For Other Professionals
Today's Reading News
Each weekday, Reading Rockets gathers interesting news headlines about reading and early education. Please note that Reading Rockets does not necessarily endorse these views or any others on these outside websites.
To receive these headlines in a daily or weekly e-mail, sign up for our free Rocket Blasts service. These headlines are also available as an RSS feed (what is RSS?) by clicking on the RSS icon: 
Note: These links may expire after a week or so. Some websites require you to register first before seeing an article.
Winners Named for Gates Teacher Grants
Education Week
November 20, 2009
Three school districts and one charter school consortium will receive millions of dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to implement plans to reshape key aspects of the teaching profession, including evaluation, compensation, and professional development, the Seattle-based nonprofit organization announced yesterday.
Click here to register for free access to two Education Week articles each week.
Los Angeles Times
November 20, 2009
Children's books translated or imported from other parts of the globe can be, well, a bit odd. Even the beloved Roald Dahl, a widely recognized classic in the world of children's literature, can be, for many American readers, an acquired taste. Books from other places do stretch the sensibilities; if you find it important to expose your children to a wider world, consider also looking up some children's books in translation.
Author Urges Aspiring Writers to Read, Read, Read
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
November 20, 2009
Author Sara Pennypacker, a New York Times best-selling author of 11 books for children, speaks with Sarah Troetschel, 17, about her career as a writer. Pennypacker's works include the popular series "Clementine" and her continuation of the timeless "Flat Stanley" series, originally by Jeff Brown.
UK: Dyslexic Girl Wins Poetry Prize
Witney Gazette (UK)
November 20, 2009
A dyslexic youngster has won first prize in a national poetry competition. Brigid Davidson, from Chipping Norton, won first place in the Charley Boorman Poetry Competition, organized by Dyslexia Action as part of Dyslexia Awareness Week. Children aged four to 14 were asked to write about what reading meant to them.
Reading Recovery Program in TX Celebrates 15 Years
FortBendNow (TX)
November 20, 2009
Fort Bend Independent School District's Reading Recovery Program is celebrating 15 years — and Descubriendo la Lectura is celebrating 10 years — of enhancing literary skills among young people. Since its existence in FBISD, the Reading Recovery / Descubriendo la Lectura program has served more than 8,612 first-grade students who have had difficulty in learning to read and write.
Bookstore is a Beachhead in Literacy Battle
Chicago Tribune (IL)
November 19, 2009
A literacy advocacy project wants to share that love of reading through a new nonprofit bookstore in River North that is stocked with donated books that can be bought for as little as $1. The Open Books bookstore will look and operate like any other except that proceeds will fund literacy programs for children and adults in the same building. Their model is already bringing queries from literacy advocates in other cities who hope to raise awareness — and funds — in their communities.
Storywalk Helps Pave Path to School for Youngsters
Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PA)
November 19, 2009
The Storywalk event gets preschoolers involved in reading and excited about school before they walk through the doors on the first day of kindergarten. In each kindergarten classroom and outside, high school students read the preschoolers a story about an everyday hero, and an adult who holds that job was there to answer the children's questions.
Is Percy Jackson's Mythology Too Close to Harry Potter's Magic?
Los Angeles Times (CA)
November 19, 2009
As part of coverage of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief's odyssey to become a Hollywood venture, Rachel Abramowitz has a report on the similarities between two magical youngsters, one named Percy and the other named Harry.
Alternative Test May Inflate Score Gains
Washington Post (DC)
November 19, 2009
Educators say the "portfolio" tests are valuable teaching tools and fairer and more meaningful than multiple-choice tests. With more time and flexibility, students have seen their passing rates soar.
Pennyrile Plus (KY)
November 19, 2009
Ever wondered how you could help your child become a better reader? Here are few simple strategies from a local pre-service teacher that parents can use to build children's literacy skills.
(Opinion) Reading Program Worth the Time
South Coast Today (MA)
November 19, 2009
I support the good work of Reading is Fundamental, the oldest and largest children's literacy organization in the U.S., combining reading motivation and family and community involvement with the excitement of reading. RIF volunteer readers are far from celebrities, but part of our shared success was learning to love to read.
Scientific American
November 18, 2009
In his new book, Reading in the Brain, French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene describes his quest to understand an astounding feat that most of us take for granted: translating marks on a page into language. Here he answers questions such as, "What does this research tell us about how reading should be taught?" and, "What is happening in the brain of a dyslexic?"
