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The field of literacy education has long been concerned with the question of how to help classroom teachers improve their practices so that students will improve as readers. Although there is consensus on what characterizes effective professional development, the reading research on which this consensus is based most often is small scale and involves direct support provided by university faculty. The South Carolina Reading Initiative is an exception: It is a statewide, site-based, large-scale staff development effort led by site-selected literacy coaches. Although university faculty provide long-term staff development to the coaches, the faculty are not directly involved with the professional development provided to teachers. In this study we sought to understand whether site-based, site-chosen literacy coaches could help teachers' beliefs and practices become more consistent with what the field considers to be best practices. To understand teacher change, we used two surveys (Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile, n = 817; South Carolina Reading Profile, n = 1,005) and case study research (n = 39) to document teachers' beliefs and practices. We also had access to a state department survey (n = 1,428). Across these data, we found that teachers' beliefs and practices became increasingly consistent with best practices as defined by standards set by the South Carolina State Department of Education, standards that were consistent with national standards. This suggests that large-scale staff development can affect teachers when the providers are site-based, site-selected literacy coaches. (Contains 14 tables and 1 figure.)

Teaching for theme is one aspect of reading comprehension that is often elusive for both teachers and students. Specifically, teachers are challenged with elevating students' thinking from the plot level to a more abstract level when teaching for theme understanding. Students are challenged with transitioning between the story world and the real world to construct viable theme statements. The authors share some initial classroom lessons that can be taught as a starting point to guide students in their interpretation and construction of themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching is a profession that requires ongoing professional development and learning. This ongoing learning can take place in professional learning communities, structured professional development settings, and literacy coaching contexts. This department highlights the ongoing professional development of literacy teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching is a profession that requires ongoing professional development and learning. This ongoing learning can take place in professional learning communities, structured professional development settings, and literacy coaching contexts. This department highlights the ongoing professional development of literacy teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on an inquiry-based learning approach within a unit of study format so students develop as writers and teachers meet the challenge of teaching reading and writing within a single period. The authors' writing-workshop structure allowed students to select a writing topic for a memoir, study of anchor texts, write regularly and discuss their work. Mini-lessons are tailored to the students' writing-genre requirements. The goal is to create a habit of mind about writing.

This study examines 42 early childhood preservice teachers' experiences in a writing methods course. Findings indicated that preservice teachers began the class with a strong sense of themselves as writers along the good-bad writing dichotomy. Throughout their experiences in a writing methods course the preservice teachers identified four instructional strategies and experiences as helpful in developing a more positive sense of self as writer and as future writing teacher. These included reading like a writer, having similar writing experiences in class as their future students, writing regularly and having choice in topic, and designing writing mini-lessons. This study adds to the research on preservice teachers' attitudes and perceptions about writing but also extends our understanding in what specific knowledge preservice teachers name as valuable from their course experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the teacher nonfiction book clubs. Forming a nonfiction book club for teachers allows them to explore and expand the use of nonfiction in their classrooms together. Book clubs offer a way for teachers to explore their own literacy and what they do as readers, discuss literature, share concerns, enhance classroom practices and demonstrate lifelong readers. The book club formation helped address the gap of increasing the facility with nonfiction texts for the students since there are readily available books.