What can teachers do to help poor children become better readers?
Students scored better on reading tests when their teachers felt able to use a variety of assessment tools and to teach diverse groups (U.S. Department of Education, LESCP, 1998). Fourth-graders made better progress in reading when teachers gave them more total exposure to reading and opportunities to talk in small groups about what they read (U.S. Department of Education, LESCP, 1998). The poorest readers in fourth grade gained in both vocabulary and comprehension skills when teachers gave them reading material of one paragraph or more; reading materials in core subject areas; and opportunities to work on computers, workbooks, and skill sheets. More able readers seemed to benefit from reading aloud (U.S. Department of Education, LESCP, 1998).
