Suggests that the majority of poor readers are poor at discriminating similar letters/words and at letter recognition. Argues that general sensory perceptive training does not improve subsequent reading development but that specific letter/word training in discrimination and recognition has a favorable effect. (RS)

Almost all students in a study of an integrated instructional approach indicated that using a computer and workbook was very helpful in understanding financial accounting. A related study found that students with lower reading levels benefited most from this approach, and withdrawal dropped from 10 percent to 2 percent. (JOW)

Finds an overall drop in reading attitudes across the upper elementary school years in three of the four schools examined. Reveals few significant relationships between reading attitudes and teacher-reported enrichment activities. Notes that activities that fit with a traditional, direct instruction approach to teaching reading correlated…

Problem-solving teams substantially influence organizational performance in restructured schools. This article examines the concepts of teamwork and team effectiveness, as related to functions of problem-solving teams. A case study of a successful team effort to improve elementary students' reading scores provides a framework for developing…

This 3-year study, with 150 deaf children, found that 2 sets of 4 tests accounted for 64 percent of variance in both reading and writing skills for subjects with deaf parents. For subjects with hearing parents, five tests accounted for 77 percent of variance in reading, but only two tests accounted for 49 percent of variance in writing. (DB)

Attempts to isolate student and family characteristics that might have an impact upon student achievement in the Chapter 1 reading program. Finds that the most important characteristics are student's self-concept; ability to take a risk; effort; study habits/time management/organizational skills; and attitude toward reading. Finds parent's…

Describes the reading skills of postkindergarten precocious readers. Finds no meaningful weaknesses in their average skill pattern; their strengths mirrored weakness identified among disabled readers; they were especially rapid text readers; they drew on especially strong phonological analysis skills as well as orthographic processes; but average…

The study, with 15 language-learning-disabled and 15 normally achieving children (ages 6-8), found a significant positive correlation between the severity of the language disability and accuracy on 2 of 3 imagery tasks. Performance on one imagery task was significantly related to reading achievement, and imagery ability was related more strongly…

The study examined the range of reading skills in 2,812 general education students in grades 1-6 attending 34 elementary schools. Results documented a wide range of reading skills both within and across grades. Findings are discussed in terms of relations between general and special education. (Author/DB)

Examines the changes in dialect usage and the predictive relationship between dialect usage and reading achievement, controlling for differences in the acquisition of language forms common across dialects. Suggests that dialect usage might be a distinguishing variable between average and poor readers. Finds that correlations do not support the…

This study explored whether visual discrimination problems impair achievement in children with and without learning disabilities. Children (N=66) with learning disabilities were tested for visual discrimination problems, tracked throughout elementary school, and compared to a normally achieving sample. Results indicated lower reading and general…

Reports on a congenitally blind young girl who learned to read Braille. Suggests that phonological awareness can be well developed even without word or letter experience, and the logographic phase of reading can be bypassed in favor of an alphabetic phase. Notes that her level of skill is similar to that of sighted children. (RS)

Studies fourth-grade children's lexical acquisition ability for aurally taught words. Finds that reading ability predicted facility at learning novel phonological sequences, while intelligence was the only factor which accounted for performance level for the semantic content of the words. Suggests that vocabulary deficits of less-skilled readers…

Reports on research studies into the role that reading volume plays in shaping the mind. It is possible to outline the reciprocal influence of early reading acquisition and reading volume as determinants of later reading comprehension and other cognitive abilities. Early success at reading unlocks a lifetime of reading habits, as research shows.…

A study investigated how, when, and under what conditions 60 highly successful adults with dyslexia managed to develop high literacy levels. For both men and women with dyslexia, interest-driven reading was key to the development of high literacy levels. Fascination with a subject area was a common theme. (Author/CR)