Given the existing literature on text summarization that documents what learners, particularly younger learners, cannot do, a study was designed to assess what fifth-grade students can do. (HOD)

Describes two modifications to the SMOG Readability Formula designed to make it more useful for primary and intermediate grade materials. (FL)

Concludes that intermediate grade students were better able to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words when (1) contextual clues were provided, (2) students were older, (3) the clues were in synonym rather than inference form, and (4) the contextual clues were closer to the unfamiliar words. (FL)

This book presents a vocabulary development program that is designed for use in individualized programs as well as in more traditional, full-class settings. It is part of a series of seven books, corresponding to grades 6-12, which are carefully organized to ensure the comprehension and retention of valuable core words. The book consists of 16…

This paper takes a look at some recent studies on utilization of technical tools, primarily personal computers and software, for improving fifth-grade students' reading comprehension. Specifically, the paper asks what benefits an educator can expect students to derive from closed-captioning and computer-assisted reading comprehension products. It…

A 2.5-year longitudinal study of the reading scales of the Stanford Achievement Test confirmed the redundancy in its subtests. Strong and stable test-retest reliability coefficients were evident and supported the use of the Stanford total reading scale for longitudinal evaluations. (Author)

Describes a hierarchical summary procedure that directs students' attention to the organization of ideas in content area textbook selections. Explains how the procedure helps students to improve their comprehension and recall and to write better organized compositions. (FL)

Poor comprehenders from grades five and six were asked to read and rate the comprehensibility of three short passages. Passages with large numbers of modifying words were considered the least comprehensible. Support exists for the hypothesis that poor comprehenders process print in piecemeal fashion. (Author/JN)

Supports the hypothesis that, with time held constant, children instructed to build relationships between text and their knowledge and experience and among the different parts of a text comprehend that text better than do children who are not so instructed. (AEA)

Findings suggested that a deficit in auditory memory rather than cross-modal perception appears to be a factor in poor reading comprehension. (Author/DLS)

Finds that Chilean students (grades 4-8) rarely related what they were reading to what they had just read, integrated meanings assigned to the text with prior knowledge, or used textual cues to attain a coherent interpretation. Finds that these problems are related to methods of reading instruction, opportunities they are given to develop…

Demonstrates how alphabet books for upper elementary and middle school readers may be incorporated in instruction. Shares titles of alphabet books for older readers and activities for applying these books in the areas of reading comprehension, vocabulary, self-interest, research, and poetry. (RS)

This study examined the contributions of instruction in goal setting and self-instruction on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of a reading comprehension strategy by 47 students (grades 4-6) with learning disabilities. Results indicate that instruction in goal setting and self-instruction did not augment the comprehension…

Reviews the third edition of this widely used assessment instrument. Concludes that the test is reliable, quick and easy to administer, and that the publishers provide many special services. Lists liabilities as lack of validity evidence, omission of reading and study skills, and lack of distinctions among different types of reading comprehension.…

Describes the goal-setting, assumptions, and instructional design of a metacognitive approach for using context-use strategies to develop at-risk students' vocabulary. Presents an example demonstrating implementation of the approach. Reports that both teacher and students evaluated the approach favorably. (RS)