Davies, K., (2000). Kirkryods Infant School, Kirklees: Young boys' underachievement in literacy. http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk Davies, head of the Kirkryods infant school in Yorkshire England, along with the teachers discovered that a vast amount of Year 1 boys were underachieving in literacy. She states that one possible reason is a lack of teacher time. It seems that much of the teachers' time was devoted to a few students who were having difficulty with reading and writing. She feels that the "literacy hour" should fit the students, rather than having the students fit into it. The school followed a three step program which they called (1.) Reception Year, (2.) Year One, and (3.) Year Two. Obviously, this is to help children comprehend the stories they read, but it will also keep the teacher from becoming tired and frustrated. At the end of this project, Davies discovered that "boys outperformed girls in the Level 2 and were above score for writing in the last two years."

Dybdahl, C., (2001). Teaching Reading Through Poetry. LitSite Alaska;
http://litsite.alaska.edu/uaa/workbooks/readingpoetry.html
This concise article provides teachers with some alternate ways to respond to poetry. Dybdahl's main point is that not many students have an urge to read poetry, and a love of poetry is something that must be developed. She believes that the main thing that will aid this process is reading the poetry aloud, and it should simply be enjoyed. Many students feel they do not get the "right" meaning, and she does not want students to worry about this. Rather, she tells children to think "about YOUR response," meaning there is no right answer, for children have diverse backgrounds.

Enciso, P., (1994). Cultural Identity and Response to Literature: Running Lessons From Maniac Magee. Language Arts, 71, 524-33.
This analysis of Maniac Magee by Enciso and a split four/five class has turned out some very intriguing information. Enciso wanted to use previous knowledge of what students already know, in regards to culture, to use the text to "call attention to our cultural identities." Personal experience, prior knowledge, and mass media have shaped the views of this class which is predominantly white. Enciso also notes that student responses to multi cultural texts can also be influenced by the "teacher's cultural biases." It is therefore important for the instructor to remain neutral and analyze only what is in the book. One child assumed that the African American boy only had a chocolate bar because he stole it. Enciso tries to extract as much information from the children as possible. I believe that she has accomplished her goal of making the children aware that it is only skin color that makes everyone different, and trying to break down the barrier of cultural differences.