The validity of three subtests of the Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) was investigated for kindergarten children in a large urban school district. A stratified, random sample of 330 participants was drawn from an entire cohort of kindergarten children. Letter Naming Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation Fluency, and Nonsense…

Abnormalities of colour perception in children with autistic spectrum disorders have been widely reported anecdotally. However, there is little empirical data linking difficulties in colour perception with academic achievement. The Wilkins Rate of Reading Test was administered with and without "Intuitive Coloured Overlays" to 19 children with…

Concludes that speed in identifying letters and graphonemes correlates highly with reading achievement. (RB)

Contains a review of the reading tests for use in diagnosis at the secondary level. (RB)

This study investigated the relation between field independence/field dependence (FI/FD) and reading success. One hundred kindergarten children from a predominantly white, middle-class community were administered a Portable Rod and Frame Test as a measure of cognitive style. The upper and lower 27% were identified and designated Field Dependent…

Teacher mobility in San Diego schools was analyzed, using a two-stage least-squares approach. It was hypothesized that the average reading ability of students at a specific school depends on the degree of teacher movement from the school. More experienced teachers are able to move to the more attractive schools which educate the high achievers.…

Investigations reported during the past century have generally shown girls to be better readers than boys in the United States. Some researchers have attributed these differences to biological-maturational factors; others have suggested cultural-societal causes. The present study sought to examine this dichotomy by testing the reading ability of…

After establishing reliability for an associative verbal encoding (a/v/e) test, the relationship between children's a/v/e and their reading achievement was investigated. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) a/v/e will improve with training, and (2) associated with improved a/v/e will be concomitant improvement in reading achievement. The subjects…

Reading specialists can and should take action that will help determine the nature of public policies affecting reading. (MKM)

Shows that there are beneficial uses of reading expectancy formulas in general, but that there are also factors that make it necessary to use caution when dealing with these formulas. (Author/GW)

The purpose of this study was to determine if parental involvement had effects on student reading achievement. The parents of students in kindergarten through grade two were given a questionnaire to complete. The teachers in these grades were given a data form and a short questionnaire to complete on parental involvement and the levels of reading…

The study considers the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Ammons Quick Test, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. It examines the interrelationship of scores on the Gray Oral Reading Test, Spache's Diagnostic Reading Scales, and an informal reading inventory. Consistency of discrepancy scores to classify students is also studied.…

Describes how subject area teachers at one high school used grant money to change their teaching styles, significantly improving students' reading abilities. Details how reading achievement testing was conducted and the results were translated into effective literacy reforms designed to go beyond "teaching to the middle." Tracks the experiences of…

Suggests that the majority of poor readers are poor at discriminating similar letters/words and at letter recognition. Argues that general sensory perceptive training does not improve subsequent reading development but that specific letter/word training in discrimination and recognition has a favorable effect. (RS)