A four-year longitudinal study examined relationship between phonological skills of 100 Chinese children and the children's success in reading. Findings indicated that prereading phonological skills assessed at age 3 predicted the children's reading performance in Chinese two and three years later, even after controlling for the effects of age,…

The reading attainment of 1,329 primary school children was analyzed to see if literacy standards changed since the introduction of Britain's National Curriculum. The relative stability of attainment across cohorts contrasts with the prediction that the curriculum would raise standards. (SK)

In one study, reading comprehension data for 62, 739 students from an Accelerated Reader learning information system was merged with the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) teacher-effects database. Results show that teachers should have students read as much as possible, gradually increasing books' challenge level. (Contains 115…

Presents evidence from a large sample of reading test scores for the validity of cloze-based assessments of reading comprehension for the discourse typically encountered in introductory college economics textbooks. Notes that results provide strong evidence that appropriately designed cloze tests permit valid assessments of reading comprehension…

Assessed reading growth, gender effects, relative-age effects, and reading probe difficulty for reading using one linear scale, the Curriculum Based Measurement words-read-correctly scale, for 1,619 students in grades 2 through 7. Found reading growth at all ages, with decreasing growth with increasing grade level and consistent, although slight,…

Investigates the relative contribution and trade-off effects of children's knowledge and reading skill in text comprehension. Finds that domain knowledge and reading skill can be traded in order to achieve similar levels of comprehension. Suggests that reading skill compensates for deficient knowledge and specific knowledge compensates for…

Finds that children's ability to identify and label the letters of the alphabet and to write their own name at school entry were the most powerful predictors of successful reading by the end of the year. Finds a weaker, but still positive, relationship between understanding the conventions of print and reading achievement. (RS)

Provides a picture of student performance in reading from 1971 to 1996, specifically among students of different ages and racial/ethnic groups. Average reading scores have improved for 9- and 13-year-olds from 1971 to 1980 and showed little or no change from 1980 to 1996. Scores for 17-year-olds have remained relatively constant since 1971.…

Presents a study in which 74 boys with reading disabilities and a matched control group of normal readers were followed during their compulsory schooling (to grade 9). Assesses word decoding performance on three occasions. Finds that the most powerful predictor is early reading performance and non-verbal intelligence. Notes that neither teaching…

Describes an incident involving the author, his daughter, and sample items from a Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment. Elaborates on the author's increasing confusion with SOL assessments, especially in reading. Proposes that educators spend less time testing kids and more time "testing their theories" so that assessments better reflect recent…

Investigates causes of high and low reading achievement among elementary students using a causal model. Finds support for the model. Notes an implication of the model is that teaching and learning relevant to improving listening comprehension and word identification proximally affect verbal knowledge and pronunciation knowledge, and distally…

This study examined the effects of students access to print through public library card ownership and class trips to the community library. Reading performance, attitudes toward reading, time spent reading at home, number of books at home, and family visits to the public library after school were compared between students who had library cards,…

Learning to read is the number one education priority in this nation. For the most part, upper-elementary students with language-learning disabilities (LLD) have not been included in the many regional and state initiatives to improve reading achievement and instruction. This article discusses how our knowledge and research about teaching beginning…

The Bush administration said that newly released 2005 results from "the nation's report card" confirm that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is on track. But many in the education community questioned that conclusion, given that reading achievement remained relatively flat and that progress in math has slowed over the past two years.…

Literacy scholars appear to have reached consensus that a balanced approach to reading instruction holds the greatest promise for improving reading achievement among students. Following the lead of the National Reading Panel (2000), curricular manifestations of a balanced reading program include instructional components in phonics or word…