Presents a discourse-based interview with John McPhee focusing attention on particular choices McPhee makes. Notes that probes (statements about McPhee texts by other readers) led to a more general discussion of the writer-reader relationship. Discusses how these two methods together afford an illuminating glimpse of McPhee at work. (MG)

Good and poor readers in grades 3-5 read stories 4 times in succession, crossing out misspelled words as they read (the misspellings changed each time). Reading times for good, and especially poor, readers decreased across repeated readings, and spelling errors were detected better on later readings by both groups, suggesting that the print was…

Studies error detection by Swedish children. Finds that the sixth-grade children were better at the task, that errors were easiest to detect while listening, that errors were easiest to detect from paper copy, but that fourth graders detected more errors when reading from the moving window. (RS)

Investigates the effects of pictorial and textual glosses and a combination thereof on incidental vocabulary growth of foreign language learners. Subjects from second-semester German classes read a narrative text passage under one of three marginal gloss conditions: textual gloss (English translation); pictorial gloss; and text and pictures in the…

Reports an experiment investigating similarities and differences in basic processing involved in the word reading of second-language learners of English. The investigation specifically targeted phonological and orthographic processes in the context of language transfer from native language to second language during reading tasks. (Author/VWL)

Two experiments examined the influence of phonological and semantic processes on 4- to 6-year olds' ability to learn to read words. Results indicated that children learned phonetic cues better than control cues and that learning was influenced by both the phonetic properties of the cue and the imageability of the words used. (Author/KB)

Examines how undergraduate readers monitor and evaluate the concerns of characters over the course of a narrative. Discusses what kinds of evaluation the reader makes, what the reader evaluates, the functions that these evaluative inferences serve in comprehension, and the multiple perspectives (character, narrator, or presenter) taken by the…

Measured nonword reading, exception word reading, and performance with Ternus apparent movement displays (the perception of which is believed to depend upon the magnocellular and parvocellular pathways) in dyslexic children and children without reading difficulties. Found that Ternus task performance was related to nonword reading ability but not…

A study involving 26 Spanish students (ages 14 through 18) and teachers found that, although some Braille reading processes were similar to those of reading printed text, Braille readers did not show any sensitivity to sublexical variables or to most of the variables that were assumed to be related to integration processes. (Author/CR)

Investigates the extent to which forward inferences are activated and encoded during reading, as well as their prevalence and their time course. Finds that inferences were encoded and retained in working memory in both high- and low-predictability conditions, and that high-predictability forward inferences were encoded into long-term memory.…

Notes that less skilled readers have difficulty suppressing active, but irrelevant, information during comprehension. Investigates whether the mechanism responsible for suppressing the inappropriate meaning of a word is an automatic process or a strategic, controlled one. Finds that less skilled readers may have difficulty executing a strategic…

Argues that conversations about books should be everyday occurrences in classrooms. Suggests that busy reading teachers try retellings. Includes a sample lesson. (RS)

Replicates, using diverse quotations grouped under four metaphors (dreamcatcher, gatekeeper, spider web, safety net) representing the dissonance of the reading/writing processes as they might be experienced by basic skills readers. Questions the relationship of basic skills to its students; implements D. Bartholomae's recommendations to reform of…

Replicates a study of a "common unit" task which includes modifications to the original procedure. Confirms the pattern observed in the original study: beginning readers learning by a mixed method can identify shared phonemes but not shared rimes in the common unit task. Discusses implications. (RS)

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…