Mary DeKonty Applegate

A Study of Thoughtful Literacy and the Motivation to Read.

This study examined the motivation to read of children in grades two through six. All children in the study were strong in their literal comprehension of narrative text. Some were equally strong in their ability to respond thoughtfully to the text (Blue Group); others struggled to respond to questions requiring them to think about the implications of text (Red Group). The Blue Group was significantly more motivated to read than the Red Group, particularly in the value that they ascribed to reading. Significant differences in favor of Red Group females in the value of reading were not present in the Blue Group. The authors called for teachers to investigate the potential benefits of teaching children to approach reading as thoughtful literacy and to determine if that approach could slow the typical loss of reading motivation in the elementary school years.

The Peter Effect Revisited: Reading Habits and Attitudes of College Students.

Certainly a primary goal of literacy education is the creation of avid, enthusiastic, and highly motivated readers. However, in this article revisiting the Peter Effect (Applegate & Applegate, 2004), researchers surveyed more than 1,000 college sophomores and found strikingly low levels of enthusiasm for reading. Only 46.6% of surveyed students could be classified as Enthusiastic readers, and only 5.7% could be classified as Engaged and Avid readers. Thus, it appears that the Peter Effect still persists. The authors investigated the reading attitudes of college students, particularly those aspiring to be teachers, and found that 48.9% of teachers will be called on to inspire their students with a love of reading that they do not have. Finally, implications reveal that teacher educators must address the importance of enthusiasm for reading if teachers are to transcend their literacy dispositions to create positive impacts on their future students.

Principles for the Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Instruction in the Teaching of Reading and Language Arts.

In this article, the authors take the position that general evaluations of Computer‐Assisted Instruction (CAI) programs often do not address philosophical or pedagogical issues which may be crucial to the successful use of CAI. Drawing on a variety of theoretical and practical sources, the authors develop four basic principles of teaching in the reading/language arts and discuss how these apply to the selection and effective use of CAI in the classroom. Rather than consider CAI as simply another tool for the development of rather isolated reading skills, the authors encourage the application of holistic teaching principles which may enable classroom teachers to use CAI as an integral part of a broad‐based instructional program in reading/language arts.

New Teachers as Literacy Leaders

New teachers, even in their first years, can be important literacy leaders in their classrooms and schools. The authors offer their thoughts and ideas to inspire new teachers to step up and strive to lead.

Will the Real Reader Please Stand up

On the surface, Kevin Johnson (a pseudonym) appears to be an ideal third-grade student in a school populated with many at-risk learners. Kevin’s oral reading is graceful and fluent, and he can almost always reproduce the particulars included in the text he reads. His love of sports and computer games has been painstakingly channeled by his parents into a sense of responsibility to keep his grades up and complete his work on time. Kevin seldom complains about school and looks forward to seeing his friends every day. Seeing his teacher every day is another matter altogether. The problem is that Kevin’s third-grade teacher

Upper Elementary Students’ Motivation to Read Fiction and Nonfiction

This research explores upper elementary students’ motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Using expectancy-value theory, the researchers developed separate surveys to measure motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Researchers administered surveys to 1,104 upper elementary students (grades 3–6) in multiple locations across the United States and found the instruments to be psychometrically sound. Results corroborate previous research demonstrating students’ declining motivation to read across grade levels; in particular, students’ value for reading was declining. This research also corroborates previous research findings that girls are more motivated than boys to read fiction. Researchers found insignificant gender differences between girls’ and boys’ motivations to read nonfiction, indicating a need to further investigate students’ motivation to read nonfiction. Implications for classroom application of survey results and the need to enhance students’ value for reading are discussed.

A Case Study of a Student's Journey Toward Thoughtful Response to Text

In this article, we describe our research involving the administration of the Critical Reading Inventory–2 (CRI–2), an informal reading inventory that places special emphasis on thoughtful response to text and higher level thinking. We administered the CRI–2 to a group of students to obtain diagnostic data for guiding instruction. The data for this case study indicated that 1 student was strong in text-based comprehension but was clearly struggling with higher level comprehension. Intervention strategies incorporated guided instruction emphasizing themes and character traits. The student also participated in collaborative follow-up activities that included modifications of Question the Author and Discussion Webs. Both of these activities required the use of story information to support the positions that students took in response to the higher level questions. After the completion of the instruction, students completed posttests using the CRI–2. We share the results and discuss the implications for teachers.

Overcoming Obstacles to Deep Comprehension of Text: A Continuum of Narrative Comprehension

Purpose – The Continuum of Narrative Comprehension has been designed as a framework for thinking about text and for application to the construction of specific comprehension strategies.Design/methodology/approach – This chapter identifies several factors that undermine the teaching of deep comprehension and demonstrates the benefits of identifying underlying themes as a springboard for effective teacher questioning.Findings – This chapter addresses the higher order demands of the Common Core State Standards and the comprehension requirements of international comparison assessments such as PISA and PIRLS.Research limitations/implications – Advancement in reading demands that readers see past the mere details of text and unearth the significance of the author’s ideas in relation to the human condition.Practical implications – The primary resource discussed in the chapter is the Continuum of Narrative Comprehension which serves as a conceptual framework for clinical instructors to analyze text content and ideational complexity.Originality/value of chapter – The Continuum is a tool which can be used as a spur to student discussion but its ultimate value is the promotion of a lifelong view of reading as thoughtful literacy.

Learning Disabilities or Teaching Disabilities? Rethinking Literacy Failure

Mrs. Baxter (pseudonym), an experienced first-grade teacher at a local urban school, is having a very bad day. Several of her students have been struggling mightily with the acquisition of reading skills, and others have descended into sheer boredom. Mrs. Baxter is having a difficult time not blaming herself for the failure of her students. After all, as her curriculum coordinator has repeatedly emphasized, the school’s core reading program is a research-based and well-proven program of instruction. The program is rooted in the development of a set of preliminary subskills thought to underlie the act of reading. Although these skills are developed in isolation from real text, the program provides teachers with a thorough script to follow. The coordinator has made some veiled suggestions that it may be the fidelity with which Mrs. Baxter is implementing the program that is the source of the students’ problems. Her idea of doing several unannounced walk-throughs in the coming weeks to determine if the scripted program is being properly delivered has done little to assuage Mrs. Baxter’s