Describes a reading program for gifted middle school readers designed to increase critical reading ability and student appreciation of literary technique and broaden understanding of sophisticated vocabulary. (MLF)

Discusses the value of using alphabet books with older and more proficient readers. Describes alphabet books which are appropriate for the more mature reader. Suggests specific strategies for their use in the intermediate and middle school classrooms. (RS)

The responses of gifted (N=65) and nongifted (N=65) fifth- through eighth-graders to a questionnaire indicated that the groups differed significantly in terms of television viewing habits, family rules about television viewing, reading grades, television heroes, and out-of-school activities, suggesting the importance of family influence on viewing…

A study investigated whether middle-school students who identify recreational reading as a hobby obtain significantly higher reading achievement scores than those middle-school students who have not identified recreational reading as a hobby. Subjects, 55 students in grades 4, 5, and 6 at the Earle Elementary Public School located in a…

A pre-post combined experimental and quasi-experimental study determined if the effects of former successful applications of Accelerated Learning (AL), memory, and cognitive skills interactive media training could be replicated in multiple classrooms. The 10-week experimental application (40 minutes daily, Monday through Friday) of training…

Discussion of informal reading assessment procedures provides middle school teachers with several basic techniques for securing and using assessment data to implement an effective instructional program. (11 references) (MLF)

Finds that the 35 middle-school language-arts teachers studied agreed that Self Selected Reading (SSR) is an important way to improve students' reading attitudes and achievement, but that their schools rarely provided funds for buying student-preferred materials, and that finding time for SSR was difficult because of the pressure to prepare for…

A study determined the relationship between life stress and reading comprehension test scores on the IOWA Tests of Basic Skills. Subjects, 41 middle-school students attending Lincoln School in Garwood, New Jersey, were surveyed as to the amount of life stress prevalent in their lives. In addition, the Iowa scores for reading comprehension were…

Reveals that the reading performance and dispositions towards reading of three adolescent readers (a successful, a moderately successful, and a struggling reader) observed in day-to-day classroom reading over five months varied according to the context of their reading, the materials they read, and their reading purpose. None, however, could be…

A study examined whether sixth grade students taught formal study skills would obtain significantly higher reading achievement than those not taught these skills. Study skills can be broken down into ten or more skill areas including: study habits, time management, test taking, lecture notetaking, reading comprehension, vocabulary, test anxiety,…

A program was designed to deal explicitly with "learned helplessness" and poor self-concept of six middle school students who were receiving special help in a reading resource room. The students completed an assignment and then reflected in a journal in narrative form on how well they felt they had completed the assignment. Students also…

Developed as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT), these item specifications for sixth grade reading were designed to provide an overview of the general content and format of test items used to measure instructional objectives. Each item specification contains the following information: objective identification number; grade…

Describes an alternative method of placing students in reading groups which reduces reliance on achievement tests, yet remains manageable enough for large groups of students. Describes the six formal and informal measures used in placement: achievement test scores, IQ scores, attitude scores, current placement, grade in reading, and teacher…

Describes LANGUAGE, a literacy curriculum for students in middle and high schools, and the teacher retraining that prepares teachers for it. Curriculum components are outlined for a structured approach that incorporates phonemic awareness and whole language aspects. Program evaluations have supported the effectiveness of the curriculum. (SLD)

The intention of this report is to build a strong case for a portfolio approach to assessment of reading and writing during the middle school years. A portfolio is both a collection of the artifacts of students' reading and writing and a disposition toward assessment. This disposition is characterized by the belief that assessment must be…