Examines the comprehension of English conventional indirect requests by native English speakers and Japanese learners of English. Subjects read stories inducing either a conventional or a literal interpretation of a priming sentence. Results suggest that both native and nonnative speakers process both meanings of an ambiguous conventional request.…

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…

Reports on a project that traced the moment-by-moment thought processes of 17 tertiary students enrolled in undergraduate distance education programs as they interacted with textual materials in private study settings. Data are presented on selected mediating processes, including evaluation, linking, strategy planning, generating, metacognition,…

A research-in-progress report is presented on how students process second-language reading materials presented to them on the computer. The preliminary findings, based on log records generated by first- and second-semester Spanish students using "Recuerdos de Madrid" lessons, can help focus a research agenda for computer-assisted language learning…

Investigates the degree to which children and adult readers use semantic and syntactic information sources to increase speed of word recognition and to increase speed of determining sentence meaningfulness. Finds three developmental differences in the speed of analyzing these sentences for words/nonwords versus meaningfulness/nonmeaningfulness.…

Discusses the part reading and writing play in the whole language approach. Offers 11 recommendations to help teachers provide a functional approach to language development. (MG)

Critique on two overstatements about literacy: the illiteracy problem is much worse than many people think and is getting worse; and literacy development is both the cause and the solution to many social problems and will lead to economic development. Explores issues in literacy education such as skills versus processes, standardized testing,…

Offers a plan for changing the perception among teenagers that reading for pleasure is an activity of their childhood past. Suggests an elective Reading Workshop that allows students to share favorite books and authors, to read aloud and listen to others read aloud, and to discuss their reading processes and decisions. (PRA)

States that previous research shows links between children's reading comprehension and various writing skills but little is known about reading-writing relationships in adult students. Investigates such relationships in health-care workers attending an adult literacy program. Finds that writing of poorer readers showed significantly lower level of…

Discusses why print library collections are still important and will not be replaced by digital forms of information. Topics include technological improvement; reading from digital devices; universal conversion of library materials from print to digital form; digital communications; publishers and rights; data, information, and knowledge; and…

Notes "register" refers to the variety of language that is appropriate for a particular situational context. Examines young children's development of register switching expertise as they become independent readers through the intervention of a Reading Recovery program. Suggests that developing expertise in register switching may compose…

Examines 31 book club discussion guides prepared by major book publishers for book club readers to explore which particular ways of reading and discussing books they might sanction. Finds that they steer readers toward a rather narrow collection of academic reading practices (analytic and text-based) and away from other types of responses. (SR)

Argues that the way teachers and students transact with a piece of literature needs to change if teachers are to change the way students read and see themselves as readers. Suggests teachers need to support a variety of responses and avoid the tendency to reduce discussion to a search for a single main idea. Includes a brief response by Susan…

Defines "electronic books," and shares examples of prior research on the use of such environments to improve the reading fluency and comprehension of students with reading difficulties. Presents a taxonomy of the types of supportive resources that have emerged from efforts to design and research the use of electronic books, and presents…

Four experiments tested the self-teaching hypothesis of word learning. Findings indicated that: (1) minimizing phonological processing significantly attenuated orthographic learning; (2) reduced orthographic learning was not attributable to alternative factors; and (3) contribution of pure visual exposure to orthographic learning is marginal. It…