The principles and skills of reading instruction must be expanded upon to improve student competence in social studies content. Two methods (Fry's Readability graph and the Diagnostic Survey) for determining readability and evaluation are presented as an aid to accomplishing reading skills. (JR)

Reviews the literature in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) on college reading programs. (RB)

Stresses the importance of finding the strengths of problem readers, and building on them. (RB)

Indicates that standardized reading tests vary widely in terms of the number of skills measured and in terms of the relative emphasis on each skill in studies done at the high school level. (RB)

Argues the importance of teaching students to read for meaning and suggests nine ways in which critical reading and thinking skills can be developed. (RB)

Demonstrates that the practice of classifying children who have learning disabilities may do more harm than good when the labeling is done by teachers who should concern themselves with instruction and leave diagnosing to doctors. (RB)

Presents some additional thoughts on improving reading comprehension through the use of multiple-choice main idea reading exercises. (RB)

Contends that teaching methods are more important than the kinds of materials used to improve the skills of problem readers. (RB)

A course for improving Dutch reading proficiency of entering university students was developed by the Linguistic and Literacy Studies department of the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. Dutch secondary school students receive instruction in text-specific approaches to reading but no instruction in reading methodology. The course focuses on…

An overview of significant research studies, bibliographies, historical reviews, definitions, and commentaries on speed reading during the past 60 years is presented in this paper. The first part of the paper considers the concept and definitions of speed reading, and summarizes research from the l940s and 1950s--including discussion of eye…

Questions some of the techniques currently used in reading courses because they reinforce such poor reading skills as short attention span. (RB)

BEFORE ANY DIAGNOSTIC READING INSTRUCTION IS DONE, TEACHERS SHOULD DETERMINE THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL OF THE CHILD AND SHOULD PINPOINT HIS SPECIFIC SKILL NEEDS BY CAREFULLY OBSERVING HIS ORAL READING BEHAVIOR. THE FOLLOWING SKILLS ARE SUGGESTED AS GOOD INDICATORS OF THE CHILD'S ATTEMPT TO APPLY PHONICS KNOWLEDGE--(1) THE USE OF CONTEXT TO PREDICT…

The purpose of this project was to provide trained, indigenous, paraprofessional instructors who deliver prescribed reading instruction in homes to those disadvantaged adults who would not or could not participate in other adult education programs. This report is divided into two major sections: program summary and Appalachian Adult Education…

Very often, the greatest source of difficulty for the disabled reader is the inconsistency of the vowel sounds in the English language. This program, intended primarily for remedial use with any reader above the first grade, is designed to attack this problem by providing intense, highly structured practice in the regular vowel sounds while…

This document lists several prerequisites required for reading, especially those that relate to English as a Second Language students. The prerequisites listed include; the concept of print, which discusses the importance of a student being aware that printed material conveys thought through words which are at least similar, if not identical to…