An 11 page chapter from a sixth grade social studies text was used in a study assessing the complexities of comprehending social studies materials and the sensitivity of prospective and experienced teachers to these complexities. A sentence-by-sentence analysis of the thinking operations required for mastery of the material showed that numerous…

A study was conducted to investigate children's ability to deal with multiple meaning words in isolation and in context. Four low-ability students and four high-ability students from grades two, four, and six were shown nouns rated at the prefourth, presixth, and pretenth grade levels, and asked to give the meaning of the words. Students received…

A study was conducted to compare the relative importance of several different variables from different theoretical perspectives in explaining how children understood the advertising on commercial television. Sixty-seven first and third grade students were interviewed individually to assess their current stage of logical operations and role taking,…

Certain aspects of the reading process have suggested that second language reading skills are determined to some extent by native language reading skills. Some of this research is reviewed here and an experiment is described in which the reading skills in Spanish and English of three groups of Spanish speakers learning English are compared.…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 21 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the effectiveness of media presentations in teaching research skills; language as a means of increasing perception; language arts curriculum planning and execution…

The technical characteristics of the reading criterion referenced tests administered to pupils in grades 4, 8, and 11 as part of the Louisiana State Assessment of Reading are described. Fourth and eighth grade tests include vocabulary, phonetic and structural analysis, comprehension and study skills; eleventh grade tests include vocabulary, word…

A study of children's syntax from a transformational perspective was initiated to explore the following areas: syntactic differences between narrative, descriptive, expository, and argumentative writing, and the relation of these differences to IQ, sex, and reading comprehension; the relation of syntax content; and the relation of children's…

This paper reports an investigation of inferencing in Form Five of the Reading Comprehension component of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. The first step in the investigation consisted of an analysis of the language of the test to determine how the inferencing strategies employed might serve to mask answers. This preliminary analysis suggested that…

Reading and social studies instruction in 39 third- through sixth-grade classrooms in central Illinois was observed in a study designed to determine whether elementary school classrooms provide comprehension instruction. Among the findings were that practically no comprehension instruction was seen but that comprehension assessment, usually…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 20 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the effect of vocabulary instruction on the comprehension of poor readers; contextual methods of teaching sight words to elementary remedial readers; the effects…

This teaching guide accompanies the speech skills and reading comprehension portions of a course in English as a second language for adult nursing aide students. The rationale of course organization is explained. The reading teacher is given general instructions on testing and review and the use of Cloze passages. The speech teacher is provided…

Book three, part one, of an intermediate-advanced level German refresher course for college students ls presented. The volume consists of 42 lessons of text material and 42 prerecorded tapes. A typical unit is made up of spontaneous dialogues, substitution drills, and tests. A dialogue for listening is a short conversation between German speakers…

Book three, part two, of an intermediate-advanced level German refresher course for college students is presented. The volume consists of 42 lessons of text material and 42 prerecorded tapes. A typical unit is made up of spontaneous dialogues, substitution drills, and tests. A dialogue for listening is a short conversation between German speakers…

An advanced reading text designed for use with a basic course in Persian offered by the Defense Language Institute is presented. The course is an intensive program for native English speakers. The book, which is an adaptation of material originally developed in Iran, is used when the students have completed volumes one to eight. The material is…

In a study designed to validate oral language proficiency tests, it is planned to administer a series of tests to 100 native Mandarin Chinese-speaking subjects (foreign students and their spouses). The tests will measure communicative competence in speaking (ability to speak, exhibiting control of linguistic, sociolinguistic, and pragmatic rules;…