In June 1975, a reading-achievement task force was commissioned to produce a plan for improving reading achievement in West Virginia. This report describes the background and method of work adopted by the task force and presents a detailed set of objectives as a framework for action to improve reading achievement in the state. The objectives focus…

In this study to determine the effectiveness of an inservice training program in reading, subjects included 321 seventh- through ninth-grade students and 26 teachers of English, math, science, and social studies in one school in Wakulla County, Florida. The inservice plan included a summer workshop in which teacher competencies and educational…

The implementation of reading groups and its effects on pupil mobility, patterns of teacher-child contact, and pupil measures of reading achievement and related factors was examined. Group membership patterns, group influence on later reading performance, and teacher feedback were discussed. (BJG)

Relations among short-term auditory memory, short-term visual memory, vocabulary knowledge, and intra-and intermodal matching of trigrams were examined with first graders. Multiple Rs were significant for 3 of 4 matching conditions. Only bilingualism accounted for significant variance in visual-auditory task performance or reading achievement.…

Concludes that lessons emphasizing pereferred interests improve functionally illiterate adults' silent reading information recall skills and interpretation of word meanings from context. Suggests that greater attention be devoted to using preferred interest materials in adult reading instruction. (RL)

Describes a collaborative effort between the Meigs (Ohio) local school district and the college of education at Ohio University that had significant positive effects on students' reading achievement and teacher effectiveness in reading instruction. (RL)

This longitudinal study compared two predictors of reading performance: behavior rating scales and psychometric tests. Two groups of 888 and 844 middle-class kindergarten children were studied through Grade 3. Classroom and school environment were also considered. (Author/GDC)

Describes a study indicating that the ability to use context deliberately to facilitate word recognition reaches maximum for average readers by grade six and does not appear to show further improvements at higher reading skill levels. Discusses possible reasons for the discrepancies between this and other studies that use incomplete contexts. (HTH)

The study found that the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) was valid in predicting reading, mathematics, and written expression for Black, Hispanic, and White male students referred for special education services. The K-ABC scores were not valid predictors, however, of written language achievement for referred females. (Author/DB)

Reviews literature focusing on the involvement of community college libraries in literacy programs. Examines West Hills Community College's developmental/remedial program, highlighting the gains in reading skills of students participating in the library-based program. (DMM)

Assesses the differences in reading achievement scores of remedial reading students identified as having differing hemispheric specializations by studying 64 fourth- and fifth-grade students in a remedial reading program. Suggests that no significant difference exists on the comprehension subtest when hemispheric preference was considered,…

Twelve schools with higher reading levels than expected, on the basis of family incomes, were examined on 67 variables. Results indicated that schools achieving higher than expected were smaller, had lower pupil mobility, had teachers with more structured methods, and had principals and students with more positive reading attitudes. (JAZ)

Discusses the history of the development of the measurement of reading levels and current criticism of the use of reading levels. Also discusses the relationship between a teacher's effectiveness as a reading instructor and the teacher's understanding about the concept of reading levels. Includes suggestions for change and a list of references.…

Studies fourth grade students to test a goodness-of-fit model of temperament. Children responded to the Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS). Teachers specified demands/expectations for their students for each of the DOTS attributes and rated students' academic ability and adjustment. Objective measures of academic achievement were also…

The effects of four major types of expository text on the comprehension performance of 69 third and 69 sixth graders were investigated. Results suggest that knowledge of discourse types underlies effective expository comprehension and that this ability increases as children reach the upper elementary grades. (BS)