Two distinguishing characteristics of early readers are superior sound blending and visual memory skills. (RB)

The answer to the question "How well do young people and adults read?" is central to modern societies. Despite new forms of oral and visual communication, the written word is more important than ever in economic and social interaction. As the world becomes more complex, all citizens need to use reading and writing effectively to thrive…

Following the initial report presenting the first results of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000 covering results in three domains and looking at the relationship between student performance in reading literacy (the major domain) and selected characteristics of…

This study used evidence from the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics and the 1998 NAEP main assessments in reading and writing to examine patterns of computer use and academic achievement in each of these three academic domains. It is concluded that the design of the NAEP data collection precludes using such…

This study investigated the relationship between the scales used for the NDSA assessments and the RIT scales used to report performance on Northwest Evaluation Association tests. The study estimated the changes in reading and mathematics RIT score equivalents for the NDSA performance levels in those subjects. Test records for more than 9,000…

This study investigated the relationship between the scales used for the WASL assessments and the RIT scales used to report performance on Northwest Evaluation Association tests. The study estimated the changes in reading and mathematics RIT score equivalents for the WASL performance levels in those subjects. Test records for more than 12,000…

This publication tells the stories of eight schools from around the nation that have used the Open Court Reading program, describing the history of the schools, the challenges they faced, and their attempts to meet those challenges. The schools are located in California, Florida, Texas, and New York. Each of the school stories includes a focus on…

Supported by the Corporation for National Service, AmeriCorps' members serve with local and national organizations to meet community needs while earning education awards to help finance college or training. This report is the final product of the "AmeriCorps Tutoring Outcomes Study" of the AmeriCorps State/National Literacy Programs. The…

This research addressed vocabulary knowledge, which refers to the understanding of words, the overall ideas and concepts being communicated, and the ability to use those words in the appropriate context. The targeted population consisted of students in kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade. An analysis of School Improvement Plans revealed a…

This pamphlet describes the Texas Reading Initiative, a comprehensive plan aimed at improving reading instruction in Texas and begun after a challenge was issued by Governor George W. Bush that each and every child must learn to read. It lists the 8 key elements that were established to guide the initiative (including increasing awareness of…

This handbook gives teachers, reading specialists, administrators, or students concise, up-to-date information on the most popular assessment and evaluation tools in literacy. This second edition retains many of the tools reviewed in the first edition and adds 12 new tools. The first section reviews 24 tools that are teacher-made. The second…

The purpose of this study was to determine if parental involvement had effects on student reading achievement. The parents of students in kindergarten through grade two were given a questionnaire to complete. The teachers in these grades were given a data form and a short questionnaire to complete on parental involvement and the levels of reading…

This paper asks whether the current form of assessment is appropriate in measuring the growth of American students in the subject of reading. First, the paper examines the argument for standardized testing of skills as an appropriate form of assessment. It then points out that the people in support of this form of testing argue that these tests…