Skill in word analysis and synthesis (WASS) and the reading approach of phonics versus whole word instruction were the test variables of achievement related to prereaders' emotions in dimensions of hyperactive/distractible, hostile/aggressive, and anxious/fearful. The two instructional approaches in reading lessons were differentially effective…

Proposes feature analysis, which actively involves students in the learning process, capitalizes on their experiential backgrounds, and uses context as a means of teaching sensitivity to word connotations. (FL)

Describes a study which examined the effectiveness of four methods for teaching word meanings. The context method was found to be more effective than the use of category labels and dictionary practice. Associating new words with familiar synonyms was also supported. (MKM)

Describes a study of the relationship between performance on word problems and general reading ability, certain problem-solving reading and thinking skills, and computation skills. (DD)

Discusses what children know--and don't know they know--about the linguistic concept of the word, with implications for teaching. (DD)

In two experiments on free and cued recall, spacing between categorically related items, presentation rate and category size were varied and the effects on recall of items as a function of their serial order were studied. Results suggest subjects organize material during acquisition by retrieving and rehearsing previously studied items. (CHK)

A review of the Cohen study (1969) of the structural analysis methods used in spelling book exercises, and an update on the exercises contained in current texts. (DD)

This paper offers a rationale for integrating phonics with reading instruction for students with reading disabilities. It then suggests that direct teaching of sounds be provided by constructing "soundsheets" with rows of sound/letter combinations taken directly from the text the child will read after practicing the sounds. (JDD)

A spelling study expert offers the following strategies for teaching elementary students to spell: making word-sorting games that categorize words by shared characteristics; playing letter-sequencing games; examining how root words and affixes combine to form new words; making spelling meaningful; and linking spelling study with editing and…

Elaborates on the use of syllabication in teaching pupils to recognize unknown words. Discusses specific methodologies in teaching syllabication. (RS)

This project investigated six 2nd-grade students' use of word study instruction to mediate spelling while writing in their journals. In particular, the researchers examined the students' use of the orthographic principles, sample words, and spelling strategies that had been taught during developmental word study lessons. Results of the project…

A total of 292 Chinese children in the first, third, or fifth grade in Beijing, China, participated in one of two experiments investigating radical awareness; that is, the knowledge that a component of most Chinese characters, called the radical, usually provides information about a character's meaning. The technique was to present two-character…

Reviews the literature in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) on teaching spelling and word attack skills at the elementary level. (RB)

This book discusses semantic feature analysis, a strategy that helps teachers focus students' attention on vocabulary and increase their sensitivity to language. The first half of the book deals with the theoretical foundation, reviews the research, and describes the basic teaching strategy of semantic feature analysis. The book's second half is…