Finds that student discussion in peer-led groups enabled students to express themselves more fully, permitted them to explore topics of interest, and allowed them to recognize and resolve episodes of conflict better than students in teacher-led groups. Suggests that decentralized participation structures produced richer and more complex…

Finds that assisted practice significantly improved the text reading rates and reading comprehension scores of the experimental groups compared to the control group, although some gains did not reach statistical significance. Finds that listening while reading resulted in twice the amount of reading as the other method and led to higher scores on…

Finds that the strongest predictor of motivation was the literacy task: during open tasks, children used more reading strategies, persisted longer, and controlled their attention better regardless of instructional condition (whole language or basal). Suggests that researchers examine how students actually interact with literacy contexts. (RS)

Uses the author's experiences as a less-able member of a university choir as metaphor for how less-able readers experience the demands of learning a complex symbol system. Translates the positive experiences as a choir member into classroom contexts. Advocates choral reading, heterogeneous grouping, regular opportunities for practice, limitation…

Investigates the effectiveness of the story impression method--a prewriting activity that develops a schema for ideas found in the story. Suggests that students enjoy using the story clues to write a prestory. Finds that story impressions are a powerful tool for helping all readers (including remedial readers) improve their comprehension. Appends…

The debate among major theorists of the whole-language approach (Kenneth Goodman and Frank Smith) and their critics (e.g., Philip Gough) is summarized. It concludes that the Goodman/Smith theoretical position has not stood the test of time, though some of their instructional recommendations may be valid for other reasons. (Author/DB)

Reports findings from the second year of a three-year study following four children from a prekindergarten Head Start program through first grade. Investigates the impact of kindergarten instruction on the development of literacy. Suggests that children may define writing and reading as their teachers' instructional practices dictate. (SR)

Examines the responses of preschoolers to a number of print design features in various genres of alphabet picture books. Discusses the authors' personal stance on the language learning and language teaching that occurs during these encounters with alphabet books. Ponders the published criteria presented by children's literature experts for…

Investigates factors measured by several tests of reading comprehension. Four different factor analyses consistently resulted in Efficiency Level factor when there was one factor; when there were two factors, one was interpreted as Accuracy Level and the other as Rate Level factor. Finds that the most important factor involved is Efficiency Level,…

Discusses research on home literacy environments, the values of reading aloud, independent reading, literature and writing, and literature in the language arts curriculum. (RS)

Describes emergent literacy behaviors of five year olds and correlates them with scores on a standardized reading readiness test in kindergarten and a reading achievement test in third grade. Finds significant correlations, thus supporting the validity of literacy-related interpretations arising from these emergent literacy tasks. (SR)

Examined children's reading difficulties from the perspectives of the children, their parents, and their teachers. Finds that children, parents, and teachers may not define problems with literacy learning in the same ways and that these differences could influence remedial efforts at home and at school. (RS)

Discusses the role and function of storybook reading in early childhood classrooms and reviews studies examining the effects of story reading on literacy development. Concludes that the interaction between child, adult, and text during story reading facilitates literacy development. (MM)

Compares the reliability and validity of the 10 subtests of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) obtained from 99 developmental college students with norming values obtained in an earlier study. Indicates that 9 out of 10 subtest reliability coefficients approached but did not equal the earlier study. (HB)

Discusses 3 different categories of literacy programs discerned in observations of 37 kindergarten classrooms over an 8-year period: maturationist teachers, basal teachers, and emergent literacy teachers. Provides perceived rationales for the existence of these categories. (SR)