This study employed a meta-analytic approach to examine the effectiveness of graphic organizers (GOs) in improving academic and behavioral outcomes for K-12 students with disabilities, drawing from the single-case special education literature. Moderators at participant and study level were analyzed in addition to the main effects. A comprehensive…

In this response, we make the case for the power and promise of scaffolded reading instruction for teaching civic literacy--civic content knowledge and skills needed to both comprehend and take a stand on civic issues at a local, national, or global level. We argue the following: (a) Now, more than ever, students need to develop the skills and…

Learning environments continue to change considerably and is no longer confined to the face-to-face classroom setting. As learning options have evolved, educators must adopt a variety of pedagogical strategies and innovative technologies to enable learning. "Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments"…

Generally, reading is perceived as consisting of identifying words and increasing comprehension skills, but there are a plethora of additional symbols which students need to read and comprehend meaningfully. This paper first discusses reading across the curriculum, emphasizing abstract words, and then considers symbols peculiar to diverse academic…

Reviews: (1) "Galaxy Search" (reading skills game); (2) "Spellagraph" (rebus game providing effective drill of spelling words in context); and (3) "Reading Comprehension Skills 3" (provides drill of sounds and words and practice with reading comprehension skills). Includes computer needed, manufacturer, current price,…

Yields evidence of reading proficiency and age/experience effects on the use of lookbacks (retrievals of information presented in an earlier segment for correct responses to comprehension questions). Supports the pronounced good comprehender-poor comprehender monitoring differences found in earlier research. (AEA)

Reviews the literature relevant to investigating the effects of textual phrasing on the efforts of children to comprehend and addresses the issue of whether the use of a word processor can have an impact on helping children improve comprehension. (FL)

People who live in a democracy should be well informed of local, state, national, and international happenings. Students should become curious about news items and relate current happenings to the personal self. They must possess skills in word recognition and in diverse kinds of comprehension since reading is an important way to glean current…

Using a definition of metacognition that distinguishes between knowledge about cognition and regulation of cognition, this paper discusses the role of metacognition in the identification and categorizing of students with learning problems. Following this discussion, the paper describes three types of cognitive skills training studies--blind,…

Contains suggestions from two contributors, the first discussing the importance of distinguishing opinion from fact and the second suggesting 12 activities parents can initiate to improve teenagers' reading skills, such as helping them develop resumes or autobiographies and reviewing important business forms together. (DF)

Argues that students' problems in reading content area materials can best be solved by helping them make effective use of their skills through skill-centered instruction. Describes the purpose and rationale for an approach involving the "glossing" of expository text--the addition of intratext notations to direct students' attention while they…

A review of research concerning the nature of text organization skills that contribute to reading comprehension ability reveals two distinct categories of studies: (1) those in which texts have been manipulated so as to facilitate spontaneous syntactic-semantic organization by the reader, and (2) those in which readers have received training or…

With the development of state and national achievement standards in the content areas, it is more important than ever for teachers to develop in their students effective reading behaviors, literacy skills, and study strategies that will enable them to tackle increasingly complex materials. This book features 45 literacy skill-building strategies…

Describes 11 learning strategies, most of which are based on an information processing theory of learning, that can be used to develop study skills. Common elements include memory, comprehension, reading for understanding or meaning, and the incorporation of new knowledge into prior learning. (nine references) (LRW)

The article describes teacher-directed and student-mediated comprehension strategies to improve the text comprehension skills of mainstreamed students with mild disabilities. Techniques include advance organizers, study guides, color coding, oral reading, critical thinking maps, and self-questioning techniques. Guidelines are offered for assessing…