Here are things an excellent school reading program does:

* Sets aside time for reading every day.

* Involves the whole school in reading, including teachers, administrators and custodians.

* Makes effective use of the school library.

* Has novels and magazines in every classroom to augment library.

* At the primary level, uses a number of teaching approaches: phonics, whole word or look-say, whole language.

* Uses reading and writing as part of every subject from math to geography.

* Has resource teachers to help students who are having trouble reading.

* Uses parent volunteers, teachers' aides and older students as reading buddies to help junior readers.

* Encourages kids to respond to their reading through drama, art or writing, not simply to answer set questions or fill out workbook sheets.

- From "Raising a Reader," by Paul Kropp

Pub Date: 10/11/98