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Letter From The Editor, Karen F. Thomas

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

A letter from the editor,

Author Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to authors in volume 52.

Reading Horizons, Vol. 52, No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 52, issue 1.

Reading Horizons Vol. 51, No. 4

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 51, issue 4.

Article Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to articles in volume 51.

Building Conceptual Understanding Through Vocabulary Instruction, William H. Rupley, William Dee Nichols, Maryann Mraz, Timothy R. Blair

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Instructional design is an integral part of a balanced approach to teaching vocabulary instruction. This article presents several instructional procedures using research-based vocabulary strategies and explains how to design and adapt those strategies in order to reach desired learning outcomes. Emphasis is placed on research-based principles that guide effective vocabulary instruction and on the importance of incorporating vocabulary instruction into all phases of the reading lesson framework--before, during, and after reading (Blair, Rupley, & Nichols 2007; Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz 2011). Vocabulary instruction should encourage students to make associations and accommodations to their experiences and provide them with varied opportunities …

Great Books For Late Summer Reading, Terrell A. Young, Barbara A. Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

For decades now, reading experts have expressed concern that the competence gained by struggling readers during the academic year is lost during the summer months. While academic enrichment and remediation programs can reduce that loss, one of the best practices to build better readers is by having them read during breaks from school. At least one study clearly supports this suggestion. In his study of 1,600 elementary students in the mid-Atlantic area, researcher James Kim (2009) found that regardless of previous achievement level or race or socioeconomic level, children who read more books performed better on reading comprehension tests in …

From The Editor, Karen F. Thomas

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

A letter from the editor.

Café Culture: Promoting Empowerment And Pleasure In Adolescent Literacy Learning, Brandi Gribble Mathers, Amanda J. Stern

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The 160 third, seventh, and eleventh-graders involved in this study agreed, almost unanimously, that reading was“important.” Participants cited the empowering benefits of reading as they justified this opinion. However, with regards to the enjoyment of reading, fewer middle and high school participants reported “liking” reading than their elementary counterparts and fewer reported reading in their free time.

One solution to this dilemma involves providing adolescent students with a context devoted solely to pleasure reading. In doing so, educators can look to an institution that boasts both an historical link to literate culture and current-day pop culture appeal: the coffeehouse. When …

Author Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to authors in volume 51

The Professional Development Practices Of Two Reading First Coaches, Charlotte A. Mundy, Dorene D. Ross, Melinda M. Leko

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

To establish job-embedded, ongoing professional development recent policies and initiatives required that districts appoint school-based coaches. The Reading First Initiative, for example, created an immediate need for coaches without a clear definition of coaches’ responsibilities. Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to investigate how two Reading First coaches interpreted and enacted their professional development responsibilities. Cross-case analyses identified similarities and differences in coaches’ enactments. Findings revealed that while each coach engaged in similar professional development responsibilities (e.g. modeling, observing, and classroom walkthroughs) their approach to these responsibilities differed — collaborative versus expert driven. These differences in approaches indicate …

A Mixed Method Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Accelerated Reader Program On Middle School Students’ Reading Achievement And Motivation, Suhua Huang

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The mixed-method explanatory research design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program on middle school students’ reading achievement and motivation. A total of 211 sixth to eighth-grade students provided quantitative data by completing an AR Survey. Thirty of the 211 students were randomly selected to participate in semi-structured interviews and classroom observations over the course of a semester and the selected students’ AR pretest and posttest scores were collected to provide quantitative data. Constant analyses using the content comparative method led to the identification of important themes related to the review of students using the …

At-Risk Preschool Children: Establishing Developmental Ranges That Suggest At-Promise, Lea M. Mcgee, Alanna R. Dail

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The Early Reading First (ERF) program provided grants to transform preschools into centers of education excellence with the ultimate goal of preventing later reading difficulties (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001). The intent of ERF grants was to provide preschoolers with the necessary cognitive, early language, and literacy skills for success in kindergarten (United States Department of Education, 2007). Programs that received ERF funds were required to monitor children’s progress in specific literacy and language skills (i.e., automatic recognition of alphabet letters, knowledge of the conventions of print, understanding of phonemes and letters, and use of increasingly complex vocabulary) …

From The Editor, Allison L. Baer

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Editor stepping down. Introduction to Reading Horizons volume 51 issue 3.