HS Library Books Returned 51 Years Late with $1,000 Check
School Library Journal
November 18, 2009
The phrase "the check is in the mail" took on a whole new meaning for Phoenix high school librarian Georgette Bordine, who recently received a surprise package in the mail containing two books belonging to the Camelback High School library — which were 51 years overdue.
Some Danville Students Get Extra Hand with Reading
The News-Gazette (IL)
November 18, 2009
A special group of teachers have stepped into a new role. One of their main jobs — sifting through data from assessments and pinpointing areas of deficiencies by class and individual student — helps teachers focus their instruction to reach students using proven methods.
For Author, Writing Was his Great Escape
Washington Post (DC)
November 18, 2009
Anthony Horowitz was miserable as a child. But he always knew he wanted to write. Now he's the best-selling author of the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency MI6. "I don't like it; I love it," he says of writing the series. "I love thinking of ideas, jokes, and action sequences."
Seniors Enjoy Story Time at Sabater
The Daily Journal (NJ)
November 18, 2009
The fourth- and fifth-graders of the Sabater Elementary School book club enjoy sharing their love of reading. But younger students don't always pay attention so well. So they invited residents of a local nursing home to a book reading. So many seniors wanted to visit the nearby elementary school, staffers said they had to limit the number of participants to the bus capacity.
Sowing the Seeds of Reading: Bookworm Gardens a Place for Learning
Sheboygan Press (WI)
November 17, 2009
A two-acre site on the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan campus mixes paths, shrubs, trees, and environmentally friendly structures with a series of about 10 reading-themed areas based on 74 different children's books. Included are titles such as Goodnight Moon, The Magic School Bus, and the currently popular, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
Q&A with Children's Literature Award Nominees
National Post (Canada)
November 17, 2009
The nominees for the Governor General's Literary Award in Children's Literature, Illustration introduce young readers to an eclectic cast of characters, including a hungry frog and a big fat momma.
School District Finds Success with Reading Skills Program
The Western News (MT)
November 17, 2009
A labor-intensive and high-accountability program, the Montana Reading First grant ended this year but has left behind infrastructure for students to continue benefiting.
Budget Woes Frustrate Foreign Language Goals
Washington Post (DC)
November 17, 2009
The Fairfax County Schools adopted an ambitious goal in 2006 that language instruction should start early and graduates should be able to speak two languages. Lean budget years have tested that resolve. In tough times, parents and board members are debating whether foreign language instruction, particularly in early years, is fundamental or a frill.
Advanced Academics Moves to Kindergarten
Highlands Today (FL)
November 17, 2009
They know the alphabet, can read and write a bit and fit right in with a challenging first year in school — they are the students in the pilot advanced academics kindergarten program.
PBS Can Market its Kids Shows without Selling Out
The Boston Globe (MA)
November 17, 2009
There's a fear that too many T-shirts and bobblehead dolls could foul with the educational purpose of children's programming. That's a noble idea, backed by well-meaning advocacy groups that rail against the avalanche of products aimed at kids. But many parents understand that merchandising is an inexorable part of our culture, far easier to harness than to avoid.
Selling Lessons Online Raises Cash and Questions
The New York Times (NY)
November 16, 2009
Thousands of teachers are cashing in on a commodity they used to give away, selling lesson plans online. While some of this extra money is going to buy books and classroom supplies, the new teacher-entrepreneurs are also spending it on personal expenses, leading some school officials to raise questions over who owns material developed for public school classrooms.
Elementary Students Learn to Twitter
WFMY News 2 (NC)
November 16, 2009
"The 23 Things Project" teaches teachers to use social media in their classrooms, helping students blog, Skype, Flickr and Twitter. "We are using technology to teach reading and math and writing," says Principal Rick Pekar.
Twilight Series Helps 7th-Grader Find Passions for Reading, Supernatural
Knoxville News Sentinel (TN)
November 16, 2009
It wasn't simply that twelve-year-old Sarah Shipley-Powell disliked reading. She wasn't very good at it. Then last year she picked up the paperback book Twilight. By the time the heroine Bella discovers the boy she loves is a vampire, Sarah had discovered something too. She was reading. And enjoying it.
