This evaluation study explored a two-year literacy reform effort in a school district with 10 of its 13 elementary schools in the improvement process. Schools were placed in three groups. Group 1 (four schools, 80 teachers) implemented new instructional practices in Year 1 and then added a new curriculum. Group 2 (four schools, 102 teachers)…

This article reframes the concept of comprehension as a social and intellectual practice. It reviews current approaches to reading instruction for linguistically and culturally diverse, indigenous and low socioeconomic students (SES), noting an emphasis on comprehension as autonomous skills. The four resources model (Freebody & Luke, 1990) is…

This examination of the processes in reading comprehension is divided into seven categories. "Theoretical Foundations" reviews some of the research conducted by Bruner, Piaget, and Bloom in the areas of cognition or comprehension processes of young children. "Development of a Spiraling Reading Curriculum" examines a spiraling taxonomy of reading…

Intended for reading instructors of kindergarten through grade 8 students, this book offers a comprehensive view of the skills needed for a student to become an effective, lifetime reader. Instead of presenting a method for teaching reading, it presents the skills common to most reading programs. Chapters in the first section discuss the history…

While a science teacher needs to be thoroughly grounded in science content and methodology, the science teacher also needs to be a reading teacher. Science experiments and demonstrations need to be integrated with reading in the science curriculum. Reading in science helps students with comprehension, the development of concepts and…

This communication skills program for kindergarten through eighth grade emphasizes oral language development and concept formation as the foundations of reading comprehension and written communication skills. Program development and implementation are discussed, including preliminary planning, inservice training, pilot program, parent and…

Reviews representative instructional studies of inference training, reciprocal teaching, and process training. Discusses both the concept of explicit comprehension instruction and potential difficulties in classroom implementation. Raises two important curricular concerns. (NH)

Notes that classroom assessment of literacy is dominated by methods more appropriate to external mandates. Suggests an alternative method grounded in the teacher's professional judgment and in the relations between curriculum, instruction, and assessment. (FL)

Some ideas about how available pieces of reading theory, research, and instruction fit together. (Author)

Recently the framework of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model was used to guide the implementation of a revised elementary science program in grades 3-6 in the Jefferson County (Colorado) Public Schools. This paper explores how student achievement on a locally developed, criterion-referenced test is related to the length of time the revised science…

When Boston, Massachusetts teachers objected to a reading subskills management curriculum adopted by the city, a new elementary school curriculum was developed that emphasized broad general objectives at each level and reading comprehension. Teacher input played an important role in the curriculum effort. (PP)

This monograph points out the difficulties in language development of which teachers should be aware, suggests some methods through which children may be helped to overcome comprehension problems, and presents bibliographies helpful for persons who wish to undertake further reading. Chapters include "Some Possible Origins of the Prevalence of…

Intended for elementary school reading teachers, this booklet offers insight into the nature of comprehension and suggestions for enhancing children's comprehension skills. The first chapter discusses trends in comprehension research, and several specific points about the nature of comprehension and how it can best be taught. The second chapter…

Traces the theoretical sources of self-questioning instructional research. Summarizes such research in three areas: spelling; reading comprehension; and summarization. Considers important caveats on self-questioning instructional research and practice. Mentions nascent curriculum development that is explicitly based on metacognitive theory and…

Reviews the research that led to the movement toward literature based reading programs for children and describes the current status of the movement nationally. The discussion also addresses problems within the movement, including program evaluation; basalization of literature; cumbersome literature guides; acquisition difficulties; inadequate…