For Immediate Release
Contact: Traci Barnett
Tel: (714) 990-4332
Email: tbarnett@ballard-tighe.com

Ballard & Tighe Publishes New Explore the Ages Nonfiction Series
to Strengthen Student Reading Skills and Increase Content Knowledge

BREA, CA – October 27, 2003 – Ballard & Tighe, publisher of assessment and instructional materials for English language learners (ELLs), has announced the availability of its new Explore the Ages nonfiction reading series. Geared toward both ELLs and sheltered social studies students, these engaging new reading books make social studies content comprehensible for all students.

Ballard & Tighe recognizes that providing students with comprehensible materials will allow all students — including ELLs, students reading below grade level, and special needs students!— equal access to the core curriculum. This goal has become increasingly relevant in recent years as educators across the country work to meet the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB mandates that all students, including ELLs, have access to the mainstream academic curriculum and are able to meet state content standards.

“Teachers rely on nonfiction reading books to help build students’ reading skills and to make academic content more accessible,” said Dorothy Roberts, Ballard & Tighe’s president. “We know that learning is most effective when students are active participants in the learning process. Using illustrated reading books that address content in a fun and exciting way helps to capture the students’ interest,” Ms. Roberts added.

These books focus on fascinating men and women who made a difference in history. The titles in the new Explore the Ages series are: Leaders Who Changed the World; Renaissance Artists Who Inspired the World; Women Who Ruled; and Writers Who Inspired the World. Designed to be visually appealing, the books feature large, colorful illustrations, photographs, charts, and maps to help students develop a deeper understanding of the text. These illustrated nonfiction reading books make history accessible to readers at all levels, and can be used as part of any social studies or reading curriculum. “As adults, we are responsible for reading and understanding nonfiction material. That’s why it’s critical that students have access to nonfiction reading books in addition to standard textbooks and literature selections,” explained Dr. Roberta Stathis, coauthor of the books.

Ballard & Tighe also publishes four complete social studies programs: Explore America, Explore World History, Explore the Ancient World, and Explore the United States. The Explore Geography Picture Dictionary, part of each Explore classroom set, can be used independently as an additional student resource with any social studies program. Access to these instructional materials develops students’ academic skills (including vocabulary development, note taking, outlining, and test taking) and strengthens and refines literacy skills. Assessment is incorporated through each Explore lesson to provide the most accurate picture of where students are in the learning process.

Priced at $19.95 each or $65 for the entire series of four books with quantity discounts available, the Explore the Ages series is the newest offering in Ballard & Tighe’s unique and comprehensive line of instructional materials. Each title in the Explore the Ages series features a helpful time line, glossary, fast facts, and “Find Out More!” resource section. In addition, there are quick quizzes, “Look to the Source” sections, and games and activities — all designed to make history come alive for students.

In keeping with Ballard & Tighe’s superior customer service record, the company is offering online resources for teachers and students as a complement to this exceptional series. By visiting www.ballard-tighe.com/readingbookactivities/, educators can access downloadable student activity sheets and online teacher guides free of charge.

“ESL educators throughout the United States tell us that by reading nonfiction books, students gain a richer understanding of the social studies content they are learning, while also developing proficiency in academic language,” commented Ms. Roberts. “Ballard & Tighe’s social studies programs help students become more proficient, confident, and successful as they transition to higher language proficiency levels.”

About Ballard & Tighe
Dedicated to making a difference in education, Ballard & Tighe publishes highly regarded materials that extend from assessing, identifying, and instructing students with limited English proficiency to transitioning these students into mainstream classrooms. The company, headquartered in Brea, CA, was founded in 1976 by Wanda Ballard and Phyllis Tighe, pioneers in the field of ESL (English as a Second Language). Currently, Ballard & Tighe provides testing, instructional, and educator training products and services to more than 2,200 state, regional, and local school systems throughout the United States and internationally. Ballard & Tighe’s staff of seasoned educators and technical product developers is exclusively focused on delivering language assessment, English language development, and social studies materials, as well as online professional training that will help ensure academic success for today’s increasingly diverse student population. For information, call 800-321-4332 or visit the Ballard & Tighe web site at www.ballard-tighe.com.