In this commentary, several core principles underlying the editorial and articles comprising the Special Issue on improving literacy engagement are identified and discussed. Those principles pertain to the multidimensional nature of literacy engagement, the explicit or implicit definitions offered for the construct, the positive contributions that…

This edited volume illustrates the idea of a successful research capacity model, critically addressing preconceived notions of early career research projects' impact and drawing together insights and implications around the encouragement of newer researchers to conduct useful, robust studies with real-world effect. Centring on research undertaken…

Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Australia have persistently performed at relatively low levels in national and international tests of reading literacy. Research attention is required to look for new models to promote reading and reading engagement for disadvantaged students. The current study discussed a case study derived…

This article is excerpted from "Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy, and the Development of Information Capital" by Susan B. Neuman and Donna C. Celano. Based on 21 studies conducted over 10 years in two neighborhoods, it offers a new lens on the achievement gap--and the need for both school and community solutions. The…

The purpose of this article is to summarize current research findings in reading and to describe programs and practices about the disadvantaged as they relate or may relate to the library and librarians. (54 references) (Author/NH)

It was found that 1st graders could perform the cloze tasks, and cloze tests offered promise for use in evaluating the relationship of oral language performance to reading task performance. Cloze task tests were better predictors of end-of-year standard reading test scores than readiness and basal reader instruments. (Author/DB)

THIS INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON THE USEFULNESS OF A PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING MEASURES OF THE MOTIVATION OF FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO ACHIEVE IN READING WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE WRITTEN OR ORAL VERBAL RESPONSES FROM THE SUBJECTS. MEASURES OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION WERE CORRELATED WITH TEACHER RATINGS OF EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE IN…

EVIDENCE SUGGESTS READING ABILITY IS RELATED TO OTHER COMMUNICATION SKILLS SUCH AS LISTENING AND SPEAKING. DISTRUPTION IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING, ANALYZING, AND UTILIZING AUDITORY STIMULI MAY HAVE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS UPON A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT OF READING SKILLS, ESPECIALLY IF THIS DISRUPTION OCCURS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. THOSE GROWING UP IN…

In order to determine the effect of grapheme-phoneme correspondence on beginning reading, word acquisition as related to the degree of regularity of the word was used as a measurement. Twenty children enrolled in a preschool project for culturally disadvantaged children at Peabody College were randomly assigned to two groups. One group used the…

The relationships between social class membership and performance on phonemic and nonphonemic auditory discrimination tests were examined. Three socioeconomic groups (upper-middle class (UM), upper-lower class (UL), and lower-lower (LL) class) of 20 subjects each were administered the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test and nonphonemic auditory…

This review on the language experience approach to reading instruction for the culturally disadvantaged is one of the reading information series, designed to review the past, assess the present, and predict the future of reading education. The target audience are those with specific professional interests and needs: researchers, professors, and…

A LISTING OF READING PROJECTS AND REPORTS RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE DISADVANTAGED IS PRESENTED. THE "EDUCATOR'S COMPLETE ERIC HANDBOOK" WAS REVIEWED, AND THE ITEMS RELATING TO READING AND THE DISADVANTAGED WERE SELECTED FOR INCLUSION. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY LISTS 164 INFORMATIVE DOCUMENTS ON READING AND THE DISADVANTAGED AND…