Ninety-nine completers of computer-based literacy education using the Principles of the Alphabet Learning System showed reading level gains, improved self-image, and more motivation. Instructional time apparently could vary and still be effective. Teacher support and encouragement were also important factors. (SK)

A study involving 38 male and 115 female undergraduates in a teacher preparation program at a midwestern state university examined the relation between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy beliefs and achievement in reading and writing. Results indicate a generalized interrelationship between said beliefs and performance for reading and writing.…

Compared the vowel responses of severely disabled readers with those of normal control children in reading orthographically regular nonwords. Vowel responses were compared on both age and reading level groups, and the vowel responses of two out of three reading disabled groups paralleled those of their reading level peers. (Author/DJD)

Discusses conflicting interpretations of results from contrasts of poor and normal readers matched either for chronological age (CA) or reading level (RL). Argues that the outcomes from RL-matched designs or from RL- and CA-matched designs in combination should be interpreted within a broad theoretical and empirical context. (RS)

Examines the effect of sustained silent reading and writing on achievement of seventh and eighth grade students reading two or more years below grade level. Finds significant improvement in reading achievement, writing, and attitude toward reading for both seventh and eighth grade students. (RS)

Findings from a study of 504 second grade students indicate that phonics knowledge has a causal impact on both reading comprehension and vocabulary gains; reading comprehension has a causal effect on vocabulary gains. (Author/IAH)

The study compared scores of 2 groups of hearing-impaired students ages 5 to 12 years on a literacy battery. Subjects (n=73) were receiving instruction which either completely encoded spoken English or incompletely encoded spoken English. Those receiving completely encoded English instruction tended to score higher on achievement tests especially…

Identifies statistical relationships between teacher morale and student achievement test scores in reading. Suggests teachers' attitudes toward classroom evaluation systems, as well as their perceptions of the functional behaviors of the principal, were the strongest predictors of students' achievements in reading. (RAE)

This study compared 56 early and nonearly readers (matched individually on sex, age, and preschool and kindergarten attended) in terms of their language concepts and skills, as well as their reading achievement, in kindergarten through second grade. The early readers were found superior to nonearly readers on preschool measures of general language…

Investigated role of word identification skills, text phrasing, auditory analysis, and digit-naming speed on oral reading fluency and expressiveness of poor and average fifth-grade readers. Found that poor readers were less fluent and expressive than average readers; parsing contributed to fluency in average but not poor readers; and digit-naming…

Discusses the steps teachers can use to create an inclusive reading program for students. Specific exercises teachers can use include undertaking an informal assessment of the students, developing reading groups, creating multisensory activities, creating isolated comprehension skills, and forming lesson outlines. Examining the component parts is…

Evaluates the effectiveness of Reading Recovery (RR) in 10 schools in New South Wales. Finds that the RR group was superior to control students after 15 weeks, but that no differences were found after 30 weeks. Finds that 12 months after discontinuation, 35% of the students directly benefitted from the program, 35% had not been…

Experimental phonological synthesis (sound blending) and analysis (rhyme detection) tasks were administered to children (n=76) preceding kindergarten entry. Measures of beginning reading were administered after kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The sound blending task was significantly related to most interim and outcome measures. The…

Finds that assisted practice significantly improved the text reading rates and reading comprehension scores of the experimental groups compared to the control group, although some gains did not reach statistical significance. Finds that listening while reading resulted in twice the amount of reading as the other method and led to higher scores on…

Data from the Connecticut Longitudinal Study were used to compare two definitions of reading disability: a discrepancy-based model and a low reading achievement model. Children (n=415) satisfying each definition in second grade were compared retrospectively in kindergarten and prospectively in fifth guide. Findings suggest more similarities than…