A study examined a reading strategy--story retelling--to determine whether it would enhance comprehension, vocabulary, and develop a sense of competency in students who lacked reading strategies. Subjects of the study were 10 learning disabled children, ages 12-14. The study was conducted over an 8-week period. Two samples were created using…

A study investigated the relationship among reading style, instructional method, and reading achievement. Subjects were 213 second-grade students attending a large school in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, with 84 students using a basal reader series with a phonics emphasis, 90 students using a basal reader series with a mixed emphasis, and…

A practicum was designed to improve the reading growth and achievement of 60 eighth-grade students who were one or more years behind grade level by utilizing CNN Newsroom and the "USA Today" newspaper as an integral part of the reading program. Pre- and posttests were administered to measure outcomes. The six areas measured were: (1)…

Focusing on the relationships between performance, skills, and attitudes, a study conducted at the University of Arizona measured the effects of reading and writing apprehension on basic writers. Results from three survey measures and expository paragraphs and essays written by 59 college freshmen enrolled in a basic writing course provided the…

Reading failure can be eliminated by the year 2000 if reading teachers believe it can be done, can develop the new procedures needed to make their dreams come true, and are willing to make fundamental changes in how they teach reading. Phonic utility research clearly indicates that phonics instruction is neither dependable nor useful. The current…

Twenty-two fifth-grade teachers participated in a study designed to determine whether, given typical basal text material and the opportunity to learn, the more effective classroom teachers of reading would be those who provided explicit explanations on how to use reading skills strategically when reading. The treatment group of teachers was…

Emergent reading levels are those levels a pupil can sustain under direct guidance or with mediation and support by the teacher. A major implication of the emergent reading level construct is that strategies for reading placement would need to be revised. A study was conducted to ascertain whether the emergent reading level concept is valid and…

This action research project focused on causes for reading deficiencies of the targeted eighth grade students and how those deficiencies affect students' achievement in language arts, science, and mathematics. The targeted population consisted of 30 eighth grade students in a middle-class community located in a suburban area of a large Midwestern…

This brochure is intended to help parents support their children in reading comprehension and fluency. The brochure is divided into seven main sections. The first section addresses preparation that good readers engage in before reading the materials, including: (1) previewing the text; (2) thinking about the topic; (3) setting a purpose for…

This report describes a program to improve student reading achievement of the targeted first, second, and third grade classes in two west central Illinois schools. More than half of each schools' population was identified as low-income. Evidence for the existence of reading problems included student surveys, oral reading rubrics, phonemic…

This article shows how an understanding of phonological awareness can help teachers improve the reading skills of their students, particularly those at risk of failure. It examines the necessary components for a well-scaffolded program and possible adaptations that would be needed for learners who are at risk and those with disabilities. (Contains…

Presents findings from a longitudinal study of reading comprehension development that revealed a negative relationship between the amount of time kindergarten and first-grade teachers spend reading to their students' reading achievement. Results are discussed in terms of a "displacement theory." Students' reading achievement is related to their…

This article focuses on the reading instruction provided to students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). It reviews the knowledge base of early reading instruction and summarizes completed and ongoing research efforts relating to the instructional status quo for students with EBD in reading and efforts to improve academic outcomes. (CR)

This study investigated the orthographic and phonological coding strategies of students with symmetrical and asymmetrical reading and spelling achievement. Based on performance on a standardized achievement test, fourth-and fifth-grade students (N = 50) were classified as having no difficulties with reading and spelling, difficulties with both…

A study examined the use of the accelerated reader (AR) computer program to increase the reading comprehension scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) of sixth-grade students compared to the previous year when they did not use the program. The study reviewed results and methods from previous research regarding use of the AR program. Subjects…