Discusses the implications of Goswami and Bryant's (1990) theory about important causal connections in reading for classroom teaching, and reviews more recent "rhyme and analogy" research within this framework. Discusses new research on the nature of the English spelling system and the representation of linguistic knowledge. Emphasizes the…

Compares two views about the importance of environmental print in children's learning experiences. Assesses environmental print knowledge in non-reading preschool children and relates it to word recognition training. Finds words from the known logos were more readily learned than the matching control words, but only in Study 1 were the known logo…

Explores the notion of masculinities and the impact that social contexts and power relations have on how boys display and practice masculinity as they participate in literacy activities. Presents a quick overview of the study in which the activity took place. Concludes that educators must continue to challenge existing practices of gender in order…

Analyzes research in the phonics section of the Report of the National Reading Panel to examine what the data, as opposed to the Panel's interpretation and reporting of the data, say about the role of phonics in reading instruction. Suggests the methodology of the Report is flawed, and results reported in the Summary are not supported by the…

Assesses fifteen 7- to 12-year-old blind children using standardized measures of intelligence, spelling and reading. Finds they performed poorer when reading than their chronological age would predict. Compares blind and age-matched children's ability to segment heard words, which are written in Braille with and without contractions. Finds words…

Considers Goswami's (1999) review of available evidence for and against the role of phonological rime awareness and analogy theory, concluding much of the evidence fits an alternative (non-rime) interpretation. Explores implications from this evidence for teaching and the role of rime analogy should play in the British National Curriculum. (SG)

Presents three studies where children in mainstream schools compared text on white paper with identical text covered in turn by each of 10 differently-colored plastic overlays. Shows consistency with regard to the proportion of children in mainstream education who report beneficial perceptual effects with colored overlays and who demonstrate…

Considers the stance of literacy educators and researchers toward technology, and where technology is with respect to other concerns about reading and writing processes, learning, multiculturalism, texts, assessment, and socio-cultural contexts. Concludes that technologies do not oppose, replace, enhance, or otherwise stand apart from literacy,…

Examines conditions under which readers experience intense engagement in a text, termed "optimal experience" or "flow." Reports on two studies examining flow during reading. Concludes that (1) texts for pleasure reading or interest reading provided more flow; (2) fiction was more likely to produce flow than nonfiction; and (3)…

Investigates the nature and range of materials available through school book clubs in the United States. Finds that the clubs offered a wide range of books that extend beyond contemporary realistic fiction. (SR)

Research findings from autopsy studies, neuroimaging, functional imaging, and electrophysiological measures specific to dyslexia have provided a better understanding of the reading process, particularly as it applies to individuals with dyslexia. Evidence from these studies pertaining to the neurological origins of dyslexia is reviewed, and…

Looks at the role of paragraphing on the identification of and memory for main ideas as compared to elaborative information in expository passages. Finds that paragraph manipulation had a greater effect on the differentiation of main ideas and elaborations when passage content was less familiar. (RS)

Investigates effects of issue-related emotional involvement on reading comprehension. Notes that three groups of eighth graders read silently about a basketball game that ended in a fight--two groups were highly emotionally involved with the teams while the third group was emotionally uninvolved with the teams. Finds that emotional involvement can…

Provides a description of a visual/reading difficulty, the interventions used to circumvent learning difficulties, and the compensations used to accommodate to a regular classroom system. Suggests that students with visual deficiencies can demonstrate learning strategies and critical-thinking skills through proper diagnosis and one-to-one coaching…

Looks at the spectrum of motivations children bring into the classroom and discusses how these motivations connect to instruction. Shows that intrinsic motivations sustain long-term literacy learning; extrinsic motivation controls behavior temporarily; intrinsic motivations are needed in integrated instruction; and extrinsic motivations are needed…