Researchers analyzed the responses of second-, fourth-, and sixth-grade students who read three fables, and traced the relationship between grade level and stage of moral development. The children reflected different stages of moral development. The use of fables to elicit responses to moral questions is discussed. (PP)

Studies involving puzzle-solving in competitive, cooperative, and individual settings demonstrate that children's reactions to their own and other's success and failure are strongly influenced by the reward contingencies offered. Reward structures have different implications for children differing in self-concept level. Implications for the…

Studies comparing the reading, mathematics, and language arts achievement of retained students with the achievement of promoted students are analyzed, using meta-analysis. Overall, research indicates that retained students fall behind the first year of retention and spend the rest of their academic careers in a vain attempt to catch up. (PP)

This paper reviews the function of literary allusion and examines how this device helps readers relate to texts. Questions are raised about children's ability to understand allusions, particularly Biblical references. Suggestions for research to improve understanding of the role of allusions are given. (PP)

This paper describes different approaches that have been used in research on reading, and reports on a study of reading comprehension in fourth-, sixth-, and eighth-grade students. Findings confirm that there are distinct age-related developmental levels in children's comprehension of literature. (PP)

To provide a framework for describing how children respond to picture books, first and second grade children were observed over a 10-week period. Variations in the responses of individual students, changes in their reactions over time, and the importance of considering the context of a response are discussed. (PP)

The impact of high school and college students' prior knowledge of literary and social conventions on their attitudes toward fictional characters is examined. Differences were found in attitudes toward the teaching of literature and in evaluations of a fictional teacher's behavior. A model for research in this area is proposed. (PP)