THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF STUDIES DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE THE SUITABILITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH REGARD TO LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY IS REPORTED. THE STUDY ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER SOME RANGE OF DIFFICULTY MAXIMIZED THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION STUDENTS GAIN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF READING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. IN ORDER TO FORM 129 PAIRS…

A study was made of the effects of three types of preparation on the accuracy of prospective teachers in conducting an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI), with 73 undergraduate students exhibiting features of Spanish in oral reading in English: (1) the study of Spanish (two or more semesters), (2) training in conducting an IRI (provided in a…

A study was conducted to determine if students could learn to monitor and evaluate their own reading performance. Five fourth and fifth grade students having a reading score indicating achievement within one year below grade level participated in the study for six weeks. Subjects spent one hour per school day learning how to monitor their reading…

The use of the cloze procedure to determine instructional reading levels for pupils in grades 4, 5, and 6 was investigated. For each grade, 50 subjects were selected who, on the basis of teacher judgment, were reading at their respective grade levels. The Botel Reading Inventory, Form A (Word Opposites) served as the criterion for instructional…

This project developed an informal reading test from adult basic education teaching materials and investigated reading performance at six levels among adults attending basic education classes. Graded word lists, readiness oral reading passages, and graded oral reading passages were administered to 37 adults. The six most discriminating word lists…

The five basic objectives of this study were: (1) to review and analyze five reading programs and write the skills and concepts presented in each program; (2) to compile a list of skills and concepts found to be common in the majority of programs; (3) to develop and write assessment tasks with terminal criteria that require student performance of…

Claims that in the conventional administration of the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) comprehension diagnosis is inordinately influenced by the reader's ability to recall information. Suggests that allowing reinspection by the reader restores recall to its proper function and may result in other advantages. (NH)

Prospective teachers report levels of expected use of informal reading inventories that are substantially higher than the level of actual use reported by experienced teachers. (FL)

Recommends the use of the Group Reading Inventory (GRI), an informal survey instrument, to identify general reading abilities of individuals in correctional facilities. Discusses why the GRI is appropriate for use, guidelines for constructing a GRI, and procedures for administering, scoring, and interpreting the instrument. (NRJ)

Three second-grade students with learning disabilities were measured twice a week for 12 weeks on 2 types of curriculum-based measurement (computer maze and oral reading) and an intervention of repeated readings was implemented. Data indicated that the repeated reading intervention affected oral reading CBM, but not performance on the maze…

This study examined the construct validity of curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency from basal reading programs. Twelve special education students (grades 2-5) were monitored for oral fluency using 2 reading curricula (their instructional curriculum and the mainstream reading curriculum) throughout the academic year. Performance…

Informal Reading Inventories (IRI) are often recommended as instructionally relevant measures of reading. However, they have also been criticized for inattention to technical quality. Examination of reliability evidence in nine recently revised IRIs revealed that fewer than half report reliability. Several appear to have sufficient reliability for…

Children ages 5-6 were questioned in an informal setting about their favorite stories, and all responded with titles of videos, rather than books. When asked specifically about stories in books, children's responses were more hesitant, and were often books of television programs or films. Another informal study was conducted, in which a teacher…

This issue presents eight essays all on the theme of how young children can become strong and successful lifelong readers. "Seeking Common Ground" (Lee Sherman) reviews the debate over how best to teach young children to read. "In the Beginning" (Catherine Paglin) suggests that by reading aloud to young children and filling their world with print,…