This report describes graduate courses in the whole language approach offered by Lander College to 10 rural school districts in South Carolina. The whole language approach is seen as a way to meet the educational needs of rural at-risk students. In the first course on the whole language approach, 10 early childhood teachers engaged in workshops on…

Focusing on the staff development process, a study examined the use of research in teaching reading comprehension by six teachers at two Tucson, Arizona middle schools. The schools employed both individual and group staff development, but while one school was considered to have a positive school culture, the other school was predicted to have a…

A study compared the effectiveness of computer-assisted reading instruction to that of a direct teaching model. Nineteen adult male inmates from Windham School System's Ellis II Unit (located in Texas) special education classrooms served as subjects. The subjects were divided into two groups each of which spent one hour a day on reading. One group…

This curriculum guide, designed for use with secondary migrant students, contains activities in the reading areas of structural analysis, literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, vocabulary, and reading in the content areas. Within these four broad areas, activities are presented in the following specific skill areas: (1) hearing…

A study tested the effects of an approach for improving reading fluency on the general reading and fluency development of second-grade students in regular classrooms. Subjects were from two elementary schools in a large, urban, ethnically diverse school district. There were 30 students in 2 classrooms in a school located in a working class…

This annotated bibliography summarizes approximately 600 reports of reading research identified between July 1, 1990, and June 30, 1991. The research studies described in the book are categorized into six areas: (1) summaries of reading research; (2) teacher preparation and practice; (3) sociology of reading; (4) physiology and psychology of…

A study established the extent to which certain program materials and teaching methods were being utilized in elementary and middle grades schools in South Dakota. Each district that operated an elementary grades school, a middle grades school, or both was sent a two-part survey to complete. A total of 117 of 248 surveys were returned, for a…

This paper analyses elementary school Chinese language textbooks for teaching reading and writing in primary grades in the People's Republic of China. The paper begins by examining the characteristics of the Chinese written language, particularly how the reforms of written Chinese in China since the 1950s have affected instructional materials.…

Intended for parents, this illustrated booklet shares ways of helping children read that parents and teachers around the United States have found to work best. It focuses on helping parents create a supportive, pressure-free environment where reading at home is an enjoyable time, and where books are valued and reading is recognized as a vital…

This document provides an overview of a family literacy demonstration project conducted to offer family literacy classes in three public schools in Philadelphia. The project was designed to help adults meet their own needs and to enable them to support their children's learning. The whole-language, learner-centered approach was used. Background…

A study examined the systemic reform process initiated in Maryland in 1991. The Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) consists of learning outcomes, a framework for performance assessment, guidelines for school decision making, and suggestions for staff development. One year following the initiation of the MSPAP, semi-structured…

Based on research of literature-based instruction in elementary schools that serve large numbers of economically-disadvantaged children, this paper discusses 10 factors that can enhance the implementation of literature-based instruction. The paper suggests that teachers: (1) provide extensive professional development opportunities; (2) provide for…

A project was undertaken to help low-literate Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members develop the reading and writing skills needed to participate fully in AA/NA programs. A training program consisting of three 1.5-hour-long sessions and accompanying training guidelines were developed and used to train 21 student and 7 tutor…

A study explored the degree to which preservice teachers perceived that the interactive approach to language arts instruction was valuable in promoting their learning. Subjects, 63 students in two sections of an undergraduate reading course, completed a five-item questionnaire focusing on specific aspects of the course. Quantitative data analysis…

This book combines a holistic approach to language learning with a developmental point of view, including teaching strategies appropriate for each age and stage of development. The book looks at children's literature and how it is used as the thrust for the development of oral language, reading, and early writing. The book includes: discussion of…