In this study, science trade books from the libraries of 10 elementary schools across the United States were evaluated using a science trade book evaluation rubric for their overall quality pertaining to science content, literacy, and critical literacy criteria. Findings indicate that 62% of the books met the overall science content criterion, 99%…

Because dual-language books (DLBs) are written entirely in two languages, they have the potential to help readers develop multilingual literacy skills while acting as cultural and/or linguistic windows and mirrors. However, the ways in which publishers choose words when translating, format languages, and represent cultures have implications for…

As more districts begin implementing the Common Core State Standards, text complexity is receiving a lot of discussion. It is important for educators to understand the numerous factors involved with text complexity and to have a wide range of strategies to support students with challenging text. This paper shares data from three elementary…

Discusses the accuracy of the Fog Index and the SMOG grade (two readability formulas) as predicators of readability. (MAI)

Investigates the readability level of written materials (such as notices or newsletters) sent by six all-day kindergartens/child-parent centers to parents of disadvantaged children. Found that the readability of the materials ranged from sixth grade to higher than college level, and that the mean level was midtenth grade. (ARH)

Summarizes a report noting that although federal regulations require that summary plan descriptions (SPDs) of pensions must be written at low readability levels, both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) regulating such plans and a mandatory statement for inclusion in SPDs are written at an exceptionally difficult college level.…

Argues that both redundancy and propositional analysis (a strategy for analyzing meaning in a text) help to reveal the nature of the reader-text interaction and are two of the important missing elements in readability. (FL)

Presents guidelines for evaluating computer trade books for children. Includes results for 47 books evaluated using the "Yawn index." (HTH)

Finds that although pictures do not seem to increase comprehension of the material, students prefer texts with them. Concludes that pictures provide no cognitive benefit but do have an affective impact on students, the nature of which was not determined by the research. (SRT)

Investigates children's reading interests, the extent to which their parents are aware of these interests, and the ability of parents and children to select books at appropriate reading levels. (RAE)

Presents an annotated list of textbooks in a number of vocational content areas and includes the readability level of each text. (TO)

Finds that words written in dialect are difficult for black students to comprehend while reading silently, which does not agree with previously advanced hypotheses by other researchers. (RB)

Details the steps followed in the development of the Basic Skills Word List. (FL)

Presents an evaluation of the Houghton Mifflin and Scott Foresman Reading Programs which reveals that stories in both of these series satisfy the requirements of a conventional story grammar. Suggests that such stories help children comprehend and remember the stories they process and serve as excellent models of narrative. (ARH)