Examines the effects of direct instruction in finding the main idea of an expository text, and in monitoring reading comprehension using self-generated questions based on main ideas. Reports that reading comprehension improved with direct instruction in main idea and question generating. (MM)

Evaluates Phil Ritchie's research report (same issue) on the effects of direct instruction in finding the main idea of expository texts and using self-generated questions to monitor text comprehension. Points out that the most successful teachers of comprehension are teaching comprehension skills directly. (MM)

Discusses four studies of the Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading method designed to determine whether teacher modeling of appropriate reading behaviors would consistently lead to increases in student reading activity. Concludes that this method provides an effective environment in which students model teacher behavior to improve attentiveness…

Encourages teachers to evaluate the strategies used by their students in comprehension. Argues that this will provide information that will help in planning instruction. (FL)

The article describes the Direct Instruction Skills Plan, a comprehensive plan for direct and text-related reading skill instruction which places skill instruction prior to text reading. Steps include anticipatory set, objective and input, modeling, purpose setting and guided application, independent practice, checking for understanding, real-life…

Concludes that a cloze strategy, which induced students to integrate text information with prior knowledge, yielded superior gains in comprehension compared to treatments that did not include the strategy. (FL)

Describes a comprehension questioning strategy, based on R. Stauffer's Directed Reading-Thinking Activity, that enhances students' use of reasoning on the basis of prior knowledge. (FL)

Describes a language arts program and defines a basal reader; the considerable mismatch between the two is argued from the viewpoint of several pedagogical concerns. Illustrates these concerns by a report of the work of informed, decision-making teachers who use basals as only one of many resources. (Author/NH)

Presents a technique for remediating comprehension difficulties that is based on four principles of effective instruction that can be derived from comprehension research. (FL)

Offers adaptations of content area reading techniques that can help teachers integrate mainstreamed children into small groups with other members of their classes. Techniques include (1) the Jigsaw strategy, (2) the list-group-label strategy, and (3) the small group structured overview. (FL)

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)

The activities in this manual are drawn from converging research evidence on the effectiveness of critical components to early reading success. These instructional elements include: phonological awareness, fluent reading in a variety of texts, comprehension strategies and vocabulary development, decoding strategies, and word analysis. The…

Regardless of a child's experience with or exposure to books when he or she enters elementary school, teachers can greatly extend a child's literacy development through interactive classroom read-alouds. Reading a story aloud presents endless opportunities for related activities such as classroom discussions, role plays, shared readings, group…

The activities in this manual are drawn from converging research evidence on the effectiveness of critical components to early reading success. These instructional elements include: phonological awareness, fluent reading in a variety of texts, comprehension strategies and vocabulary development, decoding strategies, and word analysis. The…