Kathleen Wallace

Annotated Bibliography: UL 100ZA

Research Question: Are trade books or leveled books more effective in promoting reading
proficiency in elementary aged students?
There are few people that would argue that teaching children to read is one of the most
important aspects of the first years of education. Literacy in its various forms provides us with a
skill necessary in most of the experiences we have throughout the day, regardless of any
demographic. While there is no argument that reading should be taught, there is one on how
reading should be taught. Educators, researchers, and scholars, amongst others, have differing
opinions on the types of texts that are most useful for reading instruction. Two of the most
prominent types of resources available for teaching reading are trade books and leveled books.
Trade books can be thought of as books you could buy at a store- for example, Dr. Seuss, Eric
Carle, the Wimpy Kid books, and Harry Potter. Leveled readers refer to a number of different
types of texts most often used and found exclusively in the classroom. They are rarely available
commercially. Leveled readers are, for the purpose of this research, indicated as textbooks
(excluding non-fiction trade books), basal readers (a single book corresponding to a specific
grade and featuring a collection of short stories designed to teach reading and English concepts)
and leveled readers (a multi-book collection designed to fit a childs individual reading level
the child progresses through subsequent books as they become more proficient.) I use the term
leveled reader because each of the three types usually corresponds to a specific grade or
reading level. The goal of this research is to determine which of these two types is most effective
in promoting reading proficiency in elementary aged children or how the two types can be
adapted and used to provide a balanced approach to reading instruction.

The resources in this annotated bibliography were mostly collected from a general search
on the Emporia State University Library webpage (search query: books in beginning reading
instruction; search results narrowed by filters to fit individual needs, i.e. language, date, peerreviewed, full text, etc.) Two of the listed sources (Neaum, et.al. and Barnatt) were retrieved
from a Google search (search query: trade vs. instructional books, and benefits of childrens
literature). Each of the following citations is intended to follow the MLA 7th edition guidelines
provided by the Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide.

Bibliography
Akrofi, Amma, Jeanne Swafford, and Carole Janisch. Finding a Book for Jamal:
Recommending Text Types for at-Home Reading of Beginning Readers Who Struggle.
Reading Psychology 31.4 (2010): 365410. Print.
The 2010 article Finding a Book for Jamal provides readers with a look into a research study
done to determine the most effective book types for a struggling reader. The article provides
details as to the methods and results of the study of one boy and the types of books that best
benefitted his needs. The article is intended more for those interested in quantitative research,
instead of, perhaps, teachers who might be looking for more insight and conclusions.
One of the most useful parts of the article is the authors scrupulous use of resources to
define essential terms and topics that might be overlooked in other reports. However, one does
need to understand that the research findings in Finding a Book for Jamal shouldnt be taken
as direct guidelines because, as the authors state, These numerous factors make selecting
appropriate texts for at-risk beginning readers especially complex. Mesmer (1999) suggested that

such a task should be guided not only by text characteristics but also by a readers developmental
factors and teacher knowledge.

Alexander, Patricia A., and Emily Fox. Reading. Ed. Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, Kimberly J.
Vannest, and Cecil R. Renyolds. Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the
Education of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional
Individuals 2013: n. pag. Print.
This entry from the Encyclopedia of Special Education is very in-depth about reading,
and it covers a broad range of disciplines and areas. Additionally, since it was authored in 2013,
its information remains fairly accurate. The reference provides a four step guide to the types of
reading; developmental, studying, functional, and recreational. The article also briefly discusses
some major events and trends throughout history in regards to teaching children to read. The
entirety of the entry provides a well balanced look into reading as a part of education, child
development, history, and sociology to inspire researchers to look further into the topics.
The article provides a lot of information in a small amount of space, so further research is
required. While this is the purpose of an encyclopedia, the topic entry seems a bit packedperhaps it would work better split up into sub-entries. With that aside, it gives an intense look
into all of the areas that reading is an important part of.
Barnatt, Joan. The Power of Nonfiction: Using Informational Text to Support Literacy in Special
Populations. Learn NC: UNC School of Education, 2010. Web. 20 June, 2015.
The Power of Non-Fiction is the title of a web article posted in 2010 on the University
of North Carolinas Learn NC website. Designed to appeal to current and future teachers in
diverse classrooms, the article provides information on topics such as trends in at-risk students

