A study investigated effectiveness of use of World Wide Web texts in a college English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) writing class, finding that the reading comprehension and writing skills of 15 students using the Web-based materials improved more than those of students not using the materials. Ethnographic observation also focused on four…

The effect of the presence of cafeteria noise on the perception of native English and Mandarin-accented speech was assessed in a sentence-verification task and a sentence-transcription task. The outcomes of both tasks indicated strong adverse effects of noise on the intelligibility of many of the accented utterances. (Author/JL)

Seven high school students of English as a Second Language (ESL) underwent a short course of reading strategy training, including learner needs assessment, focus on why and when strategies are used, and carefully selected reading texts. Six of seven improved reading comprehension in at least one of two measures, supporting the notion that reading…

The 11 chapters of this theme issue explore important issues that relate cognitive style to educational concerns. They link cognitive style with reading comprehension, parental teaching, family qualities, teaching, distance learning, strategic learning, socialization, and athletic performance. (SLD)

Literacy instruction of about 100 adults at the Harvard Adult Literacy Center (Massachusetts) revealed different patterns for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners or for learners with learning disabilities. Adult learners showing the learning disability pattern averaged a 1-year gain after 1 semester (20 hours) of instruction. ESL learners…

A study investigated the role of video and/or sound in the processing of aural French as a second language in grade-eight core French. Results indicate visual cues were informative and enhanced general comprehension but did not necessarily stimulate understanding of the specific text. Affective and attentional advantages were noted. (Contains 28…

Discussion of the teaching of learning strategies focuses on a study of undergraduates that investigated the effects of comprehension-directed and memory-directed computer-based learning strategy training on the achievement of learning objectives. Treatment of experimental and control groups is explained, and further research is suggested.…

Reports on empirical research on second-language (L2) Zairean multilingual students of English as a Second Language. Findings confirm the hypothesis of the differential effect of task type and the level of target language attainment on the amount of interaction; suggest a significant effect on L2 learning of oral peer interaction; and show a…

Reports on the perceptual discrimination of segmental and suprasegmental phones by Japanese learners of English. Results reveal that early learners showed better discrimination performance than normal learners and confirmed the usefulness of learning English at an early age. (16 references) (Author/CK)

Research indicates that engagement with text is critical to becoming a good reader and can be fostered in primary grades by using informal assessments of individual student's reading ability to guide instruction. Describes running record, miscue analysis, and cloze-procedure assessment tools and the assessment task of oral retelling. Sidebars list…

A study examined two strategies for increasing the accuracy with which five elementary teachers implemented a peer tutoring intervention for students with reading difficulties. Four teachers implemented the intervention at levels substantially above baseline during the performance feedback condition. Student reading comprehension scores improved…

Study with first grade teachers and students explored the impact of book-rich classroom environments and home rereading on reading motivation, comprehension, and fluency. Results showed enhanced comprehension for book-rich classrooms, both with and without a home component; home rereading increased reading motivation and promoted parental…

Proposes that the unique features of electronic text can interact with the special skills, abilities, and diverse experiences of English language learners to help us better understand both the goals, processes, and special characteristics of the bilingual experience and the acquisition of electronic literacy skills. (Contains 29 references.)…

Examines the results of using the Phono-Graphix reading method, designed for students with reading disabilities, to teach nine prison inmates to read. Reports that inmates' average basic reading skills standard score gains were 17 points (more than one standard deviation) after 33 one-hour sessions, an average gain of 1.9 standard points per…

Explored factors underlying elementary children's incorrect task responses in physical education. Data from class observations and student and teacher interviews indicated that children participated in the instructional setting at their own developmental level of understanding and competency, comprehension did not necessarily reflect…