Subjects instructed to circle misspellings while reading prose were less likely to detect misspellings in function than in content words. Misspellings that changed the shape of a word were more likely to be detected. It is not clear whether differences between function and content words are due to familiarity or redundancy. (Author/RD)

High frequency words typed in normal and alternating case were presented tachistoscopically in the fovea and parafovea to children and adults. Dependent measures were percentages of letters and words correct. Few differences between age groups were found. Serial position curves also showed similarities across grades in the parafoveal information…

Two experiments demonstrated that a priori expectations and context increase the benefit gained from a preview of a word in parafoveal vision. Subjects named visually presented words preceded by a "preview" stimulus with and without constraints. Subjects combine two sources of information so as to derive a benefit. (Author/RD)

Points out the techniques and practices school librarians intuitively use to encourage and enhance reading by children and notes that cooperation between instructors and librarians can do much to improve children's reading skills. (RAA)

Distinguishes "aesthetic reading," in which readers are absorbed in the experience of making meaning from verbal signs, from "efferent reading" (reading for information); indicates how recent findings about language acquisition support this model of the reading process; and suggests implications for reading instruction, with emphasis on the…

Reports on a study that used the cloze procedure to investigate the hypothesized processing differences of seventh- grade "difference" readers (those with high vocabulary scores and depressed reading comprehension scores) and "deficit" readers (those with both low vocabulary and comprehension scores). Results failed to support "difference/deficit"…

Presents an instructional strategy--the "parallel lesson transfer"--for teaching students to identify main ideas. The lessons involve students in viewing pictures, listening, oral reading, and silent reading. (JT)

A number of classroom techniques are presented that illustrate the diversity of competencies necessary to reading in a second language, even more complex in their many combinations. It is proposed that evaluation of reading competence is difficult, if not impossible, by anyone but the student. (MSE)

Provides information concerning the value of letter names in the teaching of reading and spelling. Presents specific discussions about the importance of letter names to prereading phonics abilities, the phonemic values in letter names, and the use of letter names in word analysis, semantic word recognition, and semantic spelling. (MKM)

Argues that the extent of a child's sense of story influences the child's prediction of syntax and comprehension. Suggests ways for teachers to encourage children to develop their sense of story. (RL)

Describes a study that explored the effects of cultural background on American and Indian readers' comprehension and recall of two passages concerning American and Indian wedding customs. Reports that subjects recalled more of the text elements from both passages rated as important by other subjects with the same cultural heritage. (MKM)

Reports on three experiments that: (1) extend the findings of Scarborough et al. (1977) that exposure to single words facilitates lexical judgments of single words, and (2) suggest that recency of exposure may contribute to word "frequency" effects in reading and in learning from written material. (Author/AM)

A target paragraph was embedded in one passage where the target was of major importance, and one where it was of minor importance. Free recall, reading time, and usage of cognitive capacity were measured. There was greater recall when the target was important. The selective-attention hypothesis was not supported. (Author/GDC)

Affirms that Piaget's theory is superior to behaviorism in fostering learning. (FL)

Presents a theoretical model of reading that takes into account the principal differences between skilled and deficient readers; describes a study that tested the relevance of the model by comparing good, average, and poor partially sighted readers and by studying how training affected the reading process. (GT)