Concludes that there are advantages to both the theorists' and synthesizers' perspectives of progress. (FL)

The overlap between reading subtests of four individual achievement tests and five basal reading curricula for grades 1-5 were examined. Results showed that little overlap exists between what is taught and what is tested with degree of overlap varying considerably across tests and curricula. (Author/DB)

More than five years of research offers little evidence that students who attend federally funded remedial and learning disabled reading programs improve their reading skills. The three assumptions underlying these programs are discussed. Ways teachers and schools can evaluate their programs are listed. (MT)

Discusses the use of story retelling as an instructional strategy, describing its potential benefits, including improvement in reading comprehension, use of oral language, and memory. (ARH)

Highlights contemporary reading research as well as some implied instructional practices in four areas, including direct teacher explanation, reading-writing connection, top-level text structure, and main idea identification. (ARH)

The performance of third- and fifth-grade good and poor readers was compared. Results indicated that while there were no significant differences in literal comprehension, there were significant differences between the groups on both the metaphor comprehension task and the metaphor-related language tasks. Metacognitive and instructional…

The authors criticize an article by John Carrol in the February 1987 "Phi Delta Kappan" in which he discussed the Reading Proficiency Scale issued by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. They feel the Reading Proficiency Scale has limited usefulness. Includes 21 references. (Author/MD)

Describes conceptual mapping, a technique that is useful in helping poor readers overcome the difficulties they face when they read content area texts. (ARH)

Notes the limitations of the traditional conceptualization of reading in terms of a conduit metaphor, consisting of three parts: (l) an input, (2) an output, and (3) a model that describes the relationship. Argues the merits of looking at reading in light of the tool metaphor, viewing readers and writers as users of information. (NH)

Discusses D. Durkin's 1979 study of reading comprehension instruction and J. Heap's critique of the study in a recent issue of "Journal of Reading Behavior." Asserts that the traditional reading lesson is a vehicle for acculturation or teaching cultural knowledge and logic. (SRT)

Presents a method for teaching poetry that attempts to make the (1) teachers' scholarship relevant to the students and (2) students' ignorance a source of knowledge for the teacher. Outlines an eight-step procedure that represents a useful introduction to poetry and gives students a technique with which to approach any poem. (JD)

Discusses the theory-to-practice issue in reading education. (FL)

Discusses the common beliefs that (1) understanding poetry is an individual act, (2) each person's understanding of a poem is equally valid, and (3) observers must superimpose meaning over nonmeaning. Argues that, unlike science and mathematics, there are any number of "right" answers in the interpretation of poetry. (JD)

Notes that students who are very anxious seem to perform worse than less anxious students on reading tasks. Suggests reasons for this and ways teachers might help to reduce the effects of anxiety. (FL)

Notes that early research on using computers for teaching reading was restricted by the current theories on how reading is learned but that recent developments reveal exciting possibilities for using computers in reading. (FL)