Reviews results of an experiment comparing the comprehension and recall of four groups: those who watched a videotape without taking notes; those who took notes while watching; those who took notes on questions in advance; those who orally replied to questions while watching. Comprehension was higher in the interactive groups. (MJP)

Identifies hindsight bias as the tendency to exaggerate one's ability to have foreseen the outcome of an event after learning the outcome. Describes a class project where students predicted the verdict of the O. J. Simpson trial one week before the verdict and hypothesized a jury response a month later. (MJP)

Four levels of a learner controlled multimedia/interactive videodisc (IVD) science program were administered to 60 second graders: IVD lesson only, comprehension monitoring only, teacher scaffolding only, and teacher scaffolding with comprehension monitoring. The teacher scaffolding with comprehension monitoring group scored highest, indicating…

Explores the hypothesis that the background knowledge effect, that is, familiarity with the topic, that enhances reading comprehension in a foreign language occurs only between two thresholds. Findings indicate that a lower threshold may exist, whereas the existence of an upper threshold is an open question. (50 references) (Author/CK)

Addresses the accessibility of texts produced by the Overseas Development Administration. This research analyzes a corpus of texts and shows that factors making the texts difficult include poor linguistic structure, contextual structure, conceptual structure, and unclear operationalisation of the reader-writer relationship. (18 references)…

Thirty-seven college students with learning disabilities were given a reading comprehension task under the following conditions: (1) using an optical character recognition/speech synthesis system; (2) having the text read aloud by a human reader; or (3) reading silently without assistance. Findings indicated that the greater the disability, the…

A review of the research on developing reading comprehension skills in students with learning disabilities found strongest outcomes for teacher-led questioning and self-questioning strategies, text enhancement strategies, and strategies involving basic skills instruction and reinforcement. (DB)

Examines four groups of readers: second-language (L2) intermediate; L2 advanced; first-language (L1) Japanese; and L1 English) when they processed and recalled two passages varying in degree of causal coherence. Findings indicate that L1 readers used much of their attention for higher level processes, whereas L2 readers paid more attention to…

Eighteen average readers and 18 less-skilled readers (grades 8 and 9) were presented with social studies and science passages via a computer either visually (on screen), auditorily (read by digitized voice), or bimodally (on screen, highlighted while being voiced). Less-skilled readers demonstrated comprehension in the bimodal condition equivalent…

Investigates whether children ages 1;6 just beginning to learn words can learn new words in a variety of nonostensive contexts. The results of two studies involving adults interacting with children in games of searching for objects suggest that from very early in language acquisition, children learn words through active attempts to understand…

Investigates the color term knowledge of two-year olds and the influence of schooling on their color term acquisition. Findings reveal considerable knowledge in these children. Conclusions are that contemporary children's early and frequent experience with color terms may account for this cohort's improved performance over previous generations of…

Examines the use of video for listening comprehension in material design and test construction and discusses test-takers' views about video-mediated listening assessment in an English-as-a-Second-Language class in Tokyo. Findings indicate that the learners liked video in listening comprehension tests and preferred video tests over audiocassette…

Presents a case for teaching the discourse-based features of English intonation to improve cross-cultural communication at receptive and productive stages. A systematic approach is suggested for teaching the pragmatic and discourse functions of English intonation through a consciousness-raising methodology that utilizes authentic oral texts. (34…

Presents a cross-linguistic and longitudinal study of language acquisition in adult migrant workers who acquire a new language without any formal instruction. The study investigates the ways in which adult second language learners use interactions with target language speakers to learn to understand. (20 references) (Author/CK)

Discusses teaching the use of reading strategies to students to improve understanding of their reading processes. The article points out that the speed with which a teacher introduces new strategies depends on whether the students identify strategies easily and articulate strategy use as they read. This approach has potential for students at all…