Studies children from three first grade Chapter 1 classrooms to determine whether the use of recorded books as a supplement to a basal reader program would make a significant difference between reading pretest and posttest scores. Finds that students' test scores in word attack skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral reading skills improved.…

Finds that a combination of high letter-sound knowledge and print feedback facilitated awareness of phonemes among nonreaders, but awareness of rhymes was not facilitated by high letter-sound knowledge or print feedback. Suggests that the definition of literacy used with bidirectional, causal models of phonological awareness be expanded. (RS)

Describes a joint literacy program between Drexel University in Philadelphia and the Center for Literacy which is based on three nonintrusive instructional procedures: the language-experience approach, individualized reading, and expressive writing. Presents case studies of three adult learners. Evaluates the program's effectiveness. (SR)

Provides a profile of the learning-disabled adolescent student. Supports a child-centered, whole-language philosophy of teaching advocating literature-based instruction across the curriculum for such learners. Analyzes written and verbal responses of three male students to determine the potential of such an educational approach. (HB)

Provides a case study of one Chinese boy's experience learning to read in Great Britain. Compares the formal didactic approach of the Chinese school with the developmental approach of the English reception school. Shows how many contributory factors influence student learning and argues for fuller appreciation of this fact. (HB)

Investigates whether so-called poor spellers who are good readers are indeed good readers. Finds that three college students who appeared to be poor spellers but good readers were inefficient readers who committed numerous errors while reading aloud. Concludes that reading aloud and spelling involve phonological mediation and are not completely…

Shows that teachers often severely underestimate the literacy abilities of Navajo children. Makes the case for creating school literacy environments that build on the literacy orientation children bring with them from home and that provide opportunities to experience literacy in a wide variety of functional and purposive contexts. (RS)

Surveys 315 fourth- and fifth-grade inner city and suburban children from Virginia and Ohio about their "most favorite" book, with titles categorized by literary genre. Finds little overlap with individual titles but emergence of some genre patterns--girls favoring realistic fiction and boys selecting fantasy; inner city children…

Considers the relationship between decoding and sight-word reading. Investigates whether to use the whole-word method or to build decoding skills before introducing sight words. Sets up five goals to address these issues. Concludes that sight-word reading instruction is likely to be successful if decoding skills are firmly established first. (SC)

Reviews classroom-based studies on alternative literacy assessment. Suggests that alternative assessments in some cases tapped elements of the reading process that are more difficult to assess through traditional testing practices and created an impetus for some teachers to explore certain instructional issues. Finds little information on the…

Examines the effects of exposures to children's literature through reading aloud and an inferencing strategy on low-reading-ability fifth-grade readers' sense of story structure and reading comprehension. Uses an experimental/control group repeated measures design. Finds that this study is consistent with other research that indicates the…

Examines how individual differences in epistemological beliefs, strength of beliefs, and need for cognition affected the written conclusions that 11th graders constructed after reading a passage presenting arguments opposing and supporting gun control. (SR)

Targeted to a wide audience, this book is a highly readable, nontechnical work without sacrificing the informative value offered by the relevant empirical research. The book is organized into three sections that discuss why it's difficult to learn to read; existing scientific evidence in reading research; and practical solutions, based on the…

Reading researchers are under attack by policy makers and others outside the field who want a quick, easy method for teaching students to read. Although common ground exists, nothing points to any single best way to teach reading. What matters most is the teacher, flexible approaches, and student interests. Contains 17 references. (MLH)

Engages students in critical thinking about what they read and involves students in authentic literacy activities by implementing a semester-long pen pal program. Examines the nature of the letters, categorizes the kinds of questions asked, and notes the patterns of communications between the pen pal pairs in order to glean the benefits to both…