Discusses how a fifth-grade teacher gained a new perspective on the reading habits of a reluctant male reader identified as having a specific learning disability in language. Notes that the student became enchanted with nonfiction, forcing the teacher to reevaluate her value system that placed reading, writing, and speaking above all other forms…

Dyslexic readers (n=42) were contrasted with 56 adequate readers with attention deficit disorder and 21 poor readers. The children, ages 7-12, were studied in terms of simple and complex phonological processing, speech rate, continuous naming speed, running memory span, serial memory span, and mental addition. Evidence suggested that the two poor…

Compares readability levels of the recreational reading books selected by fourth graders. Finds that the students chose books from their school libraries and read (or chose not to read) books on all their reading levels. Concludes that students read books related to their interests, regardless of the book's readability or the student's reading…

Investigates effects of teaching text-comprehension strategies to children with decoding and reading-comprehension problems and with a poor or normal listening ability. Finds no differential program effects for the two listening levels. Finds no stable evidence of transfer of comprehension strategy-training to standardized general listening and…

Explores numerous procedures to evaluate a pupil's reading achievement. Discusses different evaluation methods including criterion-referenced tests; contextualism in reading; discussions in the reading curriculum; conferences with pupils; and using portfolios. Concludes that the best objectives, learning opportunities, appraisal procedures, and an…

Examined the Success for All Program's effects on elementary students' reading achievement. A comparison between two SFA schools and two matched-control schools showed that African-American students in SFA schools performed comparably to their White counterparts in all four schools and significantly outperformed noncontrol minority students. (47…

Examined contribution of home reading practices to school reading achievement of European American and Hispanic second graders. Found that how often and with whom children read, and child's initiation of reading were related to reading achievement. Relations were more pronounced for European American boys and Hispanic girls, less so for Hispanic…

Argues that, to provide effective instruction for all students, schools must have reading specialists who can provide expert instruction, assessment, and leadership for the reading program. Discusses the need for reading specialists, what a reading specialist is, and the roles of the reading specialist with regard to instruction, assessment, and…

Investigates eight first-grade whole language classrooms in terms of what phonics skills and concepts were taught, where phonics instruction occurred, and how it was conducted. Shows gains in ability to decode and encode words for all students. Finds that teachers responded to individual needs of learners, and that skills were taught within the…

Administers three measures of phonological processing to Chinese first graders. Notes that earlier research indicates a strong relationship between children's phonological processing skills and early reading ability in alphabetic orthography. Finds that this relationship is not specific to reading an alphabetic orthography--the relationship…

Proponents of national tests claim they are needed to provide individual student test scores and to yield aggregate statewide and nationwide data. However, other sources already provide mountains of data, and U.S. school children are already the most tested in the world. The tests proposed by Congress will be harmful, since there are inadequate…

Defines and discusses at-risk readers, and reviews assessments of student classroom performance. Strategies that have been successful with at-risk readers in the elementary classroom are discussed, including dramatization, parallel drama, semantic guides, word images, connecting reading and writing, and media-intervention. (SLD)

Describes how one teacher infused reading strategy instruction into her first-grade classroom literacy program. Discusses strategic literacy instruction, noting independent reading strategies. Describes the variety of approaches the teacher uses to foster emerging students' development as strategic readers (including demonstrations/modeling,…

Considers how children with hyperlexia who learn to read spontaneously before the age of five are impaired in reading and listening comprehension but have word recognition skills well above their measured cognitive and linguistic abilities. Reevaluates three adolescent hyperlexic students eight years after an initial evaluation. Finds levels of…

Addresses the issue of teacher purpose in using technology for reading and literacy instruction. Notes that computers were used mostly for motivation and self-esteem and not for raising achievement. Argues that educators need to critically think through the multiple realities they face as they consider the use of technology with disabled readers.…