To determine whether the addition of study skills in the teaching of social studies would improve the learning of social studies content, a study was conducted comparing two fifth grade classes in social studies for a period of nine weeks. One fifth grade group of 15 students was the control group and the other fifth grade group of 17 was the…

The conceptual base of a project that examined teachers' explanations of reading skills and strategies to low-ability students is reviewed in this paper. Following a brief discussion of the background of the project, the paper explores the curricular conceptions underlying it. Specifically discussed are two views of how direct instruction should…

A study evaluated the phonics performance of skilled adult readers using the D. Durkin phonics test, which was also used in 1984 to measure the phonics ability of children. The test, which was given to 25 college juniors and seniors, consisted of 29 regularly spelled pseudo or nonsense words to be pronounced aloud by the subjects. Results…

To determine whether students have study strategies that they can transfer to future learning tasks, a research study used a content-based model--the Supportive Seminar--a voluntary content review session held by a leader enrolled in a targeted college course for freshmen. The leader acts as a role model for the students by attending all lectures,…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores the relationship between television viewing habits and reading achievement. The digest first examines recent research indicating a negative relationship between television viewing in excess of ten hours and reading performance. The digest next focuses on the…

Intended to help professionals remain knowledgeable about current research in reading and to serve as a relatively accessible bibliographic source of research on a specific topic, this annual report summarizes approximately 1,000 reports of reading research identified between July 1, 1984, and June 30, 1985. The summaries are arranged into six…

A study was conducted to examine students' reading difficulties from a metacognitive perspective by considering the content of their awareness and the control they demonstrated over that awareness as they reflected on similarities and differences in various types of reading materials. Subjects were 35 seventh grade students representing seven…

An approach to reading instruction based on a socio-psycholinguistic theory of the language learning process is presented in this book. Chapter 1 provides an overview of oral and written language development; identifies language processes, language systems, and cultural setting; and describes a socio-psycholinguistic model of language learning and…

Reflecting the increasing complexity and sophistication in reading research, the papers in this collection represent a wide spectrum of approaches, philosophies, viewpoints, and techniques of scholarly endeavor in their treatment of reading research and instruction. The 52 articles selected from those presented at the 1979 meeting of the National…

Lesley College and the public schools in Cambridge, Massachusetts collaborated in a project using the natural learning model from Don Holdaway's "The Foundations of Literacy" to improve literacy education in grades K-6. The first two phases of natural learning (desire to learn a skill and attempting the new skill with a proficient…

Two exploratory studies examined Peru's elementary reading programs. The first looked at reading curriculum, texts, and teachers; the second, at students' reading ability. In Peru performance goals are not specified for each grade by the reading curriculum nor are specific instructional materials recommended (reading is not considered a separate…

The adoption by Seattle (Washington) Public Schools of the Prescriptive Reading Inventory Reading System (PRI-RS) was a decision driven by the district's commitment to effective schooling. The PRI-RS is a criterion referenced approach to the instruction and assessment of reading skills, and it consists of five levels, A through E, coordinated with…

This paper outlines the theoretical foundations of a strategy-based approach to second language reading abilities and demonstrates how the strategies described can be related to content area texts, thereby "authenticating" the learner's knowledge. There are three major sections--approach, method, and techniques. The "approach"…

Recent technological advances in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology have unearthed structural and functional patterns in the brain that can be associated with severe reading disabilities. As a response, this paper examines several computer-driven technologies whose capabilities shed light on brain-related issues germane to reading, with the intent…

Intended to be a practical guide to prereading activities applicable in the classroom, this book emphasizes students' independence by shifting the focus of instruction to student-centered applications. Chapters of the book cover such topics as: (1) preparing students to read in the content areas; (2) asking and answering questions before reading;…