Learning using primary literature may be a way of developing a capacity for scientific ways of thinking among students. Since reading research articles is a difficult task for novices, we examined the possible benefits of learning using primary literature versus secondary literature, particularly with respect to their influence on the creation and…

By selecting appropriate reading materials, teachers can engage African American adolescent males with text, particularly students who have not mastered the skills, strategies, and knowledge that will lead to positive life outcomes. This approach takes into account students' four literacy needs--academic, cultural, emotional, and social--and…

The purpose of this paper is to update the review of science-related reading research conducted by Yore and Shymansky (1985) and to provide a current research foundation for a science reading research agenda. This review emphasizes the post-1985 literature and selected pre-1985 literature not included in the earlier summary. This summary addresses…

One of a series of six portraits of high school literature classrooms, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of how one "master teacher" introduced, undertook, and guided the study of literature, focusing in particular on how the teacher interacted with students in the context of discussion of a literary work in class.…

One of a series of six portraits of high school literature classrooms, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of how one "master teacher" introduced, undertook, and guided the study of literature, focusing in particular on how the teacher interacted with students in the context of discussion of a literary work in class.…

A prescriptive theory for learning which delivers prescriptions for designing prototypes of instructional materials with different knowledge structures, the Elaboration Theory of Instruction (ETI) is based on important principles and theories of learning and instruction. This paper reports three experiments which tested ETI. The first experiment…

Before students are able to write fairly original, successful, critical essays on literature, they need to become experienced members of the audience for whom they will write, sharing fully the social context of critical writing by becoming part of an interactive, interpretive community. This reader-response technique appears to be the best…

While young children's problem-solving models are not as elaborate as those of older students, they share an important belief, namely, that writing and reading are fundamentally purposeful acts of communication. Focusing on the interpretation of process, in particular on writing and reading as forms of problem-solving that are shaped by…

Research indicates that students need to improve their critical thinking skills, but many students miss the opportunity to do so by not reading and analyzing their textbooks closely enough. Often, students believe that textbooks are objective materials full of "facts" that must be memorized, understood, and given back to the instructor,…

A companion piece to "Improving Students' Abilities To Read and Think: A Source Guide" and to the training manual of the same title, this guide is designed to help middle, junior, and senior high school personnel responsible for reading instruction learn new strategies for improving student comprehension of text and learn new ways to…

This paper describes a five-step technique for secondary and postsecondary reading instruction, compatible with reader response theory, and addressing the need for academically underprepared students to experience the validation of their personal responses to texts. The first step involves identifying prior knowledge and opinions before reading…

Presents a study comparing the elements children report enjoying in a book and the elements teachers believe children enjoy. Concludes that a great discrepancy exists between the two groups, as children reported they liked books offering excitement, suspense, and action, while teachers believed children pay more attention to characters. (JC)

Examples are provided that show readability in action in diverse settings. The first shows how readability analysis resulted in a new fluency monitoring protocol in three school districts in Northern California. The others present hypothetical school, clinic, and research situations that a speech language pathologist might encounter. (Author/CR)

Describes four lessons for "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr, developed by teachers in the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP), Hawaii. Observes the links between the two basic activities, reading journals and small group discussions, as well as students' growth in thinking about and responding to the…

Examines social influences on the reading processes of four adolescent readers, as well as the relationship between social-cognition and these readers' responses to short stories. Suggests that competence, pragmatics, and volition are intricately related to the likelihood that readers will bring social-cognitive processes to bear on reading. (SR)