The reading content offered in Hong Kong to advanced learners of English as a second language underestimates their intellectual capabilities. Material presented to second language learners is found to be linguistically correct but containing trivial, dull, and unchallenging cultural and intellectual content. This situation is closely related to…

Describes the educational philosophy of Nigeria and explores the role of libraries in the realization of these educational objectives. The discussion covers materials and services that libraries should offer to help promote recreational reading and encourage individual development. (21 references) (Author/CLB)

Examines relationships among parents' age, education, literacy activities and shared reading with children, and children's language skills and early interest in books through a longitudinal study of 108 preschool children. Discusses the role of endogenous and exogenous variables in explaining children's language skills and early book reading…

Examines the ways in which parents and teachers interacted with children while listening to them read. Finds that parents concentrated on decoding the text, while teachers read to the children or discussed the text with them (conversing). Reveals that conversing occurred frequently among teachers but not parents; behaviors demonstrate parental…

This article reports the results of a study examining the reading attitudes of the Russian people. This study also investigates the motives that guide adults in their choice of literature. Researchers have noted that two motives stand out: (1) "normative" or "pragmatic" reading (for school, exams, and reports; for carrying out…

To develop good reading habits, children must be surrounded with books, stories and reading not only in the classroom but in the home and the community. Children who read and are read to outside of school do better than those who do not read and are not read to outside of school. Parents and other family members should make books and reading aloud…

Many measurement techniques have been developed to assess elements related to attitudes toward reading, which encompass an individual's views, feelings, values, and beliefs. Instruments developed by British teachers include Likert-type scales, a repertory grid technique, and an approach assessing reactions to screened photographs of different…

Describes an attempt to introduce SSR in an English language school near Bombay, India. Shows that the fourth grade students involved in the program improved both their attitude and their reading achievement. (FL)

Describes a survey of Israeli high school students to determine the books they considered most impressive in developing national and civic values. Reports that the majority of books selected were fiction and were perceived as very useful in developing national knowledge and less useful in developing civic values. (MKM)

Introduces reading research from Great Britain, Sweden, and Australia. Discusses three conclusions from this literature particularly relevant to college reading specialists. (SR)

Examines the contrasting interpretations of reading brought by young children of Bangladeshi origin and their teachers into school. The author questions the universal relevance of western school-oriented models on how reading is learned. Reading programs that are culturally responsive to the varied communities they serve must be designed. (49…

Describes how, over three years, teachers, students, parents, and administrators of a girls' school in India built a school library, going from a small locked-up collection with no check-out system to a warm and busy library room that was a popular hub of activity at the school, with a dynamic and expanding collection and a full-time librarian.…

Examines how parents from different cultural groups mediated a simple narrative text to their 4-year-old children. Suggests when reading is less important for the parents personally, they are less inclined to deviate from the text to negotiate meaning. Notes the ethnic groups differed in how the parents interacted with their children, but these…

This research aimed at exploring the motivation for reading of pupils with dyslexia, and to investigate whether they differ from their peers. A total of 32 pupils formed the LD group (22 boys and 10 girls, 5th- and 6th-graders) who were diagnosed with dyslexia. A comparison group was formed of pupils who attended the same classes (N = 210), and…

This paper reviews 5 articles published in 1995 on family literacy research. The articles reviewed are: (1) a study on literacy in Iceland by Ronald Taylor which examined how Icelandic families share language and reading related activities; (2) an article by Barbara Moss and Gay Fawcett which describes and comments on different home literacy…