The effects of key words and previewing on the rate of words read correctly and the reading comprehension of a language minority student (age 10) were analyzed. The student read more words correctly and answered more comprehension questions accurately after the material was previewed and key words were discussed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined relationships between reading fluency and comprehension by having 49 students (grades 3-4) orally read four passages with an incrementally increased percentage of scrambled words. A suggested criterion of approximately 50 words/minute was found using the mean fluency rate of the highest passage of demonstrated adequate…

A speed reading technique is described for use with reluctant readers. The technique uses timed probes with practically any reading material, to heighten student motivation in addition to increasing fluency. Methods for self-recording progress data and strategies for building fluency are described. (JDD)

Composite measures of reading performance and symbol-processing speed were analyzed in a total of 105 reading-disabled children (age 7-12) and 97 controls over an interval of 4-8 years. Rates of change in reading performance were highly similar for subjects and controls, but differences in symbol-processing speed increased as a function of age.…

This study examined the contributions of phonological awareness, rapid naming, and verbal memory to the reading and spelling skills of 54 children (ages 7-12) with severe reading disabilities. Five academic tasks were examined: word attack, word identification, spelling, prose passage speed and accuracy, and reading comprehension. (Author/JDD)

This study, involving 47 students in grades 2-10, investigated letter-naming speed to determine whether it measures cognitive speed, a theoretical factor that purportedly influences reading rate. It was determined that cognitive speed and cognitive power are two independent factors and that letter-naming speed can be used to measure cognitive…

Reviews research on antecedent demonstration, modeling, and prompting interventions designed to increase reading accuracy, rates of accurate reading, and generalized reading performance in students with disabilities. Suggests modeling or prompting may not be effective intervention to increase general reading fluency. Rejects myth that neurological…

A daily 5- to 6-minute individual reading fluency intervention with 49 middle school students with learning disabilities used repeated readings focused on phonics, sight phrases, and oral reading. Intervention was for 6-9 months, 10-18 months, or 19-25 months. Significant growth in reading level and reading rate was found for all three of the…

Studies the hypothesized independence of phonological awareness and naming-speed variables in predicting variance in three aspects of reading performance. Indicates that phonological measures contribute more of the variance to those aspects of reading skill that involve decoding or word attack skills; naming-speed measures contribute more to…

The Fairview Reading Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA), which was used in a cross categorical elementary school resource program at Fairview Elementary School in Darien, Illinois, is described. The test measures oral reading accuracy, rate and comprehension on passages taken directly from the two basal reading series used in the school. As the…

Three instructional approaches have worked well in increasing reading fluency of students with reading difficulties: previewing; hypothesis/test training; and repeated readings. However, it is crucial that students also receive instruction in reading comprehension. (CB)

Examines how elementary students referred for compensatory remedial reading services performed on several key reading process variables: word recognition errors, meaning-changing errors, comprehension, and reading rate. Finds word recognition and comprehension variables approached instructional levels, and reading rate alone was significantly…

Eight classrooms of third graders (n=111) and their teachers were provided with two intervention strategies, partner reading intervention designed to enhance fluency, or collaborative strategic reading, designed to enhance comprehension. Over time, there were statistically significant effects for rate of reading for both interventions for low- to…

A prototype of a biofeedback system designed to treat dyslexia by improving heart-rate variability was evaluated in a single blind study of dyslexic adults. Treatment consisted of four 15 minute exposures to a visual display synchronized with either the participant's own cardiac cycle (intervention condition), or of a synthesized cardiac cycle…

Good and poor student readers and adults read texts in normal format and with 13 spaces between words. Wide spacing improved comprehension for poor readers but did not affect their reading efficiency, while it substantially impaired the efficiency of the other groups. Text difficulty did not interact significantly with spacing. (SJL)