Analysis of oral reading error patterns is an integral step in the diagnosis of reading disabilities. Effects of passage difficulty on first- and third-grade students oral reading error patterns was investigated. Two methods of error analysis were employed: quantitative and qualitative. Implications of findings are discussed. (Author/GSK)

Considers the use of syntactic complexity data as norms of syntactic development and notes misinterpretations that have resulted from the use of the term "syntactic maturity" for "syntactic complexity." (DD)

Reports on a study of the use of the cloze procedure as a basis for group oral work. Points to the value of deleting content words, as opposed to function words, and notes factors that may cause some types of cloze tasks to be too difficult for students. (GT)

Using task choice to measure information-seeking behavior, two studies examined situational determinants of choice among anagram tests varying both in difficulty and diagnosticity (information about one's ability). Subjects took a preliminary test before choosing. Study 1 manipulated pretest performance level. Study 2 varied payment for pretest…

The ability of 18 aggressive and 21 nonaggressive men with moderate mental retardation to label and discriminate facial expressions was investigated. Although aggressive participants did not have greater difficulty with emotion labeling, they did have a negative emotional bias for facial expressions that were ambiguous to them. (Author/CR)

A rationale is presented for using humor as a French language teaching tool, and several class activities designed for different language skill levels and using humor as a central element are described. Some suggestions are offered for selecting appropriate instructional materials. (MSE)

The usefulness of the confirmatory factor analysis model of D. Sorbom (1974) to estimate invariant difficulty and discrimination item parameters on a personality scale was supported in a study using responses of 834 undergraduates to the Social Worry Scale of the Anxious Thoughts Inventory (A. Wells, 1994). (SLD)

Discusses academic library instruction and describes a study using the IDNA (Instructional Development Needs Assessment) survey where librarians at Penn State rated teaching tasks based on their assessment of task difficulty, importance in the learning process, and frequency of performance. Produced a prioritized list of instructional development…

Studied the cognitive equivalence of computerized and paper-and-pencil reading comprehension tests using verbal protocol analysis. Results for 48 college students indicate that the only significant difference between the computerized and paper-and-pencil tests was in the frequency of identifying important information in the passage. (SLD)

Discusses reading as a receptive skill in relation to current foreign language learning and teaching theory. Three types of reference in texts are defined (reference to the outside world, textual reference, and situational reference), and selected examples of these types in adapted texts are reported and analyzed. (26 references) (GLR)

Two linguistic microstructures (propositions and cohesive devices) were analyzed in story recalls by 11 primary and intermediate level hearing-impaired students. When stories were very simple, students generated mostly complete propositions, however as complexity increased, semantic errors resulted in fewer complete propositions. (Author/DB)

Attempts to identify some features of novels that provide unusual educational and linguistic opportunities for the learner. Some of the difficulties both teachers and students may experience in using novels are examined, and sample materials that have been devised to overcome these difficulties are described. (GLR)

A model is presented for the growth of knowledge reflected by 24 progress tests completed by approximately 600 students at the University of Limburg (Netherlands) Medical School. Based on the Rasch model, this model treats both the person's ability and the difficulty of the question as random variables. (SLD)

An alternative to the Rasch model is introduced. It characterizes strength of response according to the ratio of ability and difficulty parameters rather than their difference. Joint estimation and marginal estimation models are applied to two test data sets. (SLD)

A study examined the control of selected areas of French grammar by 40 students at 4 different levels of university language study. Improved performance was found at each successive level of study, but significant discrepancies were also found within levels. Implications for instructional and curricular improvement are discussed. (MSE)