Publications

Free PDFs of my books, articles and chapters, 1994 to 2022.

Books and reports

• McQuillan, J. (1998). The literacy crisis: False claims, real solutions. Heinemann. PDF
• Krashen, S. D., Tse, L., & McQuillan, J. (Eds.). (1998). Heritage language development. Language Education Associates. PDF
• McQuillan, J. L. (1997). Access to print and formal instruction in reading acquisition (Publication No. 9733102). UMI. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2006). iPod in education: The potential for language acquisition. Apple Computer, Inc. PDF

Articles and chapters

• Krashen, S., & McQuillan, J. (2022). The case for acquired phonics. Language Magazine, 22(2), 19–22. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2022). Are reading rates declining among U.S. schoolchildren? Language Issues, 6–10. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2022). The case against decodable texts. Language and Language Teaching, 11(1), 45–50. PDF
• Lao, C., Lee, S.-Y., McQuillan, J., & Krashen, S. (2021). Predicting reading ability among ten-year olds. Language Magazine, 20(10), 20–21. PDF
• Krashen, S., Lee, S., & McQuillan, J. (2021). Is the library important? Multivariate studies at the national and international level. International Association of School Librarianship Annual Conference Proceedings. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2020). Is explicit vocabulary instruction superior to "just listening"? Language Issues, 1(2), 1–13. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2020). Harry Potter and the prisoners of vocabulary instruction: Acquiring academic language at Hogwarts. Reading in a Foreign Language, 32(2), 122–142. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/67377 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2020). The Starbucks® School of Language Acquisition: A cheap, caffeinated plan to prepare for academic study. English Language Teaching and Research Journal (ELTAR-J), 2(2), 44–45. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2020). Do good readers acquire words more efficiently than poor readers?: A comment on Joseph and Nation (2018). Journal of English Language Teaching, 62(3), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.66121/wdsk3f08 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2020). The effects of morphological training on vocabulary knowledge: A reanalysis of Goodwin & Ahn (2013). Language Issues, 1(1), 19–38. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2019, October 17). Should intermediate English acquirers read children's literature? The Backseat Linguist [Blog post]. Read the essay
• McQuillan, J. (2019). Is children's literature as hard as scholarly articles about children's literature? A comment on Macalister and Webb (2019). Reading in a Foreign Language, 31(2), 302–304. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66936 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2019). Where do we get our academic vocabulary? Comparing the efficiency of direct instruction and free voluntary reading. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 19(1), 129–138. PDF
• McQuillan, J. L. (2019). The inefficiency of vocabulary instruction. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 11(4), 309–318. https://doi.org/10.26822/iejee.2019450789 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2019). Forced pleasure reading may get you neither: Comment on Milliner (2017). Language and Language Teaching, 8(1), 18–20. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2019). And then there were none? Measuring the success of commercial language courses. Language and Language Teaching, 8(1), 43–51. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2019). We don't need no stinkin' exercises: The impact of extended instruction and storybook reading on vocabulary acquisition. Language and Language Teaching, 8(1, Issue 15), 25–37. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2018). Is synthetic phonics working in England? A comment on the 'Teaching to Teach' literacy report. In M. Clark (Ed.), Teaching initial literacy: Policies, evidence and ideology. Glendale Education. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Ediger, W. (2018). The Markov Estimation of Semantic Association (MESA): Good for vocabulary measurement, ineffective for vocabulary teaching. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 18(1), 27-40. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2017). Reading science books for pleasure will help you in science class: Chen, Chang, & Yang (2017). The International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 12(2), 15-17. PDF
• Krashen, S., & McQuillan, J. (2017). Should we encourage e-reading? The Journal of English Language Teaching (India), 59(6), 26-29. https://doi.org/10.66121/ht347v45 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2017, October). Books before bytes. Language Magazine: The Journal of Communication & Education, 17(2), 38–40. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2017). Do you need to read 8,000,000 words to acquire 2,000 word families in English?: A comment on Hill and Laufer (2003). Turkish Online Journal of English Language Teaching (TOJELT), 2(3), 151-155. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2017, June). Read to ace the SAT. Language Magazine, 48–49. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2016). Time, texts, and teaching in vocabulary acquisition: A rebuttal to Cobb (2016). Reading in a Foreign Language, 28(2), 307-318. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66905 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2016). What can readers read after graded readers? Reading in a Foreign Language, 28(1), 63-78. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/66715 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2013). Urban middle and high school students' reading attitudes and beliefs: A large-sample survey. Global Journal of Human Social Science, 13(7), 31–49. PDF
• Krashen, S., Lee, S., & McQuillan, J. (2010). An analysis of the PIRLS (2006) data: Can the school library reduce the effect of poverty on reading achievement? CSLA Journal, 34, 26–28. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2008). Does anyone finish the Berlitz tapes? A novel measure of perseverance for commercial language courses. The International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 4(1), 2–5. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Krashen, S. D. (2008). Commentary: Can free reading take you all the way? A response to Cobb (2007). Language Learning & Technology, 12(1), 104–108. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/44133 PDF
