Compares effectiveness of the Gates-MacGinitie Readiness Skills Test (G-M) and Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) for predicting reading achievement in grade one and studies whether either test differentially predicts reading in an i.t.a. approach or a t.o. sight approach. G-M was a better predictor than ITPA for both groups.…

Multiple-regression procedures were used to assess effectiveness of the ABC Inventory and the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) in predicting first- and third-grade reading achievement. MRT performance accounted for 11 percent of the variance in first-grade SRA reading scores. In predicting third-grade reading, the MRT accounted for 26 percent of…

Investigation of the effect of establishing purposes for reading upon reading comprehension showed that neither specific nor general reading directions appeared to affect performance and that purpose-setting directions served to discriminate between intentional and incidental information only for above-grade-level readers.

Research indicates that reading aloud to children significantly improves their vocabulary knowledge and their reading comprehension while affecting reading interests and language development. (DD)

When critiquing a 1992 IEA study of reading in 31 nations, Herbert Walberg unfairly panned U.S. reading instruction, considering that American 9-year-olds finished second and 14-year-olds tied for eighth place. Apparently, "progress" was down for high-scoring countries. Two UCLA researchers discovered that the Los Angeles student…

Suggests Internet resources can assist teachers in meeting the needs of struggling readers with "just right" books. Addresses using the Internet in determining a child's reading level, determining a book's reading level, and ensuring students' access to reading materials. (RS)

Studies the reading, spelling, and orthographic skills of Grade 3 children who met their criteria for double asset (DA), single phonological deficit (PD), single naming speed deficit (NSD), and double deficit (DD) groups. Reveals main effects of each factor, oftentimes modified by significant interactions, on the varied achievement measures. (SG)

Compared the observation of children's growth in reading using grade equivalents with that using the Rasch simultaneous vertical equating procedure. Results from equating 25 reading tests show that grade equivalents differ more between two different test forms than do ability measures obtained from the Rasch simultaneous vertical equating. (SLD)

Discusses the belief that divergent language usage has a negative impact on visible demonstration of academic reading achievement. Illustrated this through a case study of Gullah-speaking students. While students' indigenous language patterns created holistic pictures, they did not use the exact word to communicate the appropriate meaning to those…

Discusses research by Marsha Buly and Sheila Valencia in the Fall 2002 issue of "Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis" on the success of Washington State's legislation mandating phonics-based reading instruction. Discusses contribution of music education to Finnish students' high scores in the Program of International Student…

Discusses results of latest Program of International Student Assessment developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that tested 15-year-olds in 32 countries in reading, mathematics, and science. Focuses on reaction to below-average results in Germany. (PKP)

Research has shown that independent reading, both in school and out, is associated with gains in reading achievement. Principals can play a critical role by promoting voluntary reading to teachers, students, parents, and the community. (17 references) (MLF)

Evaluated ability of Cognitive Levels Test (CLT) to estimate current achievement in mathematics (as measured by KeyMath Revised) and reading (as measured by Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised) among 38 private elementary and secondary school students. Validity coefficients indicated that CLT scores were moderately to highly correlated with…

Argues that use of intelligence as an aptitude benchmark in the definition of dyslexia conceals illogical assumptions about the concept of potential. Concludes that the validity of a severe discrepancy between aptitude and achievement as the defining feature of dyslexia has yet to be established sufficiently to justify differential educational…

Proposes a model for how document literacy and prose literacy are related to young adults' occupational status and their societal participation. Finds that the relatively low occupational status of Blacks appears to be attributable to their relatively low literacy achievement and literacy activity. (MG)