Compares early reading recollections of 32 proficient and 30 remedial adult readers. Finds significant differences regarding their perceptions that would be important for prevention and intervention of reading difficulties, including age when learned to read, where they leaned to read (home or school), most important person in early reading…

Compares reading-disabled students' instructional levels yielded by the Ekwall Reading Inventory and the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Finds that both instruments provide instructional-level designations to help place students in appropriate materials but little correspondence between the instructional levels of the two measures. Suggests that…

Compares the characteristics of children's books that received critical acclaim from adults and were "Children's Choices" to books that received critical acclaim only. Finds that the stylistic and structural differences between the two groups of books are more apparent than variations in themes. (RS)

Examined children's reading difficulties from the perspectives of the children, their parents, and their teachers. Finds that children, parents, and teachers may not define problems with literacy learning in the same ways and that these differences could influence remedial efforts at home and at school. (RS)

Examines three strategies designed to help middle school students use text structures to comprehend expository text: (1) hierarchical summaries, (2) conceptual maps, and (3) thematic organizers. Summarizes advantages and disadvantages of each strategy and recommends that teachers consider the outcomes they want and select the most appropriate…

Studies the effects of visual elaborations on the cognitive processes of adult learners. Compares the effects of two types of visual elaboration strategies on immediate and delayed recall. Suggests that the incorporation of visual elaboration strategies produces a greater depth of processing, leading to better recall. (HB)

Investigates the amount of time teachers devote to directed reading activities and reading skills instruction; the amount of time devoted to components of each approach; and which instructional strategies are used in each approach and with what frequency. Finds that the majority of time allocated for reading lessons is devoted to reading skills…

This study examined the phonics and reading achievement of 117 primary grade students in 14 schools and 42 classrooms. Students received instruction in one of six different reading programs or models based upon the school they attended. Through qualitative data collection and analysis of specific instructional practices, it was determined that no…

Investigates 68 primary grade teachers' self reports of familiarity, utility, and perceived applicability of content reading strategies. Finds that teachers did not appear to be familiar with recommended content reading strategies. Finds also that years of teaching at the same grade level and workshop attendance appeared to have a positive impact…

Compares whole language, literature-based, and basal reader literacy instruction in terms of the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, the Reader Self-Perception Scale, and the Writer Self-Perception Scale. Finds that a literature-based approach to reading and writing appeared to exert superior impact on intermediate-aged children's affective…

Studies variation in reading speed between languages of different orthographies, focusing on modern Chinese with logographic characters and English with an alphabetic writing system. Finds that the Chinese readers are faster than the English readers by about two minutes on the same reading material; the difference is significant even with reading…

Compares results of a modified whole language approach (incorporating daily 15-minute total class phonics instruction) with those obtained from a popular basal approach. Finds that students in the whole language classes made greater gains in phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and total reading achievement than students in the basal…

Concludes that vocabulary knowledge can produce effects on reading comprehension, but that the nature of the effects depends on the method used to present the knowledge and the manner used to measure reading comprehension. (FL)

Compares retention of popular science material by fifth grade students using either computer simulation software or expository text as the instructional tool. Finds a statistically significant superiority in favor of the expository text group. (RS)

Indicates that textbook explication alone of causes of events is insufficient for acquisition and use of hierarchically organized knowledge; students must be taught how to construct text-based information into hierarchically structured form and use it for making predictions. (FL)