A study of eight basal reading series was conducted to determine how Native American characters are portrayed in basal readers and how much realism is in recently published stories. Native Americans were not presented in first grade stories. Fifth grade stories were realistic and well written. (JHZ)

Analyzes four informal reading inventories to determine the text type of each passage, whether narrative passages are well formed, and whether expository passages are well organized. Finds almost half the narratives poorly formed. Concludes that the lack of continuity in text type and organization could result in children's comprehension scores…

Argues that while many publishers may simplify the sentence structure in the basal reader to facilitate the process of learning to read, this practice may result in texts with stylistic features and text formats that are unnatural and uncharacteristic of written English or the language development level of the children. (FL)

Concludes that three experimental programs were more effective than traditional approaches in beginning reading instruction: (1) a literature program using special decoding strategies, (2) a literature program not using the special strategies, and (3) a traditional basal approach using the special decoding strategies. (FL)

Reports on a study that examined the manuals of sixth-grade basal readers to determine whether the suggested poetry teaching procedures reflected the pedagogical procedures recommended by expert opinion, concluding that they did not. (HOD)

Describes and examines the word choice and frequency in six tests and raises questions about the use of word lists and controlled vocabulary in producing basal readers, judging and manipulating readability of texts, and building vocabulary. (HOD)

Reports on a study with slow first-grade readers showing that sight words are better learned in the context of repetitive "predictable" books and language experience approach charts than from stilted preprimers. Argues that the process meshes with the basal program. (FL)

An extensive case history of instructional environment and acquisition of reading skills by 50 first-grade students in ten classrooms indicates that the rate at which students mastered decoding depended on classroom instruction with direct instruction appearing most profitable for children from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. (MKM)

This study investigates the image of the American family presented in six recent basal readers published by Allyn and Bacon, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Harper and Row, Laidlaw, Macmillan, and Scott Foresman. It compares these model families to social reality in terms of family structure, ethnicity, and father and grandparent roles. (Author/SJL)

Reports that first grade children in Zaire who used a carefully controlled native language primer (developed to meet a need for up-to-date, relevant primers in Zairean languages) achieved higher reading scores than children who used an old (1952) primer. (GT)

The readability levels of ten basal readers commonly used to develop word recognition and comprehension skills in learning disabled children from grades 3 through 6 were compared with the readability levels of their accompanying workbooks. (Author/DLS)

Details an investigation of the relative contribution of two dimensions of field dependence-independence to the prediction of specific reading skills for first-grade children in an intensive phonics program and in a basal reader program supplemented with phonics. (FL)

This article focuses on the political and economic realities surrounding textbook publishing. A discussion of the publishing industry includes an examination of industry decision makers and the influence of profit. State textbook adoption policies are also explored. (IAH)

Discusses problems related to using basal readers for reading instruction. Recommends actions for local administrators and policymakers. (MG)