Evaluated effects of perceived choice upon comprehension and memory of prose reading passages. Compared choice and no choice conditions with young and elderly adults and only elderly groups. Results indicated both age- and vocabulary-related deficits. However, perceived choice conditions did not produce any consistent improvement in performance.…

Discusses a retelling performance checklist that uses elements of story grammar to help teachers assess comprehension in a meaningful way. (FL)

Concludes that good comprehenders are far more likely to use lookbacks (rereadings) than are poor comprehenders and that training improves performance of both groups. (FL)

Reports on a study that examined the relationship between teacher sentiments toward two broad classifications of reading instruction--the phonics and the meaning-based methods. Concludes that teacher sentiments toward these two methods are multidimensional and complex. (FL)

Concludes that there is a predictable error pattern between independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels for both American and English-as-a-second-language adults. (FL)

Describes an endeavor to develop typographical and spatial cues that would improve learning and memory of a lengthy excerpt from a tenth grade biology textbook. (HOD)

Reveals that only three structures--confrontation, episodic, and plotless--accounted for 87 percent of the story selections in six basal reader series. (FL)

A 2.5-year longitudinal study of the reading scales of the Stanford Achievement Test confirmed the redundancy in its subtests. Strong and stable test-retest reliability coefficients were evident and supported the use of the Stanford total reading scale for longitudinal evaluations. (Author)

Reports on a study that compared drawing, discussion, and dramatic play as follow-up activities for reading aloud. Concludes that the children who played had better comprehension of the stories read to them. (FL)

Describes a hierarchical summary procedure that directs students' attention to the organization of ideas in content area textbook selections. Explains how the procedure helps students to improve their comprehension and recall and to write better organized compositions. (FL)

Offers suggestions from five contributors dealing with word games, the teacher's role in reading instruction, running and reading comprehension, video games and Rubik's Cube and photoessays. (FL)

Suggests that teaching students how to think critically and to transfer this skill to reading can increase students' comprehension and standardized reading test scores. (AEA)

Ideas for helping students sharpen their ability to read mathematics are presented. (MK)

The development of a software package to be used in developing basic reading comprehension skills is described. The package uses a cassette to present a short story, with multiple-choice questions on a screen. (MK)

Describes a testing program designed to assess the French language proficiency of professionals desiring to practice in the Quebec region. Discusses the criteria used for the construction, administration, and scoring of the tests in compliance with the 1977 French language legislation. (MES)