An approach to teaching writing and reading to learning disabled adolescents involves controlling the vowel from the simplist word constructions to the most difficult of orthographic constructions. Teaching strategies are based on a model that views most words as regular (categorical)--some more regular (categorical) than others. (Author)

Applies a taxonomy to a review of the methods used to study mental processes in reading that divides the methods into simultaneous or successive and obtrusive or unobtrusive; the taxonomy proved useful in describing encoding and memory processes. (AEA)

Tests the expectation that visual support would be beneficial in phonemic segmentation prior to formal reading and spelling instruction. Trains one group of preschoolers with diagrams and alphabet letters as visual support--another group was trained without visual help. Finds that training helped, but finds visual support useful in phonemic…

Examines the acquisition of a reading vocabulary for abstract and concrete words in 62 second-grade children--words had been learned in basals or outside. Uses two tasks to examine concrete and abstract words. Finds that in neither task did concreteness influence reaction times, and abstract words were read with less accuracy than concrete words.…

Compares the predictive value of rime spellings in English to other types of regularities beyond the level of the single letter. Computer-analyzes a list of 24,000 written words, each paired with its corresponding pronunciation. Reveals that only a small number of rime spellings are highly regular in pronunciations. Suggests English spelling is…

Studies the relationship between decoding and comprehension in the oral and written modalities. Shows that poor decoders scored lower than average and good decoders on all comprehension tasks. Suggests a high degree of interdependence between listening comprehension, reading comprehension and decoding. Interprets results in favor of the…

Describes a reading lesson for first graders in which phonics is taught both explicitly and contextually. Discusses three prerequisite understandings about print that make learning to read much easier for children. Advocates a balanced approach toward literacy instruction that helps children integrate what they already know with new strategies,…

Describes a tool for finding texts that match children's decoding skills. Begins with an overview of current thinking and research on the use of decodable text in beginning reading instruction. Presents five steps to show how teachers can locate decodable texts that match and supplement their phonics instruction. (SG)

Considers how struggling readers may pronounce each syllable more or less correctly when reading a longer word, but without the proper alternating emphasis and de-emphasis characteristic of natural, recognizable speech. Uses a three-part rhyme to determine the relationship between suffixes and stress. Presents some suggestions for helping students…

Reports investigations of some of the factors that affect novice readers' decoding of nonwords. Finds that children aged 7, 8, and 10 assigned more correct pronunciations to nonwords with many orthographic neighbors than those which had few. Discusses results in light of current models. Suggests that a connectionist model with word-level…

Distinguishes between two meanings of literacy that have been conflated: the ability to read and write, and the broader concept of being educated. Presents three arguments: literacy is not social; literacy is not political; and the comprehension part of literacy is a relative matter, while the ability to decode is not. (RS)

After training in the Strategies Intervention Model, 27 correctional educators found that word decoding was successful with youth offenders, goal setting less effective. Paraphrasing and test taking were inconclusive. Academic teachers had greater success than vocational teachers, who suggested that job analysis would help determine the most…

Seymour Chatman's kernel/satellite theory is used to analyze the plot of John Galsworthy's short story, "The Japanese Quince." The theory considers the distinction between major events (kernels) and the minor supplementary ones (satellites) in a narrative as an easily proven psychological reality. (six references) (LB)

Two young autistic children exhibited normal reading comprehension but reading speeds considerably faster than controls. The effect of randomizing word order was minimal for the older of the two autistic boys. Results indicate that efficient grapheme-phoneme conversion is primarily responsible for the fast reading of the autistic children.…

Investigates the relationships among pronunciation level (decoding), verbal level (listening), and accuracy level (reading) in grades 1 to 6, and for students who are in the advanced phase of decoding. Finds that the level of reading accuracy of students can be improved the most throughout grades 1 to 6 by emphasizing instruction that will improve…