Considers the prospects and need for a psychologically plausible connectionist model of the development of word recognition skills. Emphasizes the importance of phonological skills as precursors and facilitators of learning to read. Argues that it may be possible to develop a connectionist model which will be more consistent with evidence from…

Studies and identifies the strategies that might be taught to improve students' abilities to read in the content areas. Compares texts used for developmental reading instruction with those used in content areas. Argues for content area teachers to sharpen their skills as reading instructors. (HB)

Describes the problems of a hypothetical disabled reader in terms of his possible lack of phonological awareness. Explains phonological awareness and its subunits with examples. Discusses research that supports the notion that phonological awareness is necessary for reading success, as well as the issue of whether children can be taught…

Provides reactions to an article, "The Relative Contribution of L2 Language Proficiency and L1 Reading Ability to L2 Reading Performance: A Test of the Threshold Hypothesis in an EFL Context" published in an earlier issue of this journal (v31 n4). The authors of the article respond to these reactions. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the notion that the best predictor of future literacy education is the past, considering major trends in progress at the end of the 20th century, particularly those that may hold the potential to end the pendulum-like shifts that have marked literacy education over time, and offering reasons to believe that such shifts will be avoided.…

Focuses on the noticing hypothesis in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) reading materials. Reviews the problem of assessing noticing in classroom and experimental settings through conditions for noticing, retrospective assessment, and concurrent assessment. Concurrent assessment is illustrated through CALL materials that gather data on…

Even in early grades, a large gap in skills exists between students from economically advantaged and disadvantaged families. Evidence suggests that a substantial share of this skills gap emerges during the summer months, when school is not in session. Children from disadvantaged families experience greater losses in skills during summer vacations…

The most important skill teachers can communicate through reading experiences is the awareness of what kinds of questions to ask with different kinds of texts. These questions are not the factual questions that drift in and out of short term memory but the implicit questions, the thought-provoking "big questions." Some teachers…

The technical education student must become a proficient reader so that optimal achievement is possible in the work place. Technical education instructors must be certain that students have mastered the basics in becoming good readers. Students need to be able to read directions accurately and understand the contents. Informal approaches to…

Past reading research suggests that measures of reading comprehension should be made context dependent. Reading comprehension test questions that are context dependent are best answered by examinees only after the accompanying passages have been read. Recently, there has been some disagreement concerning the exact importance of context dependence…

The literacy problem in the Cleveland area and recommendations for dealing with it are presented in this booklet. Beginning with a definition of literacy and a discussion of the human costs and economic consequences of illiteracy, the booklet advocates reducing adult illiteracy, eliminating basic skills deficits, and improving communications…

It is held that academic learning, beginning with speech mastery, is the natural, necessary, and most legitimate core of every child's nursery curriculum. And no subject matter is more academic in nature than the mastery of spoken and written language. However, as intellectually challenging as the learning of first language may be, it is generally…

Reading instructors have valuable expertise to share with writing instructors to improve the writing ability of students. Writing instructors often give reading assignments to provide topics for students' essays or discussion, without understanding the reading process. A reading teacher can (1) show the writing instructor how to determine the…

Describes how the work of modern poets can expand adult learners' views of the uses of reading and writing and their own ability and specifically shows how the works of Carl Sandburg, Lucille Clifton, William Carlos Williams, and Langston Hughes can be used to teach adults to read. (SRT)

This paper proposes a reading model based on the metaphorical usage of neurobiological knowledge. The basic units, organization, and functioning of the Nurogen Model are described. The model's empirical scope is discussed focusing on letter and word perception, theme effects in comprehension, and the influences of text characteristics upon…