Notes the author was a member of the Arizona Reading Achievement Task Force, established by state law to report on how to implement the "phonics law" passed the year before. Presents the minority report, which outlines some principles of achieving reading excellence and which was not included in the Task Force's report. Suggests keeping…

This compilation of articles from "The Reading Teacher" contrasts old and new approaches to reading assessment and offers methods that teachers can use in the classroom to build better readers. The articles suggest that in order to effectively assess young readers, one must integrate assessment with instruction, which requires new forms of…

Research has shown that independent reading, both in school and out, is associated with gains in reading achievement. Principals can play a critical role by promoting voluntary reading to teachers, students, parents, and the community. (17 references) (MLF)

Suggests that both portfolio and performance-based assessment can be implemented in ways that retain vestiges of standardized testing. Compares aspects of standardized testing to aspects of portfolio and performance-based evaluation. Discusses responsibility to those assessed. (RS)

To help teachers, policy analysts, and others understand the 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Assessment in Reading, this journal issue presents the objectives and examples of how students in grades 4, 8, and 12 will be assessed. The issue discusses NAEP's view of reading; key features of the assessment; reading purposes;…

The principal of a Montana elementary school using direct instruction methods discusses the positive results students and school are experiencing as a result of the students' reading success. (MD)

This handbook gives teachers, reading specialists, administrators, or students concise, up-to-date information on the most popular assessment and evaluation tools in literacy. This second edition retains many of the tools reviewed in the first edition and adds 12 new tools. The first section reviews 24 tools that are teacher-made. The second…

The United States ranked ninth among 35 nations in an international study among students in reading, as reported by the Progress in International Reading Literacy. Standards keep going up for students in reading achievement. Literature books for children must be rewritten in keeping up with the times in a demanding school and societal environment.…

This book addresses the task of matching books to students' reading levels, or book leveling. It assists teachers in making informed choices about appropriate leveling systems, recommends which books can be used in instruction, and suggests how book text level and student reading abilities may correspond. The book will help classroom teachers and…

Offers a procedure that will allow classroom teachers to use standardized reading achievement test scores in order to make appropriate decisions about placing students in instructional programs. (FL)

Discusses the factors involved in determining text difficulty. Discusses some of the reasons children choose to read certain materials, such as personal connections, culture and language, interest, and expertise. Illustrates these factors through descriptions of work with individual students, classroom observations, and research on students'…

Discusses the kinds of texts that are appropriate for students at various stages of their reading development and shares criteria for determining the difficulty levels of early reading materials. Lists five general considerations: vocabulary, size and layout of print, predictability, illustration support, and complexity of concepts. (SG)

This policy brief provides background information to state leaders as they play an increasingly visible role in reading programs. It focuses on understanding how children learn to read; on clarifying what research says about effective reading approaches; on why so many students are not reading successfully; and on identifying what policymakers can…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) methods and procedures used in the 1979-80 assessment of reading and literature are described. The objectives of the assessment are categorized into four main areas. These include values reading and literature, comprehension of written work, response to written work, and application of study…

Describes a successful volunteer tutorial reading program, developed by the New Haven, Connecticut, school system, that provides disabled readers with assistance from volunteer tutors. Includes a list of seven caveats to consider when developing a volunteer program. (MD)