Explores what might be established as professional knowledge about teaching reading--knowledge that even the most informed parents would not be expected to have but that teachers need to have. Classifies such knowledge under three headings: structure, support, and strategies. Concludes that reading is a complex process and requires complex…

Takes a look at reading assessment in the third-grade classroom of Susan Kane at Ferncrest Elementary School. Describes some of the balances that she has achieved in reading assessment, and discusses the challenges that remain. (SR)

Discusses comments about and responses to an article on semiotics by Donald J. Cunningham in the June 1992 issue of the "Educational Psychology Review." Discusses the semiotic method of juxtaposition, juxtaposing a menace being posed to reading teachers with the menace experienced in W. W. Jacobs' classic ghost story "The Monkey's Paw." (SR)

Describes the following research-based whole language instructional strategies: predictions as a prereading activity; "webbing" words or ideas around a specific topic; shared writing; journal writing; vocabulary development; clustering synonyms as a way of approaching new vocabulary; context clues; analogies; definition maps; and reading…

Answers the five following common objections to the whole language approach: Haven't we tried this all before? What will happen to the child if some teachers use whole language and others don't? Where does the teacher find the time to do all this? Where's the proof that it works? and And what about the future? (PRA)

Describes how prior knowledge, current text, future text, and prior text all play a part in knowledge acquisition. States that most content area reading instruction emphasizes only current text. Notes that future columns will address this issue by introducing a method for teaching comprehension of exposition called "knowledge modeling." (SR)

Offers a brief history of college level reading programs from the 1920s to the present. Concludes that, despite past trials and errors, most established college reading programs appear to be in firm ground. (PRA)

Offers a five-step direct-instruction strategy for teaching main idea comprehension. (MG)

Describes the purpose and functional operation of new computer-driven technologies such as computerized axial tomography, positron emissions transaxial tomography, regional cerebral blood flow monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging, and brain electrical activity mapping. Outlines their current contribution to the knowledge base. Speculates on the…

Examines the impact of the traditional form of reading instruction on the reading attitudes and perceptions of the reading process of 467 elementary school children. Compares children taught traditionally and children who received no formal reading instruction. Finds that reading attitudes and perceptions of the reading process were affected by…

Discusses methods and research related to increasing children's reading rates to improve their comprehension and self-esteem. Concludes that the improvement of reading rate should be an established component of any reading program. (MG)

Comments on the literacy rights of all children and the money that is spent on remedial programs. States that the United States needs a unified effort that merges or eliminates the current variety of programs and funding streams to secure the right to sufficient instruction for all children. (MG)

Provides a curriculum unit using the novel "Fahrenheit 451" to provide student-centered activities based on solid pedagogical methodology. Emphasizes value-centered analysis of the novel, comparison of alternative arguments, and integration of cooperative learning activities. (PRA)

Describes the composition and responsibilities of a reading committee designed to improve the reading achievement of all students within the school. (MG)

Examines the design of three reading software programs to determine their ease of use, format characteristics, and managerial components. Evaluates their text presentation segmentation to determine how closely they conform with current chunking theory in reading. Suggests that teachers directly examine the programs and manuals to determine whether…