reading abilities and why the use of informational texts is beneficial to these students.The author
uses a variety of evidence including case studies, examples of prominent titles, videos, and
slideshows to argue that informational texts promote increased engagement, comprehension
(reading to learn), and problem solving skills.
The article uses quite a bit of technical jargon, but most terms are briefly explained to
allow for easier reading and understanding. However, the most useful aspect of the article is the
inclusion of a video at the end of each section that uses classroom footage and teacher
interviews to illustrate the previous section in a real-world context or to provide more in-depth
information. The article is useful in this particular research because it provides an informed and
relevant picture of why a usually un-thought of form of book is useful in the elementary
classroom.

Barone, Diane, M. Engaging Teachers and Their Use of Childrens Literature. Childrens
Literature in the Classroom: Engaging Lifelong Readers. New York: The Guilford Press,
2011. 122. Print.
Diane M. Barones book, Childrens Literature in the Classroom is an interesting and
informative look into what teachers can do to ensure proper reading development through the use
of trade books in the classroom. Barone, a celebrated expert on developing literacy, has written
the book in a way that will inspire teachers and librarians to not only adapt their curriculum, but
to adapt their teaching styles to make sure that their students get the most out of using trade
books. The chapters in the book range in content from exploring parts of text and illustrations to
studying how children respond to childrens literature.

Barone uses her own classroom experiences as well as expert research sources to
introduce her concepts. The chapter I would find most useful for this research expands upon the
importance of creating engaged readers as well as proficient readers. Additionally, the chapter on
exploring qualities of text could provide some valuable insight into how to teach children
about the format and characteristics of a book, which is also an essential part of learning to read.

Braker-Walters, Barbara A. Informational Text and the Common Core: A Content Analysis of
Three Basal Reader Programs. SAGEOpen 4.4 (November 2014). N. pag. Web. 20 June,
2015.
The research done by Barbara A Braker-Walters in the article Informational Text and the
Common Core, published in late 2014, provides the reader with the results of a research study
done to determine the amount of informational text available to students in three popular basal
reading programs. During the study, researchers used a hand-coding program to categorize each
of the parts of three different fourth-grade basal readers. The findings were then compared to
national Common Core standards for informational text exposure for that particular grade level.
The researchers concluded that each of the texts provided students with less than the
recommended exposure.
Since this is the findings of a research study, the author is essentially providing their own
source of information in the form of their results. Unfortunately, for the casual researcher, the
data analysis and documentation of findings can be overwhelming and misinterpreted. The article
most effectively meets needs during the conclusion, where the researcher discusses how
educators and publishers can either supplement or adjust their reading instruction to include

more information text. For the specifics of my paper, the research is a valuable source of
evidence as to the shortcomings that basal readers might have.

Jordan, Nancy L. Basal Readers and Reading as Socialization: What Are Children Learning?.
Language Arts 82.3 (2005). 204-213. Ebsco Host. Web. 20 June, 2015.
Nancy L. Jordans article Basal Readers and Reading as Socialization is an interesting
and informative article published in the Language Arts journal in 2005. While the article is a bit
dated, the uniqueness of Jordans research means that there is probably only a small body of
more current research that might not be as available or useful. The article discusses how the
organizational style of basal readers harbors an underlying socializing agenda to teach children
the command and obey style of ritualized learning.
Jordan provides the reader with background information on the different basal readers
used and the reasoning for their usage in the curriculum. Additionally, there are a few resources
provided that help educators choose more diverse and less negatively socializing texts for their
classrooms. However, it is important to note that the authors article takes a very biased and
opinion based stance on the topic. While my personal beliefs align more with Jordans than not,
it is understood that her research and findings are not necessarily based on quantitative data.
What makes the article useful in many ways is its uniqueness and insight into an area of research
that might get overlooked in favor of more measurable data on the usefulness of basal readers.

