This article presents strategies for creating elementary-level guided reading groups that are both flexible (based on individual students' needs) and purposeful (offering strategies for making them more effective readers). The article also explains how to set up a guided reading group, choose appropriate books, and run the group. (SM)

New research shows that certain conditions surrounding read-alouds will ensure the greatest benefits. Suggestions for getting the most out of reading aloud include: engage students' interests; make sure the books are at the right difficulty level; spend an appropriate amount of time on reading aloud; offer a range of materials to read aloud; and…

Describes how to help young readers decode multisyllabic words by providing lessons on syllable spelling patterns. The article explains what a syllable is; presents the six common syllable spelling patterns (closed, open, r-controlled, vowel team, vowel-silent, and consonant-le); and offers a lesson on close syllables. (SM)

Intended for use with youngsters eager to begin reading as well as reluctant starters, this book is filled with time-tested, entertaining, and simple games that build on children's curiosity and sense of fun to teach reading skills. The book contains a brief introduction outlining the methods and goals of the reading games and instructions on how…

An assessment model is presented that breaks reading down into six discrete skill areas that are both teachable and assessable. The six traits of an effective reader are: (1) decoding conventions; (2) establishing comprehension; (3) realizing content; (4) developing interpretation; (5) integrating for synthesis; and (6) critiquing for evaluation.…

Designed to assess comprehension of written ambiguous and polysemous structures, this instrument is a series of written statements that include varying degrees and types of ambiguity. In the first part of the test students are asked to identify (from a choice of three) semantically acceptable paraphrases for an initial sentence. Then students must…

Intended for teachers, this book reports an assessment of reading achievement in the Irish schools of first year postprimary pupils. Chapters discuss background information, the research procedure, the survey findings, "backwardness" in reading, and the researcher's conclusions. The book concludes with an abstract that lists some of the…

Activities based on newspapers can help students to develop four reading-thinking skills--remembering, inferring, evaluating, and appreciating. (JM)

Describes a districtwide thinking skills program developed by teachers in an Illinois elementary school. (MD)

Many students read below grade level and have problems reading their core textbooks. Presented are five techniques secondary teachers can use to improve their students' reading skills. (MD)

Suggesting that schools can provide valuable reading and writing practice for their students through the implementation of a school post office program, this booklet describes the United States Postal Service's "Wee Deliver" program and provides some materials to get the program started. Participants may model their school after a town…

Describes a graduated series of writing, reading, and listening exercises designed to develop student experience and self-confidence in receiving and giving technical information. (MM)

Proposes the use of analogies as a means of helping secondary school students become mature and versatile readers. Offers an example of how analogy was used in one lesson. (FL)

A technique for measuring comprehension of lengthy prose is presented. The "textual segmentation" procedure requires subjects to partition text into complete, meaningful units such as paragraphs, chapters, and books. Potential applications of textual segmentation include measurement of reading comprehension, readability, and criteria for…

Tips for helping children develop skills in reading directories, timetables, maps, signs, newspapers, credit forms, and consumer information. (SJL)