Eye Movement and Miscue Analysis)

Kim, Koomi, Duckett, Peter, & Brown, Joel. (2010). Reframing the reading process through EMMA (Eye Movement and Miscue Analysis). Talking Points, 22(1), 10-14.

Information book read-alouds as models for second-grade authors

Bradley, Linda Golson, & Donovan, Carol A. (2010). Information book read-alouds as models for second-grade authors. The Reading Teacher, 64(4), 246-260.

Analyzing the language of struggle in search of hope for teachers

Schmidt, Renita, & Whitmore, Kathryn F. (2010). Analyzing the language of struggle in search of hope for teachers. Journal of Literacy Research, 42(4), 385-417.

Creating community through storytelling

Coskie, T., Trudel, H., & Vohs, R. (2010). Creating community through storytelling.Talking Points, 22(1), 2-9.

Assessing neighborhood racial segregation and macroeconomic effects in the education of African Americans

Johnson, Odis Jr. (2010). Assessing neighborhood racial segregation and macroeconomic effects in the education of African Americans. Review of Educational Research, 80(4), 527-575.

"I allow myself to FEEL now. . . “: Adolescent girls’ negotiations of embodied knowing, the female body, and literacy

Woodcock, Christine. (2010). "I allow myself to FEEL now. . . ": Adolescent girls’ negotiations of embodied knowing, the female body, and literacy. Journal of Literacy Research, 42(4), 349-384.

Meeting the challenge: Beginning English teachers reflect on their first year

Shoffner, M. & Brown, M. & Platt, B. & Long, M. & Salyer, B. (2010). Meeting the challenge: Beginning English teachers reflect on their first year. English Journal, 99(6), 70-77.

"I'm not stupid": How assessment drives (in) appropriate reading instruction

Dennis, D. V. (2010). "I'm not stupid": How assessment drives (in) appropriate reading instruction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53, 283-290.