Reviews research on lexical access (the process of getting information about a word from a mental dictionary). Discusses implications for comprehension development. Suggests that individual differences in comprehension depend on speed of lexical access as well as on speed of decoding. (SR)

Finds that the strategies used by children with hearing impairments to invent spellings were developmentally and phonologically similar to those used by hearing children. (SR)

Investigates the effects of asking interspersed questions or no questions in three full-length stories on the summarization behaviors of sixth graders. Finds that the approach students used in writing summaries may be influenced by the structure and length of the story and that interspersed story-focused questions influenced selection and accuracy…

Describes a revision of the Names Test, an easy-to-administer phonics assessment. Describes what was done to increase the test's category reliability, to further examine the test's validity, and to enhance its usability. (SR)

Investigates how structural variables influence readers' construction of meaning. Finds that textual variables operate differently depending on the extent of the readers' background knowledge and linguistic competence. Shows that variable such as exposure to reading materials (in both first and second languages), background knowledge, and…

Investigates whether children who speak Kannada (a Dravidian language from South India) show the same pattern of specific dyslexia as children who speak European languages. Finds evidence of a consistent pattern in specific dyslexia which did not depend on any one writing system or geographical location. (RS)

Argues that informal reading inventories (IRI) and the cloze procedure may provide inaccurate information and inhibit the progress of poor readers. Examines the concept of frustration level in both IRI and cloze testing. Posits that, in attempting to avoid frustrating students, educators fail to provide students with sufficient challenges.…

Summarizes three recent Dutch studies in the field of functional text research (text which has concrete goals that must be achieved by lay readers). Focuses on the use of and failure to use software manuals, the minimalist approach and learning styles, and the effect of using decision tables. (SR)

Shows that color blindness, whether partial or total, inhibits literacy acquisition. Offers a case study of a third grader with impaired color vision. Presents a review of literature on the topic. Notes that people with color vision deficits are often unaware of the handicap. (RS)

Investigates whether perceptions of literacy acquisition held by parents of young children are consistent with an emergent literacy model. Finds the following: some high-literate parents held traditional assumptions about literacy; parents supported some aspects of emergent literacy much more than they did others; and some parents retained…

Discusses how four teachers with similar beliefs teaching at two different schools catering to radically different school populations altered their teaching practice to fit the specific culture of their school. Reviews existing research on theory practice relationship and calls for further research on the role of classroom context. (RS)

Investigates the validity of imagery ratings and reports as measures of reader response to a story and the similarity of final regression models for recall and imagery reports. Finds imagery ratings of story paragraphs predict both imagery reports and recall of a second, independent group of readers, lending convergent construct validity to these…

Examines the word frequency studies that preceded the 1944 Thorndike-Lorge count and places those investigations in their broad, cultural perspective. Draws attention to the impact of the studies on knowledge about language and its development, educational curriculum and assessment, and methods of research. (MG)

Reviews reading research conducted to show the benefits of closed-captioned television. Demonstrates how it presents an interesting alternative for reading and writing instruction. (MG)

Looks at the features of teacher-guided discussions of literature that led elementary students toward constructing a theme for a story. Shows how students can profitably explore theme in the literature they are reading and provides an alternative to the directed reading activity format that has become typical of small group reading instruction.…