The purposes of this study were to determine to what extent selected critical reading skills are presented in current basal readers; to determine commonalities in their presentation; to ascertain if critical skills are stated as specific objectives; and to determine if practice and evaluation materials are provided for each selected skill by the…

Two approaches for increasing the ability of 201 fourth graders to determine the main idea and to draw inferences in reading were compared. Three basal programs were used for all instruction with the control group and for all instruction except that for determining main idea and drawing inferences for the experimental group. Inservice programs…

The subjects were 72 black and 72 white second-grade children, with an equal number of boys and girls in each racial group. Two sets of the same twelve stories from one edition of a basal reader were used, one set featuring illustrations of white characters and the other black characters. Each child was read three story pairs by a white adult and…

This evaluation report is designed to meet two major objectives: a) to determine the extent of and the factors associated with variations in success and failure among children enrolled in the Distar Follow-Through programs, and b) to determine variations in success and failure in selected measures as they occur between children enrolled in the…

Publishers have responded to calls for more minority characters and females in basal readers, but many of the changes appear superficial. (MKM)

Proposes a seven-stage model of direct instruction as it might be applied to a reading skills lesson on predicting outcomes. Discusses each stage of the model: exploration, explication, translation, modeling, guided practice, application, and closure. (FL)

Describes three instructional guides designed to raise students' thinking about short stories beyond factual recall to interpretation, application, synthesis, and evaluation of material, and to foster positive affective responses as concomitant reading behaviors. (RS)

Recommends research-based comprehensive changes in basal reading instruction. Points to the need for purposeful, direct, and text-related reading skill instruction, and for a change in the sequence of the reading lesson, with basal skills being taught prior to reading of the text. (ARH)

Analyzes the content of stories in several basal reading systems widely used in primary grade reading instruction, in terms of the relative frequency of main characters who are elderly, the quality of characterizations of elderly characters, the incidence of aging themes, and incidental references to aging or the elderly. Indicates few positive…

Examines the validity of oral reading accuracy and comprehension as indicators of difficulty for functionally illiterate adults and the feasibility of using four less commonly measured variables as additional indicators of difficulty. Indicates that accuracy and comprehension are valid indicators of difficulty. Rate and miscue quality are strong…

Describes the rationale, problems, and successes of a literature-based reading program. (FL)

Basal readers should portray minorities both accurately and idealistically. While publishers seem to have established acceptable percentage levels of minority content in basal series, the overall treatment of minorities remains unbalanced. (LHW)

Presents a brief sketch of the history of American reading texts, describing the educational and cultural conditions that have prompted changes in reading methods and materials and in the textbooks themselves. (Author/NH)

Examines the role of commercial materials in reading instruction through analyses of expert opinion and of research on reading instruction. Reports a series of investigations concerning teachers' and administrators' conceptions of reading and reading instruction and offers a critical evaluation of recent writing on effective reading instruction.…

Examines instructional procedures found in the preparation and questioning components of directed reading lessons to assist teachers in evaluating these procedures. Background knowledge and vocabulary development were examined in the preparation component; the story map in the questioning component. (Author/NH)