The study was designed to identify various problems encountered by 194 children who read braille and use conventional basal reading programs transcribed into that medium. The results showed educationally significant variability in chronological age, years in school, and grade level for blind children using basal reader materials designed for…

Looks at factors in the textbook publishing industry, especially costs and censorship, which affect the quality of available reading series. Notes the problem of readability and content bias. Finally, presents a checklist of basal reader evaluation criteria. (SJL)

Examines 150 years of reading textbooks and suggests that instead of basics educators need a new philosophy to guide schools into the future. (MKM)

Describes an experience based reading program developed in Melbourne, Australia, for low-income and immigrant children and a series of books to be published which are based on this program. (MKM)

Examines the relationship between instructional practices which teachers use and current theories of literacy development. Shows that the "fit" between current theories of literacy development and the traditional basal approach is inadequate. Addresses the role of critical thinking in transforming teachers' perspectives about the reading process…

This article examines classroom organizational patterns and the focus, content, and strategies of instruction to show that the basal reader, rather than reading comprehension, is what is being taught. A skills model of reading, the basal approach, does not reflect what readers do to make sense of text. (IAH)

Today's most competitive basal programs make use of a variety of good children's literature and provide an organized sequential plan for teaching reading. General suggestions are provided for using a basal series as the core of a holistic program. (IAH)

Describes a method of increasing vocabulary recognition of Chapter 1 elementary students by using mastery words from basal programs, sight word cards, and modified cloze stories. (MG)

This 3-year longitudinal study used hypermedia computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to provide individualized reading instruction for approximately 300 students in grades K-3. The software provided reading lessons in a hypermedia format designed as supplementary material for a basal reader series. The low ability subjects achieved significantly…

Reports on a three-part study comparing the effects of whole language practice versus traditional basal instruction on children's reading attitudes. Finds no evidence that the whole language philosophy offers inevitable advantages over traditional instruction in building students' attitudes toward reading. Suggests that how individual teachers…

Analyzes the two basal reader series used in the Singapore primary school for discrepancies in the treatment of male and female characters. Finds imbalances in the female/male ratio, in the amount of speech given to characters, and in role representation. (MG)

Investigates the relationship between type of reading instruction and reading comprehension. Uses predictor variables including IQ, group, race, and comprehension pretest score to predict comprehension score. Finds that the dependent variable was not significantly related to method of reading instruction, and there was no interaction effect…

Describes problems with the "person-on-the-street" perspective as it relates to use of basal readers series in the classroom. Investigates why widespread use of the basal series continues to dominate reading instruction. Suggests recommendations for change in reading instruction. (MG)

Describes the ways key issues in whole-language implementation were handled in Tennessee's pilot program. Offers a framework for encouraging teachers to look closely at the advantages of whole language without squeezing them between a rock and a hard place. (RS)

A survey of 267 instructional programs for children with hearing impairments found that schools continue to use basal readers and the language experience program extensively with students with hearing impairments; however, almost four of every five programs report that they use a whole-language orientation to reading instruction. (Author/CR)