Read‐alouds are a common component of literacy instruction. However, research on the method for providing read‐alouds is limited. To determine if there was a common set of implementation practices, the authors examined the read‐aloud practices of 25 teachers who were nominated by their administrators as experts. From these data, the authors identified several factors common to read‐alouds. The authors then observed 100 additional teachers to determine how common each of these factors were in read‐alouds.

Shared reading with think‐alouds provides adolescent students with the modeling they need to become successful readers and writers. This article provides a sample of this type of interactive comprehension instruction in a science classroom. The authors then focus on the dimensions of effective shared readings with think‐alouds that can be used across content areas to develop students' comprehension of texts.

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A study of 25 expert teachers and their shared reading lessons in grades 3–8 suggests that teachers focus their modeling during shared reading in four categories: comprehension, vocabulary, text structures, and text features.

Survey methods were employed to learn more about teachers’ attitudes toward graphic novels and how graphic novels are used in their classrooms. Questions explored participants’ attitudes and actual classroom use. The survey research sought to determine if teachers are open to using graphic novels and the extent of their willingness to do so. Though teachers report willingness to use graphic novels and other graphica, they are limited in their attempts to do so by lack of instructional models, lack of graphic novels in the classroom, and their own level of comfort with the genre.

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It is common for teachers in all districts across the United States to give homework to their students. Given the rising numbers of children from nondominant backgrounds1 in American schools, a question that merits consideration is how children from nondominant backgrounds—particularly in large urban centers—are impacted by teachers' homework practices. In this study we explored why teachers in one large U.S. urban center assign homework, the kinds of homework teachers assign, and teachers' beliefs about the impact of this homework on their students' success at school. We collected surveys from 133 elementary school teachers (grades K through middle school) and interviewed a subgroup of 27 teachers from the larger group. Results revealed that although most teachers engaged in homework practices that were similar to those identified in current research (e.g., giving students skills based practice in math and spelling, in particular), most of the teachers in our study did make provisions for the fact that many of their children came from homes where English was not spoken at home and parents may not have the additional financial resources necessary to purchase materials for children to complete their homework.

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