A study investigated the reading skills of entering students at the Open University. Just over 2,000 of the 3,000 students (representing 10% of all students taking courses at the foundation level) completed questionnaires that were mailed to them. Subjects completed 3 cloze tests, graded in difficulty, and a vocabulary test. Results indicated that…

One of a series of educational packages designed for implementation either in a workshop atmosphere or through individual study, this Hot Topic guide on reading program evaluation presents a variety of materials to assist educators in designing and implementing classroom projects and activities centering on the topic of evaluating the progress of…

This report provides a description of the design for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1994 Trial State Assessment in Reading and gives an overview of the steps involved in the implementation of the program from the planning stages through to the analysis and reporting of data. The report does not provide the results of the…

This study investigated the correlation between self-concept and reading achievement level in 20 reading-disabled students (mean age 10.3 years, mean grade level 4.75), having average intelligence. Self-concept was assessed using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale and reading achievement level by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment…

The summary information in this report provides teachers, school administrators, students, and the general public in Alberta, Canada with an overview of results from the January 1997 administration of the English 30 Diploma Examination. The information in the report is most helpful when used in conjunction with the detailed school and jurisdiction…

Repeated readings are a common, recommended practice for beginning readers. A study compared the gains made by high level and low level ability first grade readers in reading fluency. An initial reading of text at a second grade reading level was audiotaped and analyzed for rate and accuracy. This was followed by four readings, including a…

A study investigated whether third graders who attended preschool had significantly higher reading achievement scores than students who did not attend preschool. Subjects were 60 students at a public school located in a predominantly low and low middle socioeconomic neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Half the students had…

This booklet of information and accompanying reading selections are intended to help a tutor get started with a new adult learner. The booklet does not provide suggestions for teaching strategies, but rather discusses conducting the initial assessment of learners, observing the student reading, categorizing the students into one of three stages,…

One means of reporting learner achievement in reading is to utilize parent-teacher conferences. Adequate skills in word recognition is one facet of reading achievement that might be reported. Important word recognition techniques include: using phonics to unlock new words, syllabication, and utilizing context clues, configuration clues, picture…

Representing some of the holdings of the Test Center lending library of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, this annotated bibliography presents information on 105 journal articles, books, chapters of books, and other materials dealing with alternative reading assessment. Many of the entries in the annotated bibliography are informal…

A study examined the effectiveness of Reading Recovery programs at 36 Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS). Annually, approximately 500 "below grade level" students are given the opportunity to become independent readers through this program. Major findings are: (1) Reading Recovery students significantly outperformed students not in…

An action research project described a program for improving reading skills and comprehension through the use of parental involvement. The targeted population consisted of primary students located at four different sites in Northern Illinois. The problem of low reading achievement was documented through data revealing a large number of students…

A study compared two groups of children attending two urban elementary schools who were unready for first grade at the conclusion of kindergarten. One group of 23 students was retained in kindergarten while the other group of 117 was promoted to the first grade. The California Test of Basic Skills was used to measure the reading ability of both…

Descriptions of selected college reading improvement programs (most of which were begun in the 1920s or 1930s) reveals that with the exception of increased standardization in the areas of administrative concerns, little seems new. Reviewing the cases of seven college reading improvement programs (Harvard, Hamline, Amherst, University of Chicago,…

Noting the general lack of research on handwriting instruction, a study examined hand and eye dominance, hand positions, and handwriting production of children. Subjects were 310 children from grades one through five in classrooms of regular children, mainstreamed team teaching classrooms, and self-contained gifted classes in a large elementary…