Classroom based research investigating the actual context of reading requires examination of the texts chosen, the purposes for which they are to be read, the strategies to be used in actually reading them, and, finally, the outcomes expected from reading them. Among the studies that have pioneered research of this kind are (1) those directed by…

The Reading Test for New York State Elementary Schools is designed to determine the most difficult prose text a student can read with comprehension. Test uses described include evaluating the student's current level of achievement; determining reading difficulty levels for instruction; measuring growth of comprehension; determining statewide…

Three experiments, in which subjects read passages of variable readability, measured "cognitive capacity usage" (the attention level to reading material) by recording by subjects reaction times in a secondary task (responding to a "click"). The data indicated that the easy texts filled cognitive capacity more completely than the difficult texts,…

This guide discusses material selection criteria for those who teach English reading skills to adult non-English speakers. It is argued that in order to achieve a grasp of meaning in a second language, the student must have some experience with the culture from which that meaning arises. For the selection of material, a checklist of American…

To test the hypothesis that paragraphs composed of sentences with identical or closely related topics (the grammatical subject and its adjuncts) would be easier to read than a paragraph whose sentence topics were only remotely related, two experiments on the readability of paragraphs were conducted. The first experiment involved subjective…

Focusing on what authors can do to facilitate learning from content area textbooks, this report labels authors as "considerate," providing text that readers can understand with a minimum of cognitive effort, or as "inconsiderate," creating text that requires a conscientious, highly skilled effort if readers are to comprehend…

A study was undertaken to investigate the nature of the cohesive features found in the language of selected first grade students and to study and compare the cohesive features of language samples in the beginning level of three widely used reading series to those found in the language of the children for whom they are intended. In the first part…

The purpose of this checklist is to direct the attention of teachers, administrators, and supervisors to the essential features of reading programs. Questions are provided to direct attention to numerous features related to the following aspects of reading programs: (1) program authorship; (2) program philosophy; (3) readability of materials; (4)…

A review of the literature indicates that reading ability is related to measured mathematical achievement. This study attempts to develop a valid testing technique for assessing mathematical reading. As a corollary to this function, reading-difficulty rankings of expository mathematics materials measured by narrative readability formulas were…

Experience background deficiencies and a combination of several factors contributing to inattention in reading can cause children to be verbalizers. The causes of and some corrections for these two problems are discussed. Since reading is essentially a process of reconstructing one's experiences back to the printed symbols, background deficiencies…

Approaches to improving students' skills in reading social studies materials are presented in this book. The first chapter discusses reading problems and orientations to reading in the social studies. The remaining three chapters deal with three problem areas: making a suitable match between pupil reading abilities and instructional materials,…

This paper describes a study of the criteria children's book editors and elementary classroom teachers use to select fiction books for children in grades four, five, and six. A questionnaire was sent to all members of the Children's Book Council and to elementary classroom teachers of grades four, five, and six in each elementary school in…

The aim of the panel on reading comprehension, sponsored by the National Institute of Education Conference on Studies in Reading, was to determine the influence of intellectual factors, general experiences with the world, knowledge specific to the particular reading task, and general decoding skills to successful reading performance. In addition,…

This list of over 200 books for retarded readers was compiled to fill the need for books which would be acceptable and interesting to older children reading at primary-grade levels of difficulty. Having been evaluated objectively by the Spache Readability Formula and subjectively by retarded readers in a reading clinic and in classrooms, the books…

To help educators and librarians meet the demands of adult basic education students, a guide was prepared which: (1) discusses criteria for selecting materials for use in adult education classes; and (2) includes an annotated bibliography of materials appropriate to adult learners. Selection considerations included: (1) interest in subject area:…