Resources for Educators

Want to learn more about causes and interventions for students with comprehension difficulties? The Comprehension Difficulties chapter in this book reviews research on prevalence and causes of comprehension difficulties as well as strategies for addressing them. Other chapters in the book also address this topic.
Stone, C.A., Silliman, E.R., Ehren, B.J., & Apel, K. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of language and literacy development and disorders. New York: Guilford.
You can view a videotape of a one-hour talk on this subject at the International Reading Association website: View video (14 MB) Audio only (6.7 MB) View PowerPoint slides (190 KB)
You can read a 5-page summary document titled "Comprehension Strategies Instruction" provided by Michael Pressley.

Two books on the topic of comprehension difficulties are:
- Intended primarily for researchers:
  - Oakhill, J., & Cornoldi, C. (1996). Reading comprehension difficulties: Processes and Interventions. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates'
- Intended primarily for practitioners:
  - Carlisle, J., & Rice, M. (2002). Improving reading comprehension: Research-based principles and practices. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed, Inc.

For a 30-hour online professional development module on comprehension, including comprehension difficulties, visit the ASSIST (Advocating Strong Standards-based Induction Support for Teachers) project website

Strategies that Improve Adolescent Performance with Content-Area Texts, by Mark Conley, Joseph Friedhoff and Steven Tuckey, posted April-May 2008

Writing Instruction in Middle Schools, by Gary A. Troia and colleague Brandon Monroe, posted March-April, 2007

Teaching Writing Strategies to Middle School Students with Disabilities, by Gary A. Troia and colleague Brandon Monroe, posted March-April, 2007

The Effects of Technology-enabled Scaffolding on Young Writers' Composition, by Carol Sue Englert, Yong Zhao, and doctoral student Margaret Manalo, posted September, 2006

Effective Beginning Reading Instruction, by Michael Pressley, posted March, 2006

A Path to Follow: Learning to Listen to Parents by Patricia Edwards and Heather Pleasants, posted November, 2004

Motivating Primary-Grade Students by Michael Pressley, Sara Dolezal, Lisa Raphael, Lindsey Mohan, Alysia Roehrig, and Kristen Bogner, posted September, 2004

A Case Study of the Apprenticeship Process by Carol Sue Englert, Ruth Berry, and KaiLonne Dusmore, posted May 24, 2003

Teaching for Historical Understanding in Inclusive Classrooms by Cynthia Okolo, Ralph Ferretti, and Charles Mac, posted December 10, 2002

Preparing Future Citizens by Cynthia Okolo and Ralph Ferretti, posted December 10, 2002

In Their Words, For Their Worlds by Ernest Morrell, posted November 18, 2002

New Perspective About Literacy from Urban Elementary School Principals by Patricia Edwards, Jennifer Danridge, and Heather Pleasants, posted March 28, 2002

Thinking for Ourselves: Literacy Learning in a Diverse Teacher Inquiry Network by Taffy Raphael, Susan Florio-Ruane, Marcella Kehus, MariAnne George, Nina Hasty, and Kathy Highfield, posted January 7, 2002

New Teachers Learn the Language of Possibility by Cheryl Rosaen and Pamela Schram, posted April, 1999

Language Arts Standards in Action by Nell Duke and Bonnie Stewart, posted March, 1999

Women's words and voices in literature by Laura Apol, posted on October, 1998.

Using Parent Stories to Learn about Home Literacy Environments by Patricia Edwards and Heather M. Pleasants, posted September, 1998

Beyond Parents: Family, Community & School Involvement by Patricia Edwards and Lauren S. Jones Young, posted February, 1998