Scores in reading and comprehension on the University of Minnesota Reading and Speed of Reading examinations for the years 1928 and 1978 were compared. The 1978 freshmen were found to be at least one grade level below their 1928 counterparts in vocabulary, reading comprehension, and rate of reading. (MLW)

Monolingual Hebrew-speaking subjects aged 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11 years, as well as college students, were asked to interpret utterances consisting of two nouns and a verb in order to determine whether Hebrew speakers can rely on a word order strategy to assign sentence relation. (MP)

A look at one adult literacy class in India indicated that, despite apparently ideal educational conditions, students remained almost illiterate. The author comments on the results and speculates on the reasons. (MF)

The readability levels of ten basal readers commonly used to develop word recognition and comprehension skills in learning disabled children from grades 3 through 6 were compared with the readability levels of their accompanying workbooks. (Author/DLS)

Describes a course designed to teach reading proficiency in French to non-majors in graduate programs. The method is based on the reading and translation of articles in the student's field of interest. (AM)

Outlines instructional implications of a theory of reading comprehension that holds that a transaction takes place between reader and text during which the reader derives meaning from printed marks based on personal experiences. (AEA)

Suggests that using the one-minute paper to teach an introductory economics course increases economic knowledge regardless of student ability level and instructor characteristics. The one-minute paper is a form of feedback where the students answer a few basic questions about the lesson at the end of the class. (MJP)

Analyzed the diaries of Chinese students of English as a Second Language to ascertain their beliefs and knowledge about their listening to English. Findings indicate that many retained clear ideas about their own role and performance as second-language listeners, the demands and procedures of this listening, as well as listening strategies. (13…

Uses case study data from two British schools for grades 9 through 11 (160 students and 109 students) to show the way in which girls link their mathematics underachievement not to themselves but to the type of mathematics that is commonly taught in the United Kingdom, which they believe denies them access to understanding. (SLD)

Presents the results of a study that measured the efficacy of an international economics simulation among undergraduates. The simulation consisted of a macroeconomics game where students develop economic policies for four hypothetical countries. A multiple choice test and posttest questionnaire suggests that classroom games are more effective than…

A classroom approach using music to enhance the enjoyment of literature in the French language class is discussed. Two short stories by Guy de Maupassant were tape-recorded by a professional actor, with background music added. Students listened to the tapes and completed a written exercise in which they answered vocabulary, comprehension, and…

Studies the relationship between Dutch students' attitudes toward German, the course material, and the teacher and students' achievements in German. Results show that students having positive attitudes achieved more than those with negative attitudes and that students enrolled in a communicative course had more positive attitudes than those in a…

This article provides a framework for systematically evaluating and adapting reading comprehension curriculum lessons for children with various reading abilities, including children with mild disabilities who are in the regular classroom. A sample checklist for evaluating reading comprehension curriculum lessons and a sample teaching format for…

A growing body of empirical and theoretical work indicates that young children (grades K-3) have difficulties solving word problems because of deficient language and text comprehension strategies. Describes a computer simulation designed to model working memory demands in "bottom-up" comprehension of arithmetic word problems, offering a…

To determine if different levels of graphic presentation affected understanding, 131 middle school science students with high and low spatial ability were shown programs teaching concepts of molecular diffusion with no graphics, static graphics, or animated graphics. Students with low spatial ability benefited from animated presentations. Spatial…