Analyzes aspects of language in three novels and their film adaptations. Gives examples of how the films reshaped the novels; speculates about the relationships between language, content, and media; and offers suggestions for instruction. (SR)

Reports the results of a study conducted to see if rewriting content material for greater readability would help students reading below grade level. Sees possible value to such an approach. (JL)

Discusses study to determine readability levels of materials for the social studies classroom which examine contemporary problems. The Dale-Chall and the Fry readability formulae were used. Reading levels of newspapers, government publications, magazines, and publications of special interest groups are provided in chart form. (KC)

High school students were tested on their ability to follow directions written by content area teachers. Poor readers understood the directions only about half the time, which probably confounds their performance on classroom tests and assignments. Ways that teachers can make their instructions easier to read are suggested. (SJL)

Discusses the attributes of daily comic strips that make them an ideal media for use in reading and English courses. Presents information and readability analyses of various comic strips readily available to students and teachers. Argues that comic strips can be used effectively to build reading skills and processes. (HB)

Explains the details of a method of teaching text structure that proved successful in improving both reading comprehension and summary writing of fifth graders. Reports that students quickly learned how to attend to and remember main ideas from problem-solution passages in their textbooks and how to write summaries. (MG)

Prepared by members of the Institute for Research on Teaching and the Center for the Study of Reading, the papers in this collection examine reading comprehension as an interactive process and explore how comprehension instruction occurs in the complex workplace of the classroom. Specific topics discussed in 20 papers include the following: (1)…