A study was done to determine the social status and hierarchy attached to reading achievement in a first grade class. In addition to learning to read, children are tacitly learning that reading is the most important subject to be mastered in school and that both group and individual status is determined by the reading group to which one belongs.…

Reports the results of a study of word frequency as a predictor of high school students' reading vocabularies and the effects of grade, ability, and sex on word knowledge. (HOD)

To cope with a wide range of reading skill levels in their classes, high school social studies teachers must assess their students' competence and then help them develop skills to understand course materials. This article describes two assessment methods and five skill teaching methods. For journal availability, see SO 509 175. (AM)

Results as a whole did not support the hypothesis that poor readers show deficits in selective attention relative to age-matched normal readers. (RH)

A study was conducted to determine how the approach to assessing outcomes in Adult Basic Education exemplified by the Adult Performance Level Survey compares with the most widely used approach exemplified by the General Educational Development test. Test scores suggest that reading ability significantly affects performance on both tests.…

Because both adults and children have claimed Newbery books are difficult, this study sought to determine minimum reading level of 20 Newbery award winners by testing reading comprehension of fifth and sixth graders on each book. Only two books exceeded fifth- and sixth-grade reading levels. Book ratings are listed. (DS)

An interactive relationship between intelligence and right dominance in predicting reading ability is suggested as a reason for the variation of the results reported in the relevant literature. Discusses implications for theory and practice in relation to reading and reading difficulty. (Editor/RK)

Noting the need for vocational agriculture teachers to pre-teach vocabulary and concepts which would block student understanding, practical suggestions are offered for developing students reading and vocabulary skills. (HD)

Describes an experimental program in which fifth- and sixth-graders studied philosophy and made a dramatic gain in reading ability in comparison with a control group of students. (Editor/RK)

Presents a study that compared teachers' predictions of their students' reading achievement to the 6-8 year old students' reading accuracy and comprehension scores. Reports that predictions were moderately correlated with accuracy and comprehension, but most of the judgments were incorrect. (CMK)

Addresses how content and availability affect a teacher's choice of texts. Proposes that editors often determine teachers' choices. Compares two high school textbooks, from 1999 and 1991. Concludes that selections of short fiction are getting shorter, and that excerpts increasingly rule. (PM)

Diagnostic/prescriptive techniques can match adult reading students with appropriate content materials. The Directed Reading Activity is a structured approach that introduces concepts and vocabulary, teaches or reviews specific reading skills, prepares for reading, encourages discussion of content, and follows up on information and skills…

Summarizes, in four guiding principles drawn from both research and instructional practices, the theoretical and pragmatic reasons for a portfolio approach to reading assessment. (MG)

Reports two studies using a microcomputer-driven self-paced reading task to examine reading strategies of good and poor readers. Finds that reading ability influences reading strategies differently according to whether text is presented in single words or in phrases, and that poor readers read more slowly than good readers. (RS)

Argues that only positive results in a reading-level (RL) match and negative results in a chronological-age (CA) match are interpretable; negative results in a CA match and positive results in a RL match are not. Argues that using the RL control is only a first step in research into reading disability. (RS)