McMichael, Larisa. "Teach the Gift of Reading." Newnan-Coweta Magazine (GA) 1 Nov. 2014,
News: 86. NewsBank. Web. 22 Jun. 2015.
Teach the Gift of Reading is a short, editorial magazine article published in the
Newnan-Coweta Magazine, a popular magazine. The author, Larisa McMichael, has been a
school librarian and media teacher for the past 12 years. Published in late 2014, the author uses
both recently published and well-known books to provide examples for her statements.
Throughout the article, McMichael attempts to illustrate what it takes for a book to truly
influence a child. She suggests that simplicity, time, popularity, relevancy, and humor are
common themes in all childrens books that are both successful and beneficial to the reader. She
also provides parents with a few suggestions for inspiring children to love reading.
McMichaels article is opinion based, and therefore, lacks a concrete body of evidence to
support her beliefs. However, McMichael provides the reader with a few examples of titles that
fit the criteria she is promoting. The simplistic organization and colloquial language style help
her to build a connection with the readers, especially casually browsing parents. In terms of the
research usefulness of the article, it is helpful as a generic article that restates and backs my
personal opinion towards the topic. However, it provides little in terms of an unbiased or
academically researched source.

Neaum, Sally, David Waugh, and Rosemary Waugh. Childrens Literature in Primary Schools:
Transforming Primary QTS Series. London: Learning Matters, 2013. E-book preview.
Childrens Literature in Primary Schools is a book written by Sally Neaum, David
Waugh, and Rosemary Waugh, who represent some of the most prominent figures in the
education and awareness of primary school reading curriculum in England. Published in 2013 by

Learning Matters, a division of Sage publications, the book provides current and reliable
information on the importance of childrens literature in the primary (elementary) classroom and
ideas on how such literature should be best used. The intention of the book is to inform current
and future teachers as to the benefits of effectively using trade books in the primary classroom
and provide resources and ideas for activities, units of studies, and recommended texts. The
books twelve chapters intend to provide information on the effective use and benefits of
childrens literature in the classroom as well as guides for using different genres of literature
(non-fiction, fiction, science fiction, poetry, etc.).
The authors have used a combination of their own education and experiences, curriculum
guides, published research studies, and case studies to provide evidence for their ideas. The book
is arranged to promote ease and understanding by classroom teachers, who may lack knowledge
on the topic or its importance. Possibly the most useful aspect is the authors frequent use of lists
to prevent their main ideas and separate boxes to illustrate case studies and research findings.
These make the information easy to categorize and understand. The information in this book
addresses my topic, but it doesnt definitively answer my research question. Its focus is on ways
that trade books can be used effectively in the classroom and how they can be of benefit to the
children who read them. Therefore, it can provide me information on one part of my topic (the
effectiveness of trade books), but it lacks information on instructional books.
Pottle, Jean L. Using Trade Books to Make Connections Across the Curriculum.
ClearingHouse 70.1 (1996): 52. Web.
In Using Trade Books to Make Connections Across the Curriculum, English professor
Jean L. Pottle provides readers with practical information for how to best use trade books in the

classroom. Designed to help teachers, the article makes use of organized lists to present topics
that should be considered before using books in a learning environment. Lastly, Pottle provides
the reader with a list of books to consider for use in a classroom.
Pottles article is both clear and useful- a rare trait in academic articles. However, Pottles
article doesnt make much use of outside resources aside from the books she recommends.
Personally, having a useful list at my disposal is more valuable than trying to sift through a
wordy and pretentious research publication to find significant information. The article does
provide a unique perspective of being cautious and purposeful when using trade books in a
classroom.
Schippert, Peg. Read Alouds and Vocabulary: A New Way of Teaching. Illinois Reading
Council Journal 33.3 (2005): n. pag. Print.
Peg Schipperts 2005 article Read Alouds and Vocabulary is an interesting first-hand
account of one teachers journey to improve the vocabulary of her students through read
alouds, or trade books. While Schipperts credentials consist mostly of classroom experience,
this article shows that real-world experiences can make for valuable research. Teachers will find
Schipperts article to be a welcome try it before you buy it look into how trade books can be
effectively incorporated into a classroom.
For research purposes, Schippert does an excellent job of providing enough outside
sources and relevant background information to make the article both easy to understand and a
useful tool. The article details her curriculum journey, including how she tracked her students
progress and examples of her childrens work. However, the article does only follow the class for
a very short period of time- obviously not enough to make any firm conclusions as to the results
of her curriculum changes.