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The goal of this article is to explore the effects of professional development on middle school teachers' understanding and application of literacy strategies supporting and enhancing instruction across the curriculum. This study investigated the extent to which reading and writing strategies, along with sound instructional design, were implemented by middle school teachers in their content areas based on data collected from self-reports (i.e., strategy and design checklists) and authors' classroom observations. Results from the analysis of the data collected suggest that the sampled middle school teachers used a wide variety of instructional strategies and instructional designs throughout their teaching. While certain instructional designs (whole-class discussion) and strategies (note-taking and graphic organizers) were used universally throughout the school, perhaps more important was the fact that others were selected dependent upon the unique content area they taught. (Contains 3 tables.)

Necessary prerequisites for and at the same time powerful predictors of children's success in beginning reading are the development of phonemic awareness and concepts of print. Students who are learning to read need to be taught how to consciously attend to phonemes and to develop an understanding regarding concepts about print. This study was two-fold. First, we examined demographic characteristics that included gender, socioeconomics, preschool experience, and race to determine how these factors related to phonemic awareness and concepts of print development for kindergarten students. It was concluded that low SES children and Latino children were at greater risk of not developing phonemic awareness and concepts of print in kindergarten. Further data were collected and analyzed to examine low SES and Latino children's knowledge of phonemic awareness and concepts of print development. The study found that, along with maturation, a diagnostic approach that guides phonemic awareness instruction and concepts about print enhances kindergarten students' phonemic awareness and concepts of print development. (Contains 4 tables.)

Argues that technology has the potential to increase middle school students' personal investment and subsequent engagement in learning. Introduces several strategies that integrate technology with reading and writing across the subject areas. Highlights three strategies: anticipation guide, collaborative learning, and promotion of class participation with a single computer. (SD)

Considers how the development of reading proficiency in children is perhaps the highest-ranking educational objective of legislators, administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. Determines if parental training and involvement in the teaching of selected reading lessons increased their first-grade children's reading levels. Finds that the students involved in the study made significant gains compared to gains of the control group. (SC)

Surveys the status of statewide reading assessment practices in the United States. Finds that the typical state uses an existing national standardized test or its own local standardized version and that only 10 percent of states are on the cutting edge of reading evaluation. Suggests that, at the statewide level, reading assessment has not kept pace with instruction. (SR)

Discusses the use of colored plastic overlays and tinted lens filters to benefit at-risk readers who have the visual perceptual problem known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. (MG)

Shares information about the latest technology which offers expanded insights into the reading process and how the brain operates. (MG)

Suggests that audio and visual technologies and their respective media can make a significant contribution to a literature-based reading curriculum. (MG)

Provides suggestions that teachers can pass on to parents about how computers can be used to provide meaningful early literacy opportunities. Includes seven rules of thumb useful for parents who want information on using computers for educational purposes. (MG)

Highlights three areas of technology that may have an impact on the future of teaching, especially as it relates to reading: nanotechnology, hypertext, and telecommunications. (MG)

Discusses the Xerox/Kurzweil Personal Reader which is an advanced optical scanner that reads a greater range of typeset or typewritten text than its predecessors, and converts it into highly naturalistic speech. (MG)

Discusses the three required components for telecommunications: a modem, software, and a computer. Reviews the advantages of CompuServe. Stresses that because all transmitted information is in text form, telecommunications technology places a large responsibility for future information exchange and communications with the classroom teacher and the reading specialist. (MG)

Robert J. Rickelman has been an active member of ALER since attending his first conference in 1980 with John Readence, his major professor. He has served as President, President-Elect, an elected member of the Board of Directors, Co-Editor of Reading Research and Instruction and Reading News, Chair of the Teacher Education Division, and Co-Chair of the Public Information Committee. He is currently a Professor and Department Chair in the Reading and Elementary Education Department at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and has taught in middle and secondary schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. and M.Ed. from Ohio University and the Ph.D. in Reading Education from the University of Georgia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to explore the effects of professional development on middle school teachers' understanding and application of literacy strategies that support and enhance instruction across the curriculum. This study investigated the extent to which reading and writing strategies, along with sound instructional design, were implemented by middle school teachers in their content areas based on data collected from self-reports and authors' classroom observations. Results suggest that the sampled middle school teachers used a wide variety of instructional strategies and instructional designs throughout their teaching. While certain instructional designs (whole class discussion) and strategies (note-taking and graphic organizers) were used universally throughout the school, others were selected more or less frequently across different content areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the use of technology in education, observes that technology (film, radio, television, and computers) has had little impact on educational reform. Proposes that to control what happens in the future, educators must take a proactive stand to ensure that technology serves the needs of educators and students. (MG)

Discusses how computer technology is being incorporated into the classroom. Notes that because most forms of technology involve reading, the reading teacher's job will be increasingly challenging. (MM)

The article presents a presidential speech that focused on looking at the history of the College Reading Association in order to predict some possible courses for the future of the organization. The College Reading Association was founded in 1958 by 10 or so college teachers from Pennsylvania, who met at Temple University in Philadelphia. They identified themselves as the Committee for a College Reading Association, which they envisioned as an organization for professional educators living in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states who were interested in promoting college reading programs. Currently there are many questions about what works in the literacy classroom. While bureaucrats debate science, teachers and children are left to sort it all out. The fact is that kids did learn using whole language, that kids did learn using direct instruction, and kids did learn using eye movement pacing machines. On the flip side, there are, of course, children who did not learn to read using each of these methods. The author would rather rely on an educated and informed teacher's methods than on a script written by someone who has never seen the community, the school, or the child. A script cannot react to a child who looks puzzled.