Examines the effect of prior knowledge activation on sixth-grade readers' comprehension of compatible and incompatible text. Results support the notion that prior knowledge may intefer with, rather than facilitate, reading comprehension under certain conditions. (HOD)

Reports on a study that examined the effects of prior knowledge and topic interest on the reading comprehension of seventh- and eighth-grade students. The results suggested that both prior knowledge and topic interest were autonomous factors in reading comprehension. (HOD)

Examines how much and what kind of reading comprehension instruction is provided in the student textbooks and teachers' editions of five social studies programs at the fourth- and sixth-grade levels. Concludes, among other findings, that direct instruction in skills is rare. (HOD)

The ReQuest procedure, designed to teach students to raise questions independently, has many components that lend themselves to solving some of the problems faced by the teacher of juvenile delinquents. (HOD)

Describes some reading comprehension exercises developed for university-level students whose native language is not English. By keeping the ultimate focus on meaning, rather than on strict grammatical correctness or "dictionary meaning," it is hoped that students will become better able to develop awareness of how meaning is conveyed, not only in…

This study examined the effects of selected reader and task variables on reading comprehension performance. Several reader and task interaction effects were found to be significant, particularly for lookback conditions and constructed response tasks. Cognitive style interacted with hearing state on tasks involving lookback options. (Author/DWH)

Reviews several books that seek to explain what some of the structures of meaning are that stories present to readers and feed into their memories. (HOD)

Summarizes research conducted at the Center for the Study of Reading at the University of Illinois and points out what it means to daily reading instruction. (FL)

Describes the uses and benefits of reciprocal teaching, a strategy that promotes both comprehension of text and comprehension monitoring. (HOD)

Tests the hypothesis that second language (L2) students' approach to text reflects a top-down processing strategy in contrast to first language (L1) students' approach that is more text-driven. Results confirmed L2 subjects studied the texts less efficiently than L1 subjects. (HOD)

Presents a direct instruction approach to reading comprehension that stresses the use of three forms of knowledge--declarative, procedural, and conditional. Offers a sample lesson demonstrating the application of this approach for teaching a comprehension skill, and concludes with a discussion of how comprehension skill instruction in commercial…

Develops an understanding of the interactive nature of the reading process with a focus on vocabulary learning and formulates criteria, based on this understanding, to evaluate approaches to vocabulary development. (HOD)

Discusses what is meant by meaningful learning, the conditions necessary for meaningful learning to occur, the importance of vocabulary instruction to comprehension, and how to insure that vocabulary instruction is meaningful. (HOD)

Discusses three principles that characterize effective vocabulary instruction (contextual and definitional information, active processing, and multiple exposures) and describes how these principles can be used to modify and improve existing methods of teaching word meanings. (HOD)

Analyzes and compares the content of four reading journals for the years 1973 and 1983 on eight categories of comprehension instruction and three categories of comprehension follow-up and reveals an increase in the number of articles focusing on comprehension issues and practices. (DF)