• Krashen, S., & McQuillan, J. (2007). The case for late intervention. Educational Leadership, 65(2). PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2006). The effects of print access and print exposure on English vocabulary acquisition of language minority students. The Reading Matrix, 6(1), 41–51. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2005). The "poor quality" of U.S. bilingual education research: An examination of the logic and metric of judgment. The International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 1(2), 2–6. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Au, J. (2001). The effect of print access on reading frequency. Reading Psychology, 22, 225–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/027027101753170638 PDF
• McQuillan, J., with Beckett, J., Gutierrez, L., Snyder, S., Wager, D., Williams, G., & Zajec, E. (2001). If you build it, they will come: A book flood program for struggling readers in an urban high school. In B. Ericson (Ed.), Teaching reading in high school English classes. NCTE. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (2000). Let the wars continue: Comprehension approaches to language teaching. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching, 10, 175–180. https://doi.org/10.65961/ajelt-2000-1-010 PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Tse, L. (1999). The authors respond [Reply to comments on "What's the story?"]. TESOL Journal, 8(2), 6. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1949-3533.1999.tb00168.x PDF
• Rodrigo, V., & McQuillan, J. (1999). Lectura personalizada: Un medio eficaz para estimular la adquisición del español en hispanohablantes bilingües. Lectura y Vida, 20(1). PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1998). Is learning to read without formal instruction common? Journal of Reading Education, 23(4), 15–17. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1998). Language minority students and public library use in the United States. Public Library Quarterly, 17(1), 49–52. https://doi.org/10.1300/j118v17n01_06 PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Tse, L. (1998). What's the story? Using the narrative approach in beginning language classrooms. TESOL Journal, 7(4), 18–23. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1998). The use of self-selected and free voluntary reading in heritage language programs: A review of research. In S. D. Krashen, L. Tse, & J. McQuillan (Eds.), Heritage language development (pp. 73–87). Language Education Associates. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Rodrigo, V. (1998). Literature-based programs for first language development: Giving native bilinguals access to books. In R. Constantino (Ed.), Literacy, access, and libraries among the language minority community (pp. 209–224). Scarecrow Press. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1998). Seven myths about literacy in the United States (ERIC/AE Digest; ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED423313). ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1997). The effects of incentives on reading. Reading Research and Instruction, 36(2), 111-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388079709558232 PDF
• Dupuy, B., & McQuillan, J. (1997). A touch of ... class! Handcrafted books: Check this out! The Canadian Modern Language Review, 53(4), 743–747. PDF
• Dupuy, B., & McQuillan, J. (1997). Handcrafted books: Two for the price of one. In G. Jacobs, C. Davis, & W. Renandya (Eds.), Successful strategies for extensive reading (pp. 171–180). SEAMEO Regional Language Centre. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996). How should heritage languages be taught?: The effects of a free voluntary reading program. Foreign Language Annals, 29(1), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1996.tb00843.x PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Tse, L. (1996). Does research matter? An analysis of media opinion on bilingual education, 1984-1994. Bilingual Research Journal, 20(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.1996.10668617 PDF
• Rodrigo, V., McQuillan, J., & Krashen, S. (1996). Free voluntary reading and vocabulary knowledge in native speakers of Spanish. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 83, 648–650. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1996.83.2.648 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996, August). The effects of print access on reading acquisition. Whole Language Umbrella Conference, St. Paul, MN, United States. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Conde, G. (1996). The conditions of flow in reading: Two studies of optimal experience. Reading Psychology, 17, 109–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/0270271960170201 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996). Whole language in California: A failed experiment? In P. Dreyer (Ed.), The 60th Annual Claremont Reading Conference Yearbook (pp. 17–26). Claremont Reading Conference. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996). Can the native language be maintained?: Language shift, ethnic identity, and the Spanish for Native Speakers curriculum. In D. Villa (Ed.), Working papers of the first annual conference on Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) (pp. 32–39). New Mexico State University. PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996). Reading, language acquisition, and the "Din in the Head": Involuntary mental rehearsal in the first language. ITL Review of Applied Linguistics, 113–114, 305–320. https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.113-114.06mcq PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1996). SAT verbal scores and the library: Predicting high school reading achievement in the United States. Indiana Media Journal, 18(3), 66–69. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Rodrigo, V. (1995). A reading "din in the head": Evidence of involuntary mental rehearsal in second language readers. Foreign Language Annals, 28(3), 330-336. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1995.tb00802.x PDF
• MacGillivray, L., Tse, L., & McQuillan, J. (1995). Second language and literacy teachers considering literature circles: A play. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 39(1), 36–44. PDF
• McQuillan, J., & Tse, L. (1995). Child language brokering in linguistic minority communities: Effects on cultural interaction, cognition, and literacy. Language and Education, 9(3), 195–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500789509541413 PDF
• McQuillan, J. (1994). Reading versus grammar: What students think is pleasurable for language acquisition. Applied Language Learning, 5(2), 95–100. PDF