Language Arts - Volume 77, Issue 6, 2000

The key to helping one adolescent make the transition from non-reader to reader was changing his self-image as a non-reader. This article shows how he became actively engaged in reading and writing when he felt valued, took risks, and developed his own ideas—more closely aligning his life within school and outside school.

Examines the real-world literacy contexts in which children find themselves. Discusses research at multiple sites over five years looking at how teachers struggle day by day to work out how to acknowledge and build on the language and cultural diversity of the students in their schools. Explores and illustrates four distinct “constructions” of literacy.

Through looking critically at the underpinnings of “story mapping, a teacher uncovers a contradiction between the author’s definition of reading as a constructive process and the reductionist nature of story mapping, which she shows inhibits students’ potential to explore a diverse range of personal responses by promoting comprehension over response, uniformity over diversity, and control over freedom.

Carol Gilles and Jean Dickinson use the metaphor of the “literacy club” to illustrate the re-making of three fifth-grade readers in jeopardy of being excluded from the “club.” They started with the students’ strengths, used a variety of assessment measures, and offered supportive texts and teaching.

Examines the discrepancies in engagement that arose when the teachers’ instructional and the students’ personal stances (regarding the intents and purposes of literacy) are misaligned during literacy events. Discusses the ways in which instructional and personal stances encourage and/or discourage engagement. Considers the opportunity to construct interpretations of texts while discussing literature and other related literacy events in class.

For struggling third-grade reader Maddie, her own writing prompted her journey to become a reader. Her teacher built on Maddie’s strengths and focused on meaningful activities in order to promote a positive attitude toward reading—a focus that became the foundation for her acquisition of reading skills.

A responsive literacy environment, explicit comprehension-strategy instruction, and time spent engaged with connected text using authentic materials all contribute to the increased learning of struggling readers.

Looks at how “scientifically based” literacy research promoting the direct, explicit, and systematic use of phonics and related word skills in beginning reading instruction is having a massive effect on policy and practice. Examines what this research claims to have found and what it actually shows. Discusses how it harms research, teaching, learning, and children.

Looks at the characteristics of outstanding historical fiction including its literary qualities and criteria associated with authenticity. Discusses how teachers invite readers to approach their experiences with these novels. Looks at the role of historical fiction in today’s classrooms. Presents brief annotations of 25 outstanding works of children’s historical fiction. Notes other outstanding books.