Describes a hierarchical summary procedure that directs students' attention to the organization of ideas in content area textbook selections. Explains how the procedure helps students to improve their comprehension and recall and to write better organized compositions. (FL)

Reports research results showing that kindergarten children continue to progress in their knowledge about reading over summer vacations--without formal instruction. Contains a copy of the Letter and Word Reading Test, which was used in the study. (FL)

Reports that extending practice in oral language skills from kindergarten through the primary grades has a significant impact on Mexican American students' performance on a reading test. (FL)

Considers the complex and highly interactive features of the instructional setting when evaluating the reading context. Emphasizes that the focus should be on assessing the elements of the context that are most likely to impact specific students' performance in reading and writing. (MG)

Examines current research concerning various instructional approaches for introducing print related concepts to preschool children. Discusses the nature of preschool literacy skills in light of research findings. Concludes that a whole language approach enhances initial print concepts and develops analytical reading related skills. (MM)

Describes questions, games, and activities which promote critical reading as early as kindergarten by encouraging critical thinking. (MM)

Presents six key questions to ask about any instructional resource. Suggests a few specific questions to ask when selecting decoding and comprehension games and manipulatives. Presents seven instructional games and manipulatives appropriate for classroom use. (MG)

Suggests the use of environmental print word sets in active, hands-on learning sessions in order to develop skills required for alphabetizing words. Notes that the environmental print word sets allow students to concentrate on the alphabetizing task rather than the recopying of word lists. Considers the importance of alphabetizing, shows the…

Suggests a variety of class activities using word banks. (MKM)

Reports on some of the advantages--language creativity, applied phonics, and integrated skills--for the South African Indian children learning to read and write with the Language Experience Approach. (MB)

Noting the use of mental pictures to aid students' learning--the keyword method--is effective for both good and poor readers, describes specific methods, provides research to support their use, and presents classroom applications that lead from teacher instruction to students' independent learning. (NH)

Notes that primary and intermediate grade teachers rely heavily on basal readers for instruction and offers the advantages of and guidelines for using a skill trace approach to tracking selected skills across the program, as an evaluation strategy.NH)

Concludes that poor readers' comprehension of stories was improved by instruction that focused on causal structure, but that a few learners still struggling with basic decoding were too preoccupied to attend to story structure. (FL)

Describes the Reading Comprehension Interview, an individual interview procedure for gathering information about students' perceptions of classroom reading activities. Explains how it can help teachers gain insights into students' actual reading strategies. Contains a copy of the interview. (FL)

Reports on a survey of teachers in the American southeast showing that they attach great importance to fostering students' positive attitudes toward reading. Other findings, however, indicate that they spend little classroom time developing these attitudes. (FL)