Survey finds: (1) recreational and academic reading attitudes became gradually more negative over the elementary school years and were steepest for least able readers; (2) girls possessed more favorable attitudes than boys; (3) ethnicity played little role; and (4) extent of teacher's reliance on basal readers was not a factor. Suggests that…

Presents results of a study of 11-year-old children's learning mode preferences, reading attainment, and cognitive ability. Reports that holistic thinkers preferred modes corresponding to their verbal imagery style, whereas analytic thinkers were divided across the verbal imagery dimension. Predicts highest achievement for wholist verbalizers and…

Describes a German longitudinal study of the relationship among verbal ability, memory capacity, phonological awareness, and reading performance. Reports that the relationship between memory capacity and phonological awareness remained stable over time. Concludes that memory capacity predicted phonological awareness task performance, phonological…

Presents an alternative performance-based assessment of reading comprehension and readability called the "Opin" procedure, a macroclosure procedure in which sentence endings instead of single words are deleted. Notes that readers' responses are rated on a continuum from low to high proximity with the author's intentions. (RS)

Uses a large, national, random sample of elementary school students to determine the effects of classroom racial composition and classmates' ability on African-American students' performance on standardized tests for mathematics and reading. On balance, African-American students do not benefit enough from higher classmate achievement levels to…

Explored validity of Neurobehavioral Evaluation System, set of computerized tests and examined validity of reaction time variability as index of sustained attention. Findings from 105 children showed children able to complete 4 of tests. Findings from subsample of 88 children showed test performance significantly associated with teacher ratings of…

Examined students' rates of academic growth (slopes of achievement). Using standard Curriculum-Based Measurement procedures in reading, spelling, and mathematics, students in Year 1 (n=546) were measured weekly; students in Year 2 (n=2,511) were measured at least monthly. Results provided corroborating data across years and interesting patterns…

Determines grade-level reading rates for third- and fifth-grade students as well as reading rates that correspond to independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels as determined through informal reading-inventory procedures. Suggests that availability of reading-level-rate norms can assist reading diagnosticians in evaluating the…

In 1988, the Mississippi Legislature established a public school rating system, ranging from 1 (probation) to 5 (exceptional). The new superintendent of Oxford Public Schools took only three years to make the level-3 district 1 of only 12 Mississippi school systems to achieve level 5 status. Reading Recovery helped. (MLH)

Investigates the utility of oral reading rate as a metric in monitoring students' progress over time within a literature-based curriculum. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) probes were administered to 2nd- and 5th-grade students to monitor their progress in reading. Results suggest that the CBM oral reading rate is an effective metric for use…

Examined the impact of parent-school involvement on Title I second through eighth graders' reading and mathematics achievement, noting the effect of student gender and socioeconomic status (SES). Student testing data, SES data, and information on parent involvement indicated that parental involvement, regardless of child's gender or SES, was a…

Investigates effects of the Success for All (SFA) program on elementary school students' reading achievement in 4 cities. Finds greater achievement for students in SFA classes at 3 sites, especially for students achieving below the 25th percentile, relative to students in control classrooms, but effects were not as strong and consistent as in the…

Discusses individualized reading instruction in the United States in its historical context. States that effective, child-centered, individualized reading programs are guided by three principles: the desires, needs, and motives of each child; individual abilities, interests, and instructional needs; and opportunities for social interaction. Points…

Studied the average development of word recognition, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling of poor and better readers during the elementary school period and studied whether differences between these readers increased over time. Results for 3 cohorts of about 900 children each contradict the existence of a Matthew effect for word…

Determines what elementary teachers' believe are the most effective assessment practices for gathering data about the reading performance of their students. Finds that teachers perceived all reading assessment as having some degree of merit. Examines the views of beginning and experienced teachers, as well as primary and intermediate teachers. (SG)