Simplification of reading materials for lower-level English for special purposes (ESP) instruction may make texts comprehensible, but it may not make them much different from texts written 50 years ago. What will make them different is their authenticity, an approach characteristic of ESP, even at the lowest levels. However, authenticity is often…

"Motivation" is a regular column feature in issues of the journal "The Reading Teacher." Each column presents techniques for motivating students to read that have been submitted by readers of the journal. This compilation gathers together ten columns appearing across 1984-1985. The ten columns deal with the following topics: (1) listening and…

Designed for graduate students supervising undergraduate work in a reading clinic, this practicum manual provides guidelines and materials needed for the graduate section of the Reading Practicum (Methods of Teaching Reading II) at Indiana University Southeast. In addition to the syllabus, which includes course description and objectives, course…

Reading comprehension can be more effectively taught using new instructional frameworks--such as explicit comprehension instruction--rather than the basal reading model. Traditionally, comprehension has been taught through a process of mentioning the skill that students should apply, practicing the skill in workbooks, and assessing student…

The major purpose of this book is to describe the basis, features, and future of the whole language movement. Topics included in the book include: (1) a description of what is known about language and language development; (2) presentation of a whole language perspective on literacy development, involving both reading and writing; (3) presentation…

In February 1988, a survey was conducted to examine placement procedures and developmental reading programs at two- and four-year colleges in New York State. Surveys were mailed to 30 two-year colleges and 28 four-year colleges, requesting information on the placement tests and cut-off scores used; types of additional diagnostic testing; course…

The parents' role as teacher is important to a child's learning process. Parents tutoring their children are advised to remain positive and patient, be aware of the child's feelings, keep the tutoring time short, select a quiet place away from distractions, use games and manipulative objects rather than more abstract experiences, etc. Informal…

All first, second, and third grade teachers in one rural southwestern school district were observed to find out (1) what they were doing while their reading groups read stories, (2) whether they changed their teaching strategies when they changed reading groups, and (3) whether their strategies during story reading changed from grade to grade.…

The Direct Instruction Follow Through program of enhanced instruction for children in kindergarten through grade 3 was introduced in 1968 in schools serving disadvantaged students in 180 communities throughout the United States. To determine the long-term effects of the program, a study compared the performance of the first three cohorts of Follow…

A study investigated whether reading comprehension would improve if children were made aware of story grammar and were asked schema-related questions. Subjects were 33 fifth grade students, half scoring on or above grade level and half scoring below grade level on the reading section of the Metropolitan Achievement Tests. During 11 sessions, 45…

This manual presents a program of instruction, the Basic Skills Instructional System, which coordinates a number of teaching strategies into a single instructional system. Section 1 describes the organizational phase of the system: (1) teacher expectation; (2) resistance from low achieving students; (3) avoiding confrontations; (4) management of…

A study was conducted to determine whether voice support helps children learn to read. Voice support involves reading to children while they follow the text, either informally as in bedtime reading, or formally, as in teacher or audiotaped readings of stories in the classroom. Subjects, 64 children just entering school, were unfamiliar with the 12…

This is one of a series of reports which provide definitions of and descriptive data on the variables used in the Comparative Study of Phase IV of the Individually Guided Education (IEG) Evaluation Project. Phase IV investigated three curriculum programs specifically designed to be compatible with instructional programming for the individual…

The 1983-84 State Compensatory Education (SCE) Program in the Austin Independent School District included several components at the elementary and secondary levels. In 18 elementary schools, 16 full-time and one half-time SCE teachers provided assistance to students at or below the 30th percentile in either language arts/reading or math.…

If lack of excellence in the public schools is a problem, it does not follow naturally that teachers and their preparation are the only elements in society at fault. However, it may be that teachers and teacher preparation have not kept pace with societal changes and expectations. To most students it appears that the purpose of education is to…