Little evidence exists to support Marie Carbo's notion that matching teaching methods to individual reading styles is superior to more traditional instructional approaches. This article refutes Carbo's claim that children can be readily divided into reading styles and that matching instructional and reading styles will produce better student…

Surveys numerous young adult novels that contain homosexual themes and characters. Finds that the representation of homosexual experience falls into three broad categories: novels depicting homosexuality as a "tragic flaw"; novels in which adolescent homosexuality became increasingly complex and decreasingly moralistic; and novels in…

Describes two cases of developmental dyslexia in whom learning to read English as compared to Kannada and Hindi (two Indian scripts) were differentially affected. Discusses implications for the understanding of reading acquisition and models of reading. (RS)

Examines relationships between levels of phonological awareness and early reading ability. Finds significant correlations between metaphonological abilities and reading for kindergarteners but weak or nonexistent correlations in the tasks involving sensitivity to phonological similarities for first graders. Notes that all children who developed…

Suggests that the paradigm wars in literacy research have yet to find questions that can be answered. Formulates a series of questions that might be answered. Notes that researchers have searched for univariate explanations in a multivariate domain, ignored important and relevant work of others, fostered division rather than cooperation, and have…

Responds to "A Symposium on the Usefulness of Literacy Research" in the same issue of this journal. Maintains that Alan Purves totally misreads the author's theory of reading approaches. Explains that "efferent reading" and "aesthetic reading" are not discrete categories but terms on a continuum. (TB)

Discusses "Little Daylight," an original fairy tale that lies within George MacDonald's children's book "At the Back of the North Wind." Shows how the tale encapsulates some of MacDonald's key philosophical concepts, and subverts numerous expectations a reader may bring to the fairy-tale genre. (SR)

Reports results of an extensive field test of a reading attitudes survey. Finds that students tend to demonstrate mildly favorable attitudes in grades 2-6, but these attitudes deteriorate to neutral to mildly unfavorable attitudes in the fifth and sixth grade. (RS)

Examines the relative effectiveness of dictionary definitions and definitions revised to address problems found in traditional definitions. Finds that revised definitions led to significantly more responses that demonstrated a characteristic use of the word. Concludes that revised definitions were more effective in helping students understand…

Finds that individuals judged to be high in print exposure displayed more extensive vocabularies and cultural knowledge than those with low print exposure, even after differences in age and education were controlled. Suggests a more prominent role for print exposure in theories of individual differences in cognitive development. (RS)

Explores how asking students to abstract a theme statement from a literary text as a main reading objective can actually disempower students' reading experience. Bases the claims on original research on how 288 readers read a short story. Considers how teachers might more profitably talk about theme. (HB)

Investigates whether there were differences in locating discrete information in printed versus computerized text. Finds that computer searching tended to be more time consuming and less efficient than printed text searching. Finds no difference between computer and text conditions in total number of correct answers located. (SR)

Discusses Keith Stanovich's essay "Romance and Reality" published in the December 1993/January 1994 issue of "Reading Teacher." Reviews Stanovich's arguments about reading research relating to phonics, reading processes, phonological awareness, and reading difficulties. (RS)

Responds to an article in the same issue of the journal presenting a meta-analysis of reading research. Suggests that the metastudy is well conceived, yet its disembodied perspective, devoid of any mention of an actual teacher, student, or school, is emblematic of how far the frames, questions, and methods deemed important have taken reading…

Responds to an article in the same issue of the journal presenting a meta-analysis of reading research. Expresses concern that the authors' conclusions will promote a slavish adherence to a methodology and a rigidity of thought that reading researchers can ill afford. (RS)