Reacts to recent curriculum changes in Texas and California by offering a facetious teaching plan for reading whereby all the teacher's work is to be done for them in the form of workbooks and worksheets on skills. Suggests that children can read the same book for all six years of elementary school. (TB)

"Doors to Discovery"[TM] is an early childhood curriculum that uses thematic units to engage young children and support them as they build an understanding of their world. "Doors to Discovery"[TM] literacy activities are used to encourage children's development in a number of areas identified by research as the foundation for…

A study of Texas high school students who are native speakers of Spanish with high levels of language ability was undertaken on the assumptions that (1) a large number existed, (2) bilingual schooling may have increased the prevalence of these individuals, and (3) from academic and professional points of view, these abilities might be used more…

Instructional guidelines for grade 3 objectives being tested by the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) are presented. The guidelines are designed to be helpful to primary grade teachers in clarifying expectations regarding the TABS tests. Looking at the grade 3 basic skill descriptions will indicate what students in kindergarten through grade…

"Read Well" is a research-based reading curriculum designed to improve student literacy. This program includes explicit, systematic instruction in English decoding, sustained practice of decoding skills and fluency, and instruction in vocabulary and concepts presented in text. It also provides support for English language learner (ELL)…

Standardized tests represent one way of obtaining assessment information. Yet in recent years educators and the public have voiced concerns about an overriding emphasis on tests and test scores. Pressure to "teach to the test" means that not enough time is spent on higher order thinking and literacy skills because minimal competencies…

This newsletter focuses on the importance of reading and writing skills in all educational and career pathways. It includes a variety of strategies for integrating reading and writing skills across the curriculum--in academic, career/technical and fine arts courses--in ways that improve student achievement in reading and writing and in the content…

The first section of this guide about literacy programs in Texas features background information about literacy, including a definition of literacy; literacy statistics; a fact sheet about literacy in the United States; developmental stages of literacy; Kohl's four stages of literacy; characteristics of successful programs; barriers to and methods…

The reading objectives and measurement specifications in this paper are provided for teachers and other educators responsible for pupil instruction and for test development specialists involved with the preparation of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills. Following lists of objectives and general specifications, the paper outlines a…

The interaction hypothesis proposes that valid test accommodations benefit only those with disabilities. To evaluate this hypothesis, Grade 3 students with word decoding difficulties identified with dyslexia and average decoders were randomly assigned to take the same version of the Texas reading accountability assessment under accommodated and…

This paper suggests that since neither grade retention nor social promotion work, there must be an alternative between these two extremes. Successful efforts to end these practices should: identify student problems as early as possible; intervene as soon as problems are identified; design the extra help around each student's needs; and have strong…

A longitudinal investigation determined the growth of reading comprehension from third to fifth grades in a cohort of students who received Language Enrichment (LE), an Orton-Gillingham-based literacy program, during first and second grades. The LE instruction was provided by regular education teachers who received comprehensive training in…

The report describes a 2-year Texas project which identified academic competencies needed by first-year college students in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and critical thinking. Presentations at conferences and educational meetings brought the competencies and their implications to the attention of over 300 Texas educators. Additional…

The study investigated whether significant differences resulted from a bilingual-bicultural reading program as compared to the results of a traditional monolingual reading program. During the third spring semester of a four year bilingual project, 86 third, 84 fifth, and 96 eighth grade bilingual Mexican American students from the same South Texas…

Criterion-referenced tests were used to measure basic skills and competencies in mathematics, reading, and writing in Texas. Results reported on 433,520 students in grades 5 and 9 who took the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) in 1980. Ninth graders were tested on competencies and proficiency levels expected to be mastered by students in…