Younger (6- to 8-year-old) and older (9- to 11-year-old) children took a multiple-choice test that yielded comparable performances at the two age levels. When subjects estimated their overall performance at the end of the entire test, older children were more accurate and less variable than younger children. (Author)

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised (PPVT-R) and the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) (reading, mathematics, and language subtests) were administered to 61 elementary school students in semi-rural Louisiana. Moderate positive correlations were found between PPVT-R scores and all CTBS subtests except mathematics computation. (GDC)

Compares the effectiveness of two types of classroom vocabulary instruction with a noninstruction type homework assignment. (FL)

This study compared and evaluated three alternative theoretical models of the reading-writing relationship. Reading dimensions included word analysis, vocabulary, and sentence comprehension components; writing dimensions included spelling, vocabulary, sentence structure, and story organization components. Models differed in sequential orderings of…

Each teacher has a style of teaching that provides the most effective way to help students grasp the desired learning concepts. One point teachers agree on is that teaching vocabulary to children needs to be an active process that engages students in entertaining activities and helps them build a bridge between already known vocabulary and the new…

This action research project investigated various reading strategies to increase reading comprehension and vocabulary skills. The targeted population consisted of students from three elementary schools and one junior high school, located in lower to middle socioeconomic neighborhoods. Two elementary schools and the junior high school are located…

Studied effects of three conditions on fourth-grade students' vocabulary acquisition: (1) listening to stories, with brief explanation of unfamiliar words; (2) listening to stories with no explanation of unfamiliar words; and (3) having no exposure to stories or to word explanations. Found that simple word explanations in the context of an…

Describes how one elementary educator teaches word study strategies that enlarge students' understanding of phonics and vocabulary. A primary level activity has students create a thematic word wall. An intermediate level activity has students conduct a new word hunt. A reproducible student page helps students sort words by sound. (SM)

Describes an analogy approach to word identification which was used for two years in a resource room. Concludes with an adaptation of the compare/contrast approach for teaching decoding to other children who do not exhibit reading problems. (MG)

Describes a method of increasing vocabulary recognition of Chapter 1 elementary students by using mastery words from basal programs, sight word cards, and modified cloze stories. (MG)

Investigated the nature and representation of vocabulary instruction in the teachers' edition of social studies textbooks for grades four through eight. Found that although publishers realized the importance of vocabulary, they continued to include vocabulary activities that represent traditional rather than higher order ideas about how to support…

Vocabulary development, operationally defined as the isomorphism between an individual's store of concepts and the labels society uses to represent those concepts, is akin to concept development. Therefore, vocabulary development can be facilitated if presented in clusters of related concepts. One approach used to reinforce such basic concept…

Recent studies conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicate a deficiency in youngsters' abilities to express themselves in written form. Described in this paper are techniques for helping elementary school children build writing skills by using literature selections as models for expression. Through imitation, pupils can…

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)

Finds the test useful but criticizes its lack of generalizability of norms and the absence of reliability, validity, or normative information for the Spanish version. (FL)