This book reviews international research that is particularly relevant to the teaching of English, language and literacy. It locates recent cutting-edge research within theoretical context, drawing on historical perspectives.

Part 1: Reading Social and Cultural Influences on Children’s Motivation for Reading. Literature for Children. Approaches to Teaching Literature. Reading and Teaching Short Stories, Based on Process Studies and Experimental Research. Comprehension Instruction: Merging Two Historically Antithetical Perspectives. The Genre-Specific Nature of Reading Comprehension. Morphological Knowledge and Learning to Read in English. Phonological Development Across Different Languages. Interaction and Learning to Read: Towards a Dialogic Approach. Part 2: Writing Facilitating Writing Development. Writing in the Early Years. The Ontogenesis of Writing in Childhood and Adolescence. Composition Across Levels of Schooling: Cognitive, Textual and Social Dimensions. Rhythm And Blues: Making Textual Music with Grammar and Punctuation. Linguistic Foundations of Spelling Development. Handwriting and Writing. Part 3: Language Orality, Literacy, and Culture: Talk, Text, and Tools in Ideological Contexts. Understanding Language Development. Bilingualism and English Language Teaching. Drama–Teaching, Learning, Language and Literacy. Classroom Discourse: Towards a Dialogic Pedagogy Part 4: Teaching English, Language and Literacy Critical Approaches to Teaching Language, Reading and Writing. Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparation: Learning in Field Experiences for Prospective Literacy Educators. The Text Environment and Learning to Read: Windows and Mirrors. Shaping Literate Lives. The Relationship Between Home And School. Literacy Practices. Gender and the Teaching of English. An Outward, Inward, and School-ward Overview of Interactive Communication. Technologies Across the Literacy Landscape. Multimodality, Literacy and School English. A Very Long Engagement: English and The Moving Image. Reading, Writing and Speaking Poetry . Teaching Shakespeare. Difficulties in Learning Literacy. Classroom Assessment. Initial Teacher Preparation for Reading Instruction. Part 5: English, Language and Literacy Teaching: Countries as Contexts International Comparisons of Literacy: What have they revealed? Globalisation and the International Context for Literacy Policy Reform. A Tale of the Two Special Administrative Regions (SARS) of China - An Overview of English Language Teaching Developments in Hong Kong and Macao. Bilingual Educational Programmes in Indian Schools: Addressing the English Language Needs of the Country. English in Scandinavia - A Success Story? Sub-saharan Africa Recent Federal Education Policy in the United States. English Teaching in Australia and New Zealand. English in England and Wales: Knowledge and Ownership. Part 6: Conclusion Recommendations for Practice, Policy and Research.