Reports results of a study in Latvia of students ages 10 to 13 in grades 5 to 7 and their interest in different literary genres, their favorite books, and people who influenced their choices of reading material. (SR)

"Reading Basics Plus" consists of an integrated set of texts, workbooks, duplicating masters, word cards, charts, and teacher's guidebooks. By a process of small group trials, students' and teachers' reactions to the proposed content of the "Reading Basics Plus" program for grades four, five, and six were obtained in order to provide editors and…

Concludes that, if sex role stereotypes have developed prior to school entrance, they have partially diminished by grade six. (FL)

Describes a study in a fourth grade class which investigated students' reactions to the literacy program, providing the teacher with information regarding students' attitudes toward types of materials and specific strategies used. (SR)

A study was conducted to discover the components of books that children prefer over and above those children's books that adults critically acclaim. Forty intermediate-level fiction books included in the "Children's Choices" listings for 1978 to 1980 were read by three adult researchers and classified according to A. Applebee's taxonomy…

Seventy-five fifth grade students were administered an interest inventory to determine their attitudes toward reading and the kinds of reading materials they preferred. In addition, an observer completed reading behavior checklists for each student, and the students completed a second inventory to discover the amount of reading they did as opposed…

Previous research has indicated that children comprehend more of material of high interest than material of low interest, when each child is given a mixture of both types. In the present study of fifth-grade children, each child received either all high-interest material or all low-interest material. Interests were assessed using a picture-rating…

This report describes an action research project improving student academic reading achievement. The targeted population consisted of fifth grade students in a growing suburb of a major midwestern metropolitan area. The evidence for existence of the problem included student surveys, assessments, teacher observations and checklists. Analysis of…

Reports a study analyzing the inquiry level of science activities within junior high science textbooks and their accompanying supplemental activity guides. (PR)

Investigates, in a pilot study, the range of reading experiences offered to British junior level students. Finds that quiet reading periods (although brief and frequently disturbed) and the sharing of texts were common features in the classrooms observed. Finds a wide range of reading experiences in some cases but aimless and superficial reading…

A study attempted to determine if exposing sixth-grade middle school students to sex-equitable literature followed by discussion would show any significant changes in gender-bias attitudes expressed by the students. Subjects, 26 sixth grade students at a suburban middle school in Middletown, New Jersey, completed a pretest to determine gender-bias…

Three experiments using the same materials and methodology investigated the development of sex role stereotype schemata through the analysis of children's inferences of gender of protagonists in stories and through their preference for the protagonists. Thirteen sex role stereotypes whose validity was confirmed by five expert jurors were embedded…

A study investigated whether students instructed with expository (content area) materials in conjunction with the narrative materials used in the reading program would differ in reading comprehension achievement from students who were instructed with the narrative materials only. A control group of 19 fifth grade students was taught according to a…

Reveals that fourth-grade children were able to tell the differences between expository and narrative text but still needed guidance in how to read the two types of materials best. (FL)

Reports that the Barrett Taxonomy is useful for determining emphases in types of basal reader questions. Suggests that by using the taxonomy teachers can more intelligently select, adapt, and add to the questions provided in teachers' guides. (FL)