Examines the reading and writing concepts of two groups of low literate adults (prisoners and adults in mainstream society). Finds that both groups possess a restricted view of literacy, viewing reading as a decoding task and writing as a handwriting and spelling activity. (MM)

Presents a study in which children with low reading comprehension were taught four study activities: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. Instruction was by reciprocal teaching whereby an adult tutor and children alternately discussed the text. States that students' accuracy on comprehension tests increased significantly and was…

Investigates the effects of prior provision of context on the reading behavior of an above-average reader. Results indicate that discussion of context, through examining relevant illustrations, answering questions, and introducing new words, significantly decreased errors and slightly increased the amount of self-correction. (Author/GEA)

Traces the literary treatment of causes and symptoms of reading disabilities through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Points out several concepts which are changing the earlier diagnostic-remedial role of classroom teachers. (ARH)

Examines the findings of effective schools research and reading research that support the view that (1) more time should be devoted to reading children's literature and (2) more than basal materials is necessary for effective instruction. Shows how teaching children's literature can improve teacher effectiveness. (SKC)

Claims that reading research and reading instruction have come no closer to each other than they ever were because the two sides have trouble communicating. Postulates that the work of teacher-researchers like Mary Heller might help link theory to practice. (SKC)

Investigates a cognitive model which proposes to account for performance in formation of a goal, selection of an information category, extraction of the information, integration of the information, and recycling until the goal of locating information in documents is met. Indicates that overall performance was facilitated by the model. (JK)

Reports discrepancies between manual recommendations and teachers' use of recommendations. (FL)

Lists the dangers of readability formulas and concludes that while they may be a necessary evil, they should not be used as the underlying structure of a reading program. (FL)

Respectively, three experiments indicate that (1) people can identify all the terminal units in stories as well as different kinds of episodic structure; (2) when attention was focused on the intermediate units, the Goal Path emerged in the judgments; and (3) the same judgments about terminal units were made even when the number of sentences per…

Contrasts the views of teachers and students concerning topic work, finding that teachers see it as more valuable than do children. (FL)

Reports on a survey of third grade children concerning their criteria for good reading. (FL)

Concludes that poor readers benefit from a cooperative strategy that gives them practice toward fluency in a supportive situation. Explains how repeated reading works and offers a strategy for using it. (FL)

This study developed an inventory that could be used to assess adult beginning readers' attitudes toward reading in the three attitudinal dimensions of beliefs, feelings, and behaviors and in five reading situations identified by a sample of adult beginning readers. Suggested uses for the inventory were generated. (Author/CH)

An attempt is made to assess the influence of recent reading research on current classroom practice. It is argued that its overall effect is minimized by a combination of researcher/practitioner disagreement on what constitutes reading, the overreliance by researchers on a particular methodology, and the inadequacy of much of the machinery for…