to the classroom is the electronic reader, specifically Amazon's Kindle. Currently, the Kindle is being explored at several universities as a way to eliminate/reduce the need for hardbound textbooks. Our project though, focuses on how the Kindle can transform students' experiences with novel reading, whether as part of structured lessons or for leisure reading. The Kindle's built-in dictionary, annotation & bookmarking functions, and text-to-speech option allow our students to use advanced reading strategies that are currently taught in all LA classrooms. We anticipate that the electronic nature of the Kindle will not only grab students' interest and curiosity, but will also serve a range of abilities from our reluctant or struggling readers to our most talented readers. We recognize that technology is moving forward and we choose to harness the power and potential of this technology to better serve our students. Strong literacy skills will ensure our students' success in all of their endeavors.

The group of teachers piloting this grant represents Language Arts teachers at every grade level in middle school as well as teachers who serve student populations with specialized needs. Our large and diverse teacher group ensures broad implementation of this project which will result in greater teacher investment as well as a robust data source when reviewing the impact of this initiative. Further, by involving upwards of 300 students from a cross-section of abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, grade-levels, and cultural backgrounds, we will be able to determine the Kindle’s impact on various types of learners.