ABSTRACT
It should come as a relief to the fi eld of reading research that a handbook of this caliber would have a chapter specifi cally focused on the professional development of teachers. For example, no longer is the fi eld of reading research and policy interested in whether or not children can be taught to be more strategic in their thinking (Paris, Waskik, & Turner, 1991; Pressley, Borkowski, & Schneider, 1987; Pressley, 2000). Research has demonstrated that children can learn to do just that; it just takes time (Dole, Brown, & Trathen, 1996; Duffy, 2002; Pearson & Fielding, 1991; Pressley, Johnson, Symons, McGoldrick, & Kurita, 1990). Nor is this chapter focused on whether teachers are teaching comprehension or not. In fact, studies of the most accomplished teachers show them to be engaged in ongoing comprehension instruction (Knapp, 1995; Langer, 2000; Lipson, Mosenthal, Mekkelsen, & Russ, 2004; Metsala et al., 1997; Morrow, Tracey, Woo, & Pressley, 1999; Pressley, Rankin, & Yokoi, 1996; Taylor, Pearson, Clark, & Walpole, 2000). The fact is, teachers can improve their instructional comprehension practices and teach their children to be more strategic in their reading (Duffy, 1993a).
