Designed to differentiate preservice and inservice teachers according to their theoretical orientation to reading, the TORP consists of 28 items reflecting practices and beliefs about reading instruction. The items, which require a Likert-type response, fall into three categories: phonics (smaller than word emphasis), skills (whole words with…

A study was conducted to determine (1) the nature and range of self-testing procedures that college students use to monitor their reading comprehension; (2) whether their epistomological beliefs influence the nature of their comprehension monitoring procedures; and (3) whether the level of processing dictated by the test component of their reading…

This study conducted in a midwestern city, addressed problems experienced by learning disabled (LD) students in recalling specialized science and social studies vocabulary. This apparent problem was confirmed by a teacher questionnaire and analyses of types and frequency of test errors on recent exams. Students appeared unfamiliar with memory…

A WICAT Computer Assisted Instructional (CAI) System began operation at St. Anne Consensus School (Tennessee) in August, 1986. Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) scores for the years 1984 through 1988 for ten students in each of the grades 4th through 8th (as of May 1988) were analyzed. The average gain for all subjects during the two years before…

This study compared use of portfolios as part of reading and spelling instruction in two Netherlands schools. Subjects were 92 6- to 7-year-olds including 14 poor readers. Quantitative evaluation indicated use of portfolios did not improve reading and spelling or self-esteem. Qualitative findings indicated that reading performance and self-esteem…

This study reviews research indicating that specific instruction in reading comprehension strategies is effective in improving comprehension for students, including those with learning disabilities. The reading strategies of highly competent readers are identified, and effective application of transactional strategies instruction with weak…

This evaluation study (with 45 middle school students with learning disabilities) found that students trained in summarization procedures performed significantly higher on all dependent measures of reading comprehension than those receiving traditional instruction. Also, on some measures, students also trained in self-monitoring outperformed those…

Research discoveries over the past 15 years concerning reading comprehension have had a significant impact on reading instruction, particularly schema theory. This theory, based on prior learning, which states that the reader uses the text to construct a meaning within his or her own mind, affects what teachers can do to help students improve…

Methods for teaching students to recognize and manipulate structures of cohesion in reading materials are discussed. Teaching students to connect text involves a strategy that combines reading and writing in student- and teacher-directed activities. An example illustrates how the strategy can be applied with specific course content, a ninth-grade…

Critics of ability grouping argue that, although the system permits instructional modification according to pupil ability level, it has harmful social and academic consequences for students in lower groups. This investigation asks two questions about the effects of grouping: First, does a student's within-class group rank affect his or her…

Current research on information processing suggests that short term memory plays a central role in the sorting and manipulation of text information during reading. Because an entire text cannot be processed simultaneously, successive "chunks" or units of information enter the short term memory where they are compared to the reader's previous…

A microeconomic theory is used to examine student learning curves. Achievement and time allocation measures are from a half dozen pupils in each of 21 fifth- and 25 second-grade classrooms in reading and mathematics. Also studied are the role teachers' values play in allocating learning time to students. (MLF)

Critically examines the "English ethnographic tradition's" view that classroom instruction transmits propositional knowledge. Uses observed classroom discourse to argue that instruction in fact produces knowledge, both propositional and "how-to". (MCG)

This paper reviews experimental studies of reading programs for English language learners, focusing on comparisons of various bilingual and English-only programs. The review method is best-evidence synthesis, which uses a systematic literature search, quantification of outcomes as effect sizes, and extensive discussion of individual studies that…

Review of scientifically based reading research as it applies to students with hearing impairments stresses the importance of (1) early intervention, (2) active learning opportunities, (3) teaching strategies for reading fluency, and (4) applying teacher interventions such as miscue analysis. The importance of identifying and implementing…