Inadequate self-concepts develop due to being a poor and insecure reader. Any company invests time and money wisely if it provides individuals opportunities to develop needed reading skills at the workplace. There are selected prerequisites for reading instructors to stress when teaching at the workplace: (1) the instructor needs to have basic…

This collection of essays examines component areas of constructing a reading curriculum, including the concepts, rationales, and practical aspects that affect curriculum development. The first essay calls for a reading curriculum that incorporates developing proficiency in word recognition and comprehension, and emphasizes quality literature. The…

The controlled vocabulary method of reading instruction (popular in the 1950's and 60's in the Dick and Jane basic reading series) had many inherent and numerous strong points. As with all beginning reading instruction methods, including the Big Book, heterogeneous reading group, holism, phonics, library book, and constructivist methods,…

This paper suggests that vocabulary knowledge is closely related to the background knowledge required for reading a text. It suggests ways in which the reading teacher can select objectives for pupils to achieve in the area of vocabulary development, emphasizing what is relevant and functional. The paper makes the following recommendations:…

Reading is a skill that can complement a hands-on approach in learning relevant facts, concepts, and generalizations pertaining to different units of study. Teachers should guide students to have the ability to identify unknown words prior to their actual reading of subject matter in science. Pupils tend to make minimal mistakes in word…

Dealing with student motivation in the reading curriculum, this paper begins by discussing why motivation is important. Next it explores reasons for lack of motivation and ways to remedy the problem, including teacher enthusiasm; appropriate reading materials; variety in teaching methods; balance among cognitive, affective, and psychomotor…

Few teachers set objectives for pupils to achieve when reading across the curriculum is implemented. Teachers in academic disciplines need to participate in staff development programs or inservice teacher education to be instructors of reading. Skills emphasized in staff development need to be tried out in the classroom and feedback should be…

With good sequence in reading achievement on the primary grade levels, pupils should be increasingly ready to attain well on the intermediate levels of instruction. Textbooks (basals) in reading need to be selected with great care so that they are on the reading level of involved pupils, not the frustrational nor the too easy to read level. Enough…

Learning phonics can be enjoyable or it can be tedious. This paper presents several teaching approaches that can guide pupils to like phonics instruction and to become better readers. Guidelines to remember in teaching phonics are to: (1) make it a relaxed and informal learning activity; (2) decrease competition among learners while developing…

To become an efficient reader of subject matter in geography, students need to have adequate background information to read the ensuing content. Vocabulary considerations thoroughly enter into the reading act. A major problem for the teacher when students read geographical content is to develop meaning. To assist students in reading and…

The rural school teacher needs to be certain that pupils are attaining the skills needed in reading to be successful in the world of work or postsecondary education. A major source of problems for rural pupils is that many lack background information in order to attach meaning to what is being read. Adequate attention must be given to pupils…

A number of issues in the reading curriculum need studying, analyzing, and synthesizing. Among them is the emphasis on definite scope and sequence in phonics versus individualized reading. A second issue in the teaching of reading involves the use of precise, measurably stated objectives versus flexible, general goals. A related issue involves…

Old Order Amish are readily distinguishable from others in society by their dissociation from "modern" convenience and dress. Students in an Old Order Amish school in Iowa receive instruction in language arts from a secular basal language arts workbook, and a basal reader containing biblical stories. Comprehension of content is evaluated…