Reading Horizons Vol. 51 No. 3

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 52, issue 2. December 2011/January 2012. Last issue edited by Allison Baer.

The Allure Of Animals, Terrell A. Young, Barbara A. Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Books that feature animals seem to have an almost universal appeal for young readers. Whether they are domesticated creatures such as cats and dogs that are part of many families’ lives or animals in their natural habitats in the wild, there is simply something intriguing or endearing about their behavior and personalities. A few years ago, young readers couldn’t get enough of the story of a friendship that sprang up between a 130-year-old Alhambra tortoise in Kenya and a baby hippo, marooned after the 2004 tsunami in Asia. Readers of all ages reacted powerfully to their story, told by a …

Revitalizing Tier 2 Intervention With Graphic Novels, Linda Smetana, Dana L. Grisham

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The authors explore the practice of incorporating graphic novels in a Tier 2 Response To Intervention (RTI) program for five elementary-aged struggling readers in an urban school. Using a formative experiment framework, the study found that graphic novels provided a vehicle for the application of word recognition and fluency strategies learned in the RTI intervention program. In addition, graphic novels were used to develop students’ vocabulary and comprehension skills and resulted in increased progress for students’ fluency as measured by DIBELS. Since graphic novels are not grade level specific, they are appropriate for readers across grades. As a genre, graphic …

How Are Colleges And Universities Preparing Reading Specialist Candidates For Leadership Positions In The Schools?, Shelley B. Wepner, Diana J. Quatroche

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article reports on the results of 11 interviews conducted as a follow-up to a survey that examined the perceptions of university faculty regarding the importance of graduate programs preparing reading specialists for leadership roles. The results of the interviews indicate that programs require a leadership course that has reading specialist candidates actually working with classroom teachers in a school setting. These programs also require that reading specialist candidates provide professional development and develop skills in communication and collaboration. We suggest that the surveyed programs provide a model of what could be offered in master’s degree/certification programs for reading specialists.

From The Editor, Allison L. Baer

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Introduction to Reading Horizons volume 51 issue 2.

Literacy: The First Decade Of The New Millennium, Jack Cassidy, Evan Ortlieb

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Although the importance of literacy instruction has remained con­stant since the beginning of the new millennium, literacy trends have shifted, often alongside acts of legislation. Areas of literacy education that were once overlooked in the past like adolescent literacy and RTI are now receiving increased attention, whereas areas of literacy like phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency receive considerably less attention than 10 years ago. Discussions describe “very hot” and “cold” topics as they relate to philosophy/approach, level, content, materials, and assessment. Educators can utilize the findings in this survey to adjust their instruction and direct atten­tion to needed areas within …

The Three-Phase Reading Comprehension Intervention (3-Rci): A Support For Intermediate-Grade Word Callers, Holly L. Diehl, Connie J. Armitage, Diane H. Nettles, Christine Peterson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article describes results of a reading comprehension intervention for students with adequate decoding but poor comprehension skills. Five teachers and 25 students in grades 3-5 from two rural public schools participated in this naturalistic experimental research study. Teachers met with identified students in a small group setting for 30 intervention sessions. The intervention involved explicit teaching and gradual release of instruction in three phases: metacognitive strategies, comprehension strategies, and peer-led discussions. To measure growth in reading comprehension, the Qualitative Reading Inventory-3 (Leslie & Caldwell, 2001) was administered as the pre- and posttest and analyzed through t-test comparisons. Interactive teaching …

Reading Horizons Vol. 51 No. 2

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 52, issue 2.

