Six practical and readily accessible informal assessment strategies for evaluating adult readers are described. These include (1) observation, (2) simplified reading inventories, (3) cloze procedures, (4) group reading inventories, (5) criterion-referenced tests, and (6) informal reading inventories. (CH)

Reviews the procedures and outcomes of ten different peer tutoring projects. The evidence reviewed suggests that peer tutored paired reading accelerates children's reading progress, with peer tutors gaining more than the children who receive tutoring. (Author/JDH)

An overview of psychophysical studies on visual factors that influence normal- and low-vision reading is presented. General principles, such as the presence or absence of central vision, were found to predict reading performance despite the heterogeneity of low-vision conditions. Results suggested most low-vision subjects meet the visual…

K. Kavale responds to criticism of his earlier meta-analysis assessing the relationship between auditory perceptual skills and reading. R. Gersten and D. Carnine rejoin that the correlations Kavale found between auditory skills and reading achievement scores are of limited pragmatic use to the field. (CL)

Parental responses (N=125) to scaled items in home interviews were factor analyzed and family environment dimensions were employed as predictor variables. Parents of proficient readers were characterized as adapted to their children's deafness, involved in the deaf community, and permissive rather than overprotective. High achievers had parents…

Average and backward readers from Grades 2, 4, and 6 were examined for their performance on five cognitive tasks, three of which measured memory span. Results were consistent with a developmental trend and increment with reading competence. No differences were obtained between matched groups, which supported a developmental interpretation.…

The purposes of this study were to determine which of the tests, PPVT, SIT, or Lorge-Thorndike (LT), may be the most useful to the classroom teacher in predicting reading achievement, for use in reading expectancy formulas, and for analyzing I.Q. scores obtained on different tests. (Author/RK)

Surveys Washington D.C. area educators to determine the current issues in reading. (RB)

Lists criticisms and responses to the i.t.a. (MM)

Notes that some progress has been made in teaching the socially disadvantaged to read, defines the socially disadvantaged, lists the causes of reading retardation among disadvantaged children, and suggests actions to overcome present inadequacies. Includes a pro-reaction and a con-reaction paper. Bibliography. (WB)

A description of Educational Development Laboratory's approach to performance contracts. (JF)

A special program through which a student contracts with a teacher to learn a certain amount is explained. (CK)