This study evaluates the influence of literacy on outcomes in college programs with defined course requirements. This overcomes the limitations of previous research by contextualizing literacy according to program requirements. Results suggest (a) learner literacy varies considerably among programs, (b) there are socio-demographic variables…

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the kindergarten Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI; Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas System, 2004-2006) Mid-Year screeners with a sample of 180 students. The TPRI screeners were designed to determine which students are not at risk for later reading failure. Results…

Proposes that the difficulty of many developmental/remedial college students is not a specific reading or writing problem but insufficient precollege experience with written discourse. Discusses the impact of reading instruction on writing and of writing instruction on reading. (Author/FL)

Using a whole language approach in teaching the language arts presents a realistic structure and setting for reading and writing, allowing students to practice reading skills in such a way that they actually encounter and engage in the skills, rather than focusing on mastering one skill at a time. On the other hand, the recent accountability…

Examines one aspect of the second language reading process: the nature of the concepts of "difficulty" and "ease" within a schema-theoretic perspective. Addresses this topic through L2 reading at the university or adult level. Proposes a number of hypotheses suggested by both the empirical and pedagogical literature that will…

According to Gough and Tunmer (1986), in a "Simple View of Reading" (SVR), Reading comprehension (RC) = Decoding (D) x Linguistic Comprehension (C). To further evaluate this model, this paper describes an exploratory study of the performance of 60 university students, the majority of whom received academic accommodations at university to…

A study examined the extent of peer tutors' awareness of reading comprehension problems as a source of academic difficulties. The study, conducted in the spring of 1996, used a questionnaire to determine some of the reading habits of peer tutors and their perceptions of reading comprehension difficulties among students they tutored. The…

Fourteen poor-reading college students were assigned to a dyslexia group or a nonspecific reading-disabled group based on intelligence quotient (IQ). The groups were compared to controls on cognitive and reading-related skills. Results showed that poor decoding skill characterized the dyslexic reader, whereas the nondyslexic poor reader displayed…

Research suggests that there are three subgroups among poor readers, each with different patterns of skills, and that diagnosticians should look for an imbalance of skills, rather than any set assortment of strengths and weaknesses. (MKM)

Of all the effective strategies available to college developmental reading students, annotating (noting important ideas or examples in text margins) and underlining have the widest appeal among students and the most practical application in any course. Annotating/underlining serves a dual function: students can isolate key ideas at the time of the…

The 75 tests described in this bibliography are designed to diagnose students' problems in reading so that appropriate instructional and remedial strategies can be planned and implemented. This document is one in a series of topical bibliographies from the Test Collection (TC) at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) containing descriptions of…

Many functionally illiterate freshmen feel helpless in the face of their inability to learn to read at a competent level. College freshmen who drop out because of this disability are losers who suffer tremendous disadvantages when they leave college without earning a diploma. Possible causes of functional illiteracy hindering the least educated…

Before an effective program can be developed to help the remedial writing student, instructors must dispel the myth that college students can read college level materials. Related to this assumption is the belief that those who cannot read in college cannot do so because of a lack of intelligence. Clearly what is important in understanding the…

This paper discusses a study of student-teacher discourse during the process of portfolio assessment in a college reading assessment course. Data were collected during one semester in which portfolio process was one means of student assessment. The portfolio process allowed students multiple opportunities to reflect in written and oral formats. It…

College professors in the various disciplines can improve their students' reading ability by instructing them to use reading to learn the discipline. First, professors can examine the goals of their syllabi (academic, utilitarian, romantic, developmental or emancipatory) in relation to reading, since most courses are predicated upon reading. These…