This study considers the relative benefits for vocabulary learning of exposure to two types of texts--literary or nonliterary--used with two teaching approaches. These approaches were termed "functional and creative", respectively. In the former, learners' attention was drawn to factual information and linguistic features in order to…

Statistical analyses of data from an academically diverse sample of 276 adult basic and secondary education learners extends understanding of the relation of and interactions between oral reading fluency and reading competence indices. Significant interactions between total word rate and word error rate that differed in relation to two measures of…

Reviews of the research on literacy for students with moderate intellectual disability indicated that sight-word instruction continues to be their primary mode of reading instruction. Reported in this article are data supporting the Sight-Word Component of the larger Integrated Literacy Curriculum for Students with Moderate to Severe Intellectual…

The following insights into the reading skills of 312 participants in adult basic and secondary education programs are based on a principal components analysis of reading components' contributions to variance in reading comprehension. Overall, 75% of variance was explained by four composite variables representing word skills, language…

High literacy and numeracy demands in career and technical education (CTE) compared to low skill levels among many students prompted calls for academic infusion into training curricula. Research on CTE academic curriculum integration implicitly assumes that students' reading and math skills are like those described by models of typical academic…

The authors reviewed studies on teaching reading comprehension to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with a focus on text (academic reading) comprehension and sight word (functional) comprehension. Eleven of 754 studies met the inclusion criteria: participants with ASD, published in English in a peer-reviewed journal, and use of an…

A CONTINUATION OF A STUDY OF PUPILS' ABILITY TO FORMULATE AND STATE A LITERAL MAIN IDEA IN THE READING OF SHORT, SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED PARAGRAPHS IS REPORTED. ONE OF THE MAJOR TASKS WAS TO DEVELOP A DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF THE MAIN IDEA RESPONSES FOR A GROUP OF 400 SECOND- AND FIFTH-GRADE PUPILS. A 12-POINT SCALE WAS USED FOR THE NUMERICAL ORDERING…

AN EXPLORATION OF COMPREHENSION AND RAPID READING IS PRESENTED. THE QUALITY OF READING IS DISCUSSED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. RESEARCH FINDINGS WHICH INDICATE THE LOW COMPREHENSION RESULTING FROM "DYNAMIC" READING, THAT IS, READING DOWN THE CENTER OF THE PAGE WITH NO LEFT-TO-RIGHT EYE MOVEMENTS, ARE CITED.…

Describes an investigation that showed that abbreviations in classified ads are difficult to comprehend and suggests that instruction be given in understanding abbreviations as a real life reading skill. (MKM)

This study's aim was to understand the relationship of the component skills of reading, such as word recognition, vocabulary, and spelling, to large-scale measures of literacy, such as the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) (Kirsch, Jungleblut, Jenkins, & Kolstad, 1993) and the closely related International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)…

The Fry Readability Graph was used to assess the approximate readability level of each of 23 selected instructions, publications, and forms commonly used by adults in order to compare their readability levels with the minimum literacy level as defined by the United States Office of Education (approximately the eighth grade level). The results…

A study of the reading rate and comprehension of 10 aerospace engineers and analysis of the readability of sample company communications were undertaken. The Nelson-Denny Reading Test comprehension scores for the engineers, when compared with scores of a norm group provided by the Nelson-Denny Test Manual, were nearly the same in mean and standard…

The functional literacy of various groups of 17-year-old students was assessed to discover whether the reading skills which are usually taught in the schools are adequate for functioning in everyday life. Eighty-six test exercises were classified according to the various formats of reading materials they represent and according to the types of…

This research studied the effectiveness of a taxonomy of literature and specific arts upon aspects of functional and creative reading in secondary school students. Two experimental groups (taxonomy and enrichment) and one control group (traditional) were used. All of the students in the study were pretested with tests measuring creative and…

In this study, adults identified as low-readers were asked to sort 20 words into four unspecified groups. The purpose of the task was to determine ways in which learners clustered words. Subjects grouped words thematically as opposed to grammatically or hierarchically. Groups suggested stories rather than parts of speech or concept groupings.…