A study investigated how comprehension, as measured by the accuracy and speed of performance, is affected by the information contained in a set of procedural instructions. Using instructions that were varied with respect to the mode of presentation (pictures, text, or pictures and text) and the degree of explicitness of operational information, 68…

To examine the comprehension process employed by gifted readers and to identify the various metacognitive strategies they employ, 100 gifted student volunteers in grades 4 through 7 were administered the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), Reading Subtests 11 and 13. The students also completed a questionnaire to determine metacognitive awareness…

A study compared the relative effectiveness of a direct instruction method for finding the main idea in a text with a method that combined direct instruction with a checklist that encouraged the students to monitor their application of the main idea strategy. Subjects, 56 fifth-graders at a suburban elementary school, were divided into one of…

A study investigated the differences in comprehension among 54 second grade students of differing reading abilities who either did nor did not receive basal reading instruction with interspersed postquestions, using the same reading series. Two factors, entering reading level and use of interspersed postquestions, were combined factorially to form…

A study was conducted to determine how a reader identifies and represents the major topics in a text and their interrelationships. Subjects, 56 college students, read two texts one sentence at a time. Each text contained 12 paragraphs that discussed six attributes of two major topics. The paragraphs on one text were organized by attribute, while…

The purpose of this paper is to present a direct instructional strategy, which is based upon what is known about effective classroom instruction. After defining direct instruction in reading, research that discriminates effective teachers from less effective teachers is presented. The paper then discusses the five-step, teacher directiveness…

This paper describes a recent study of the literacy practices in New Zealand and Australia. Through the voices of students, teachers, administrators, parents, state agency persons, and university faculty, the literacy programs "down under" are heard and seen. The paper also discusses programs for special needs children and briefly…

This publication is a transcription of a forum held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 19, 2006 on background knowledge and reading proficiency. This topic goes to the heart of the education reform agenda, according to the first speaker, Eugenia Kemble, executive director of the Albert Shanker Institute, the sponsor of this…

This paper discusses two reading comprehension strategies for teachers to incorporate into their teaching methods. The paper reviews research and suggests techniques to support these strategies, vocabulary packs and cued spelling. Vocabulary packs, an effective strategy to increase reading comprehension, allow students to work independently on…

Two experiments investigated the effects of sources of strategy information on children's acquisition and transfer of reading outcomes and strategy use. Children with reading skill deficiencies received comprehension instruction on main ideas. In the first experiment, the final sample comprised 33 students (21 fourth graders, 12 fifth gaders)…

Models of self-regulated learning describe learners as actively and mindfully employing cognitive and metacognitive strategies as they pursue their learning goals. Self-regulated learners set goals, plan, and use a variety of cognitive strategies, monitor progress towards their goals, and manage their emotional states. However, many classroom…

A study compared the effects of four study strategies on at-risk sixth-grade students' comprehension and retention of main ideas and details in considerate and less considerate social studies text. The four strategies investigated consisted of the following two pairs: (1) mapping with and without instruction in identifying important details; and…

A study examined the effectiveness of a spatial learning strategy, the Graphic Post Organizer, implemented for an extended period of time. Subjects, approximately 150 eleventh-grade students enrolled in a "regular level" American History course at a combined upper-middle, middle, and working class suburb of Chicago, Illinois, were…

A study examined the effectiveness of a literature based reading strategy used in a Chapter 1 setting, using a series of books with a familiar character. Subjects, 36 third-grade students in a Chapter 1 reading program at 5 different schools representing a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, were divided into control and experimental groups…

Five classroom strategies for improving the comprehension of the content areas by students of English as a Second Language (ESL) are described. The strategies encourage students' processing skills of comprehension rather than emphasizing the products of comprehension. The strategies can help students learn English and also prepare them for…