In this study the author charts the trajectory of an adolescent student's identity, from being a struggling reader to a competent reader and successful young actor. The author argues that reading is central to our ability to make sense of both our inner selves and our surroundings, and that it is therefore imperative that unskilled readers are…

The improvement of college students' reading rate and comprehension is a major educational concern. Many students arrive at college unprepared for the massive amount of required reading. This study presents several attempts to improve vocabulary, reading rate, and comprehension and addresses tangential issues related to the improvement of reading…

Describes an advanced reading course at Mississippi State University that is designed to increase vocabulary, comprehension, and reading rate. Notes that unteaching reading habits necessary to beginner's instruction is a large part of increasing students' effective reading rate. Presents student performance statistics. (RS)

Describes a college reading rate improvement course in which students review reading research regarding the variables involved in reading and explicitly analyze their own reading behavior. Argues that students aware of their own reading behavior can better plan their reading assignments. (RS)

A study examined the influence of the computer management feature of a commercially prepared speed reading software package on the reading rate and attitudes of college students towards computers as instructional tools. Subjects, 66 college freshman from lower-middle to middle socio-economic brackets (and divided into control and experimental…

Describes two experiments which demonstrate improvement in reading speed as a result of an uncomplicated BASIC computer program which automatically assigns phrase structure to grammatical sentences to produce syntactically formatted text. Both experiments indicate poor readers are aided by this type of format. (MBR)

Discusses the method of repeated readings as an approach to improve the comprehension and decoding skills of disabled secondary and postsecondary school readers. (HOD)

Reports that reading rate gains that may have been derived from a film-aided speed reading course were not retained when the subjects encountered difficult reading material. (FL)

Three blind university students used a computer-generated tachistoscope-like display of electronic braille in an effort to increase reading speeds. Results did not indicate conclusively that such a program is effective in increasing reading speed while maintaining comprehension or in maintaining speed following the withdrawal of treatment. (JDD)

College students in a reading rate improvement course participated in a study (1) to determine the effects of text displayed on the computer screen as opposed to the printed page and (2) to see if computerized speed reading programs changed student attitudes toward reading efficiency exercises. Subjects, 26 students of similar reading…

Two experiments were conducted to distinguish empirically between the interactive and noninteractive models of reading. In the first study, 18 undergraduates divided into three groups by reading ability read stories in an RSVP mode. Two variables were manipulated within subjects--rate of presentation and amount of text presented per unit of time.…

The effectiveness of an eight week college course for reading/study skills improvement was evaluated by pretesting and posttesting 152 students with the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and the Optimum Reading Achievement Test and running simple correlations between reading rate, comprehension, vocabulary, and 18 variables that included ACT scores, grade…

In an investigation of the effectiveness of self-managed reading improvement programs, a program incorporating self-monitoring (observing and recording relevant activity), self-reinforcement (increasing the probability of some target behavior by the self-presentation of positive consequences or the removal of negative consequences), and shaping…

Evaluates the effectiveness of the Sack-Yourman Developmental Speed Reading Course software program designed to increase reading rate and comprehension. Finds the software program effective in allowing students to quickly move from "chore" operations and didactic sections to "real" reading. Offers specific recommendations for…

Merges the Simple View of reading with rauding theory by advancing a revision, called Simple View II. Presents empirical evidence that, when the Simple View II is merged with rauding theory, the result is a theoretical framework which includes interrelationships among all of the important constructs involved in reading ability, for students in…