The principles of readability are in every style manual. Readability formulas are in every writing aid. What is missing is the research and theory on which they stand. This short review of readability research spans 100 years. The first part covers the history of adult literacy studies in the U.S., establishing the stratified nature of the adult…

This report highlights children's gains in reading and mathematics over their first 4 years of school, from the start of kindergarten to the point when most of the children are finishing third grade. It also describes children's achievement status in reading, mathematics, and science at the end of third grade. Information is presented on…

Research shows that children who are not proficient readers by the end of third grade perform poorly in other subjects and have difficulties throughout the course of their schooling. The knowledge exists to teach all but a small percentage of students to become proficient readers. Despite this knowledge, a troubling number of children do not learn…

Given the central role of television in most children's lives, it is important to understand its potential positive and negative effects on a variety of cognitive, academic, social, behavioral, and attitudinal outcomes. A study aims to explore the relation between early television viewing and later reading achievement. Motivating the research is…

Labette Community College (LCC), Parsons, Kansas, a public comprehensive community college, received a 5-year Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen their academic programs through the implementation of computer-assisted basic skills instruction coupled with a comprehensive retention program. To study the progress…

The purpose of this report is to increase understanding of the achievement levels for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), what they are, and what they are not. NAEP is a survey of American students' knowledge and skills in different subjects at grades 4, 8, and 12. NAEP combines the samples of performances to provide…

An ex post facto study examined third grade students' achievement test scores both before and after the adoption of a literature-based basal reading text. The experimental groups consisted of five third grade classes at Terre Town Elementary School (Indiana) for each of the years 1988 through 1993. Mean scores were plotted and data were visually…

Numerous variables enter in when teachers plan and implement the reading curriculum. Classroom climate has much to do with who will succeed in reading. The classroom needs to have a variety of reading materials. Each student should then be able to locate materials on his or her interest level as well as locate subject matter that is personally…

The records of 27 sixth-grade students who were receiving special services were studied. A survey was conducted in three separate elementary schools to see if these same students were recipients of Basic Skill Instruction during the second grade. The data collection form included information about current reading grade levels and types of special…

A study described and evaluated the Early Literacy Learning Initiative (ELLI), a collaborative effort between individual schools and school districts and the Ohio State University. The overall goal of ELLI is to significantly raise the level of literacy achievement of kindergarten, first, and second grade students by implementing instructional…

A study described and evaluated the Literacy Collaborative, a collaborative effort between individual schools and school districts and the Ohio State University. The overall goal of the Literacy Collaborative is to significantly raise the level of literacy achievement of kindergarten, first, and second grade students by implementing instructional…

This report describes the Literacy Collaborative, which provides long-term professional development and support for teachers who are helping children learn effective literacy skills. The overall goal is to significantly raise the level of literacy achievement for children across the elementary years. The first two sections of the report describe…

Kindergarten stresses the readiness factor for learning. This paper first lists 10 things which kindergarten students have experienced in developing readiness for first grade. The paper then discusses 10 things that teachers can do to approach teaching reading in the kindergarten classroom. Finally, it considers additional assistance to aid…

This paper discusses how to group students for reading instruction. The paper first considers the reasons for heterogeneous grouping, where there are mixed levels of reading achievement among the students in the classroom. It then discusses some weaknesses in advocating heterogeneous grouping. There are individualized plans for reading instruction…

The focus of this study was on the use of drama supplements to increase the reading fluency of first grade students in a suburban school. The subjects of this study were first grade students. They were between six and eight years old and attended a suburban school in Knoxville, Tennessee. The class contained eight girls and twelve boys. Students…