A practicum was implemented to provide low-achieving first-grade students with individualized instruction that would teach strategies to assist them in becoming independent readers. Secondary goals were: (1) to implement and develop a Chapter 1 Reading Improvement Plan targeted for low achieving first graders; (2) to improve reading self-esteem;…

A study investigated the effects of a prior knowledge activation strategy on students' ability to successfully engage in the ongoing comprehension of extended text. Data were elicited from 79 ninth graders who were enrolled in a required social studies class in an urban high school in the Southeast. Equal numbers of high and low readers were…

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on applying various comprehension strategies is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the topic; the…

To determine the effect of training in reciprocal teaching on collaborative learning, a study of six middle school remedial reading classes was undertaken. Reciprocal teaching is a method in which the teacher participates both as a leader and as respondent. Before the experiment began, the teachers were trained for a day in reciprocal teaching and…

A study was conducted to increase students' passing rates on the reading subtest of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) by increasing their ability to answer reading items correctly, increasing their comprehension speed, and increasing their confidence in their test-taking abilities. Subjects were 27 students at Southwest Texas State…

Evidence from existing literature suggests that the decoding and reading comprehension skills of poor readers can be improved by assisting them to read material that is too difficult for them to read by themselves--especially when the reading experiences are focused on the content of the material rather than on the words. A study examined the…

In 1988, a study was conducted to determine whether a holistic or an isolated skills approach is more effective in improving the reading abilities and attitudes toward reading of predominantly Hispanic community college students. The study sample consisted of two groups of developmental reading students. The majority of students in both groups…

An integrated reading program was developed and implemented to raise reading comprehension levels and attitudes toward reading in two groups of urban comprehensive high school students. A targeted group of 10th-grade English 2 Regular and English 2 Skills students was established for the program with the objective to reduce reading deficits that…

A study examined what effect, if any, vision training exercises had on reading achievement. It was hypothesized that training students to control more accurately the speed and direction of their eye movements would improve their visual skills. However, it was also hypothesized that a more efficient visual system would have no effect on reading…

A description is provided of 12 reading skills strategies that were developed as part of a Reading across the Curriculum project to help students bridge the gap between their reading levels and the reading level of their textbooks. Following introductory information on the Reading across the Curriculum project, the 12 strategies are explained and…

A study was conducted to determine whether voice support helps children learn to read. Voice support involves reading to children while they follow the text, either informally as in bedtime reading, or formally, as in teacher or audiotaped readings of stories in the classroom. Subjects, 64 children just entering school, were unfamiliar with the 12…

A study hypothesized that if prediction, clarification, question-generation, and summarization strategies were taught using scaffolded instruction, then poor comprehenders might be able to learn the strategies so that they could apply them to text on their own and thereby improve their performance on standardized comprehension measures. Subjects…

A study used Marie Clay's complete diagnostic survey (diