This article provides a commentary within the special issue, Integration: The Keystone of Comprehension. According to most contemporary frameworks, a driving force in comprehension is the reader's ability to generate the links among the words and sentences (ideas) in the texts and between the ideas in the text and what the readers already know. As…

This article provides a commentary within the special issue, Integration: The Keystone of Comprehension. According to most contemporary frameworks, a driving force in comprehension is the reader's ability to generate the links among the words and sentences (ideas) in the texts and between the ideas in the text and what the readers already know. As…

In this study, we examined the effects of word and character frequency across three commonly used word-identification tasks (lexical decision, naming, and sentence reading) using the same set of two-character target words (N = 60) and participants (N = 82). Facilitatory effects of word frequency were observed across all three tasks. The…

Reviews some findings obtained through comparisons of dyslexic readers with nondyslexic readers matched by chronological or reading age. Notes some of the problems and pitfalls associated with this approach. Explores the potential of other group comparisons when examining sources of reading difficulty, and discusses individual differences within…

Comparison of the individual reading strategies of 26 severely impaired developmental dyslexics and 26 nonhandicapped readers found a distribution of skills and strategies over a continuum in both groups. Dyslexic students were specifically impaired in phonological processing, and half of them employed more whole-word oriented strategies than the…

Discusses a series of six studies that investigated the performance of 66 reading and learning disabilities specialists and classroom teachers who diagnosed simulated reading or learning disability cases and suggested remediation plans. Results indicate that both commonality and individual agreement among participants was very low. (AEA)

A review of interactive models of reading combined with the assumption of compensatory processes indicates that compared to poor readers, good readers appear to have superior strategies for comprehending and remembering large units of text and are superior at context-free word recognition. (MKM)

Examines group and individual differences arising from strategy instruction. Finds support for strategy instruction for at-risk students. Finds also that students' motivation can influence their use of the instruction they receive. Raises critical questions regarding the role of motivation in strategy instruction and use. (RS)

A study investigated 35 third grade students' requests and responses in their reading groups to determine (1) whether peer instructional groups designed to differ according to reading ability do, in fact, differ on measures of reading achievement; (2) how the processes of interaction, particularly requests and responses, differ in these groups;…