A study examined three different basal reading series (MacMillan, Harcourt-Brace, and Scott Foresman) at four different levels for the types of stories found in the readers, as well as for acts of reading portrayed in the stories. Subjects, 12 second grade students at a New Jersey elementary school, completed a teacher-constructed inventory on the…

A study was conducted to examine motivation as a precursor of reading achievement in middle school students. The California Media and Education Librarians' Literature Reading Survey (1984) was used as the instrument for collection of data. Sixth graders (n=753) of varying ability were studied in six different settings. Data were coded in 10 ethnic…

Case study research of adult lifelong readers' key experiences reveals that some of the crucial events resulting in love of reading took place prior to formal literature instruction. Results of interviews with about 60 adult readers of all ages--some of whom choose to read fiction, some of whom do not--indicate reasons readers give for their…

A study was conducted to determine the attitudes and preferences of 38 intellectually gifted intermediate grade students toward their recreational reading habits. The students' parents also were surveyed to describe the children's reading readiness development. The results showed that the students preferred books over other materials, liked…

Examines research on effects of reading aloud to children in areas of reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary and language development, and attitudes toward reading. Outcomes of reading aloud and results of teacher survey concerning ways in which the school library media specialist can contribute to read-aloud programs are discussed.…

Reports on several studies that examined the use of newspapers in classrooms. Cites research supporting the conclusions that newspaper training programs improved teacher attitudes toward using newspapers in the classroom and newspaper use influenced students' reading attitudes, reading interests, reading achievement, and classroom verbal…

Provides suggestions that teachers can pass on to parents about how computers can be used to provide meaningful early literacy opportunities. Includes seven rules of thumb useful for parents who want information on using computers for educational purposes. (MG)

Describes how a student managed and operated book store put inexpensive, high-quality literature into the hands of students at 61 middle and junior high schools in Indiana. (MG)

This qualitative study examined the attitudes and interests of 284 gifted readers in grades 6, 7, and 8. Students were from a high socioeconomic status, suburban school district in the midwestern United States and were either identified as gifted or had a history of involvement in a program for the gifted. Data collection instruments included a…

The purpose of this study was to determine the reading interests of the young adult participants in the summer reading program at Medina County District Library (Ohio). Findings were compared to research done in other locations and to current bibliographies of recommended reading for young adults. The study looked at a systematic sample of reader…

A study was conducted to survey the attitudes of elementary students toward read-aloud experiences. Subjects were 575 children in grades one through six. The results of first grade students were omitted due to inconsistencies in their responses. The remaining grade level distribution consisted of 137 second graders, 121 third graders, 145 fourth…

Undertaken as part of a larger study, the experiments described in this report examine various aspects of the relationship between pictures and text and of the methodology for examining that relationship. Each of the 11 experiments described in the report involved college students and deals with the effects of storyline and texture on the reading…

Based on the notion that reading is both fun and fundamental, this book contains a stimulating array of activities that parents can use to engage their children in reading from the toddler stage through primary school. The first section provides information on how to use the guide, and some tips for encouraging young readers. The second and major…

There is no shortage of surveys on children's and young adults' leisure time reading interests, stretching as far back as 1888 in Great Britain and 1897 in the United States. The most comprehensive research undertaken in Great Britain was a study conducted by the Schools Council, published by Macmillan in 1975 as "Children and Their…

Forty-eight college students participated in a study that (1) explored the degree to which the reader response technique developed by W. F. Brewer and E. H. Lichtenstein to study artificial texts could be applied to natural texts, and (2) compared texts written over a wide time period and from two different literary traditions (six American and…