This report examines the nature of the modern basal reader, its economics, and use. First, the report provides a history showing how the confluence of business principles, positivistic science, and behavioral psychology led to the transformation of reading textbooks into basal readers. Next, the report examines objectives and subjective factors…

The reading interests of children should be considered by teachers in order to increase positive attitudes toward reading, the amount of their reading, and their reading achievement. Since findings show that using trade books to teach reading has strong positive effects upon children's reading achievement, a study examined children's choices of…

A 10-week study examined whether the use of computers could be more effective than basal readers for improving reading comprehension at the primary level. Subjects, 12 students from the second grade, were divided into two groups, 6 in the experimental group using computers only and 6 in the control group using basal readers only. Both groups used…

A study examined the teachers' manuals for five basal reader programs, kindergarten through grade six, to discover their recommendations for comprehension instruction. The series analyzed were "Pathfinder," published by Allyn and Bacon; "Reading 720," by Ginn and Company; "Bookmark Reading Program," by Harcourt,…

Asserts that the reading and writing relationship must be reinforced in classroom methodology, and offers seven guidelines for connecting reading and writing in children's literacy development. (MM)

Explains how reading skills prescribed in basal readers can be recast and taught as reading strategies. (FL)

A study examined the effect of interspersed postpassage questions on comprehension for second-grade children. Results from a reading comprehension test showed that although questioning instruction had little effect on the above average readers, normal and below readers made significant gains when instructed in the use of postpassage questions.…

Defines "junior reading books," shows that evaluation of such books is desirable, discusses four possible approaches that could be used in evaluating the books, and provides a detailed analysis of part of the "Wide Range Readers," books widely used in British schools. (FL)

Suggests that reversing a basal reading lesson sequence can help teachers achieve some of the tenets of schema theory. Presents a lesson that does this. (FL)

Concludes that about 10 percent of stories in a basal series (grades one through eight) showed a character reading something for either information or pleasure, but seldom as an important part of daily life. Argues that basals could set a better model of the value of reading. (FL)

The two opposing reading instruction philosophies are analyzed and placed in historical perspective. The author shows the importance of clarifying the debate and distinguishing between manifest and actual issues. (MD)

Contains a brief review of the research on moral themes in basal reading series and their influence on children and summarizes an investigation which explored the frequency of moral decisions in stories in basal readers and identified those characters who posed the moral questions and those who solved moral dilemmas. (Author/RB)

Analysis of third-grade books in the New Macmillan Reading Program reveals that the books exceeded the publisher's designation of readability and did not progress in difficulty from easy to more difficult. Findings suggest the need for more complete and reliable information from publishers concerning textbook readability. (FL)

A study of two elementary basal reading series found that, although the proportion of female main characters has increased, it was still less than that of males. Also, fewer men than women were depicted in nontraditional roles. (FG)