In education, it is possible to find dozens of examples of "forced" reading incentive programs that categorize student reading levels, provide limited reading lists coordinated with those reading levels, assess student reading through computer-based tests, and award tangible prizes when they pass the test. Those who perform best get the most…

Noting that research indicating Newbery Medal books are not popular with elementary students in spite of their unquestioned superiority in plot, characterization, and style, a study examined the readability level of Newbery Medal winners from 1974 to 1986. Three readability formulas were used to assess readability: Gunning's Fog Index, Fry…

Noting that few syntheses of research on children's literature exist, this annotated bibliography guides teachers, researchers, and librarians who are searching for research on a particular topic, strategies for using literature in schools, or children's books on a particular topic. Section I of the book focuses on children's literature research…

Noting that four of the six most common readability formulas use the McCall-Crabbs Standard Test Lessons in Reading as the independent criterion of difficulty to establish validity, while the other two often site their correlation with the first four to determine validity, a study examined whether these lessons consisted of passage selections…

Two studies focused on children's reading but employed very different procedures and techniques. The first study examined the link between the levels of children's reading comprehension and the quantity of reading they did. Subjects, 198 children chosen at random from years 5, 6, and 7 of a single elementary school in Adelaide, Australia,…

Summarizes current research on teaching children to love reading, and identifies techniques that can be used by parents, teachers and librarians to foster this attitude. The topics discussed include the value of reading aloud to children, selecting children's books, the different interests of boys and girls, and reading to develop values. (six…

This booklet describes methods that teachers can use in recreational reading in early childhood and elementary classrooms and suggests ways to help parents promote voluntary reading in their children. The first section deals with "Promoting Voluntary Reading through Classroom Library Corners." Discussed are the value of classroom library corners,…

A review of the literature on read-aloud programs reveals two studies that extensively examine program content and practices and teacher procedures. The first study, conducted in 1969, compiled responses from 582 intermediate teachers of grades four, five, and six throughout the United States. The second study, conducted in 1979, surveyed 29…

Intended for teachers, librarians, and reading specialisits, the articles in this collection of essays address the problem of how to determine, capture, and then maintain children's interest in the reading process. Preceded by biographical information on the contributors and a brief introduction, the essays have been placed into one of four major…