Books For Laughing Out Loud, Barbara A. Ward, Terrell A. Young

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

While there are many moments in life that call for somberness and even prompt us to pause and reflect, there are also moments in which we simply celebrate the joy of being alive and savor the funny side of our days. Writer Mark Twain, an authority on what makes us laugh, once stated, “humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” Humor and laughter certainly add to life’s pleasures, and sometimes it is a good idea not to take life or ourselves so seriously. Certainly, when it comes to humorous books, young readers cannot get enough of them. Teachers looking for a way …

Portrayals Of Bullying In Children’S Picture Books And Implications For Bibliotherapy, Emily Moulton, Melissa Allen Heath, Mary Anne Prater, Tina M. Taylor

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Bullying, a serious issue in today’s schools, negatively impacts children. This article summarizes research and emphasizes the need for effective tools, such as bibliotherapy, to deter bullying. To assist professionals in selecting books for bibliotherapy, 38 bully-themed children’s K-3 picture books ranked 1- 4 by The Horn Book Guide (HBG) from January 1, 2004 through January 1, 2010 were analyzed. Comparisons were made between the selected books’ portrayals of bullying and aspects of bullying, and bully prevention described in research literature. Information was summarized, including the following details: (a) gender of bully and victim, (b) type of bullying, (c) location …

Grade Level And Gender Differences In A School-Based Reading Tutoring Program, Sau Hou Chang

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the grade level and gender differences in a school-based reading tutoring program. The treatment group included 10 first-grade and 12 second-grade struggling readers, and the control group included 41 first-grade and 63 second-grade nonstruggling readers. The tutors were teacher candidates in an elementary education program at a Midwest university. Each student in the treatment group was given four 30-minute tutoring sessions every week for one semester. Results showed that first-grade struggling readers had a significantly higher reading gain than second-grade struggling readers. In addition, first-grade male struggling readers had significantly higher …

Reading Horizons Vol. 51 No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons vol. 51 issue 1 with cover, table of contents, editorial advisory board and back matter including submission and subscription information.

Assisted Reading With Digital Audiobooks For Students With Reading Disabilities, Kelli J. Esteves, Elizabeth Whitten

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The goal of this study was to compare the efficacy of assisted reading with digital audiobooks with the traditional practice of sustained silent reading (SSR) in terms of reading fluency and reading attitude with upper elementary students with reading disabilities. Treatment group participants selected authentic children’s literature and engaged in assisted reading with digital audiobooks four to five times per week over an eight-week implementation period. Results showed that while all students demonstrated growth in reading fluency as calculated by words read correctly per minute, the growth of the treatment group far outweighed that of the control group. There was …

Promoting At-Risk Preschool Children’S Comprehension Through Research-Based Strategy Instruction, Andrea Debruin-Parecki, Kathryn Squibb

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Young children living in poor urban neighborhoods are often at risk for reading difficulties, in part because developing listening comprehension strategies and vocabulary knowledge may not be a priority in their prekindergarten classrooms, whose curriculums typically focus heavily on phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge. Prereading comprehension strategies are instrumental in developing skilled readers and significant to future academic success; their absence in preschool classrooms may contribute to challenges children face while learning to read. This article examines an exploratory investigation in two low-income public prekindergarten classrooms where children received an eight-week intervention to develop intentional comprehension strategies. Implications of this …

16 Minutes Of “Eyes-On-Text” Can Make A Difference: Whole-Class Choral Reading As An Adolescent Fluency Strategy, David D. Paige

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Research continues to suggest that adolescents struggle with reading, indicating that much work remains to ensure that all students read at levels consistent with the skills required for academic achievement (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006). This article investigates whole class choral reading (WCCR) within the context of a sixth-grade language arts setting for the purpose of improving oral reading fluency skills with narrative text. In this quasi-experimental study involving 112 students, WCCR was implemented on a daily basis with students utilizing the repeated reading of narrative text. Results suggest that students improved both phonological decoding and oral reading fluency skills with …

From The Editor, Allison Baer

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Introduction to the issue from editor Allison Baer.