Research supports using research-based comprehension strategies; however, comprehension strategy instruction is not highly visible in basal reading programs or classroom instruction, resulting in many students who struggle with comprehension. A content analysis examined which research-based comprehension strategies were presented in five…

An evaluation of the content of three basal reading series show that they are changing with the times. Current readers are less likely than older readers to show sex and racial stereotyping and no longer show life as always happy. (Author/IRT)

A study examined the teachers' manuals for five basal reader programs, kindergarten through grade six, to discover their recommendations for comprehension instruction. The series analyzed were "Pathfinder," published by Allyn and Bacon; "Reading 720," by Ginn and Company; "Bookmark Reading Program," by Harcourt,…

Compares selected authentic children's literature trade books with versions of them in 1993 basal readers from five textbook publishers across grade levels one, three, and five. Finds that publisher censorship still exists; important story elements are lost when illustrations are omitted; and readers miss important developments when only parts of…

Primary reading textbooks used in Israel were examined for sexual stereotyping. It was determined that male and female descriptions in the textbooks differ from true life situations. High correlations were also found between particular personality traits and sex in the books, which do not also exist in reality. (Author/MV)

Analyzes eight leading basal reading programs to determine the types of writing included in each and the array of writing types used in three standardized reading tests included in the programs. (FL)

Reveals that in the average number of words per T-unit, the complexity of basal reader passages generally exceeds that of children's oral language, and that none of the basal series studied exhibited a graduated increase in average number of words per T-unit among passages in the same reader. (FL)

Describes ratings and rankings by both researchers and children of the new and old basal text series. Describes students' response to the texts. Identifies the engaging qualities of these texts. Shows similarities between children's and researchers' preferences. (HB)

A study of the first grade books in two basal series, compared with typical storybooks, shows that the amount and type of picture-dependence varies, even over the year. (FL)

Indicates that publishers need to do more to eradicate racism and sexism from basal reading texts. Argues that including the handicapped, the elderly, and one-parent families in the texts would also reflect society more realistically. (FL)

A study was conducted to identify, describe, and analyze the visual displays accompanying instructional texts in basal reading series. Specifically, the study reviewed 1,884 displays from the student textbooks, major workbooks, and teachers' editions of six series used from grades four through eight to answer (1) descriptive questions about the…

A study compared the sex roles depicted in the 1963 Scott Foresman basal series with those of the 1978 series to determine if changes had occurred. A total of 172 stories from 16 readers were analyzed using the Checklist for Evaluating Sexism in Reading. Each story was examined for the number of times males and females were portrayed as main…

To determine how textbook publishers have changed the content of teachers' manuals designed to accompany basal reading series, a study was undertaken to examine manuals published by two different publishers since the l920s. Ten fifth grade manuals were reviewed for physical characteristics, tests, number of stories, instructional suggestions,…

A three-part study was conducted to present an indepth look at reading comprehension instruction in the middle grades. In the first part of the study, four basal series for grades 4, 5, and 6, were analyzed for clarity of communication, adequacy of skill practice provided, and a number of other comprehension related dimensions. In the second part,…

The results of a series of investigations into the effect on children's learning and recall of interest are summarized in this report. The report describes investigations using sentences, showing that interest has a pervasive effect on learning that is independent of the relationship between attention and learning. It then presents two compatible…