Relates children's extracurricular reading to their reading achievement scores to determine whether good readers read more and whether more frequent reading improved reading proficiency. Finds that preexisting reading proficiency and engagement in extracurricular reading both had significant effects on current reading achievement, although the…

Finds that under certain conditions topic interest and prior knowledge can influence developmental-college-student-generated questions and that differential patterns of question construction emerge in multiple-choice and essay conditions. (SR)

Examines the efficacy of three assisted reading techniques designed to address reading fluency deficits: repeated reading, oral previewing, and tape-recorded assistance. Reviews procedures and the research base for each. Discusses classroom implications. (SR)

Presents a review of the research on questioning skills. Discusses possible reasons why these skills are not being used in the classroom as often as they could or should be used. Explores various questioning strategies and how they can be used in the classroom to develop higher quality student thinking. (SR)

Studies how readers process text in the absence or presence of a relevant schema. Analyzes the results of a study in which subjects were required to read vague texts. Indicates that schemas affect on-line comprehension and that reading without a schema involves certain key strategies. (HB)

Reviews the literature concerning the role of play therapy (particularly sandplay and nondirected play therapy) in the improvement of reading. Suggests that the role of play therapy is to support the child, encourage the child, and build self-esteem thus creating the optimal learning environment for reading improvement. (RS)

Contends article by K. Smith, V. Reina, and C. Brainerd in same "Kappan" issue demeans author's own evidence based on many years of observing actual children; research preferred by reading skills proponents is derived from experimental situations under manipulative conditions. Context is everything, and teacher's role is central. Evaluating all…

Reviews research on the accuracy with which teachers make judgments about their students' reading achievement. Shows that the average teacher is fairly accurate in this regard, though individual differences among teachers are considerable. (SR)

Finds considerable instability across two administrations of Carbo's Reading Styles Inventory (RSI), for both the reading methods and the recommended adjustments for implementing the methods. Finds it unlikely that reported benefits from adjusting instruction based on the RSI derive from matching a method to assessed style. (SR)

Compares elementary cognitive processes (memory access, memory span, simultaneous and successive processing, and word reading) to spelling performance in average and reading-disabled children. Finds no classroom ability group differences in cognitive processing. Notes consistent differences in letter memory access and word reading by poorer…

Investigates effects of length of passage, type of test expected, and subject matter on three outcome variables: retention of information, reading speed, and highlighting patterns. Finds reading speed and highlighting substantially affected by passage length. Provides evidence that much of the previous reading comprehension research may not permit…

Observes the range of reading and writing activities engaged in by eighth grade students. Finds that students constructed different literacy practices to signal membership status in various clubs. Notes that membership extends the theory of authentic literacy by highlighting how teachers might promote the authentic literacies valued by educators.…

Describes the responses of children in kindergarten through second grade to reading aloud. Finds a proclivity toward a wide range of play with the action, sound, and rhythm of language related to the book's content. Suggests that verbal exclamations such as laughter, changing facial expressions, and imitative gestures are legitimate features of…

Examines the effects of onset and rime awareness on children's recognition of spelling patterns in written words. Reports that onset-rime awareness was associated with word ending similarities, whereas word beginning analogies appeared to involve higher-level phonological skills. Suggests longitudinal research regarding the issue. (SG)

Examines the instructional practice of using predictable books exclusively to increase the reading comprehension of average first grade students. Compares the efficacy of this practice with traditional basal instruction. Finds that using predictable books improves overall reading comprehension, and that literature webbing strategy resulted in…