Analysis of eight leading basal reading programs indicated that the majority of selections were narrative materials, that poems accounted for 25 percent of the total selections, and that exposition accounted for 15 percent. Teacher's Manuals provided instruction on how to read various types of writing. Narrative materials were most often used for…

Examined each book in 8 basal reading series (preprimers to sixth readers) to determine the variety of types of writing in these 1983 basals. Texts were examined for the number of selections representing narrative, poetry, plays, exposition, biography, hybrid writing types and for the number of pages devoted to each type of writing. (Author/NH)

Analyzes eight leading basal reading programs to determine the types of writing included in each and the array of writing types used in three standardized reading tests included in the programs. (FL)

Concludes that standardized tests do not always reflect children's actual reading achievement and that the tests may not measure performance on the same types of material emphasized in basal series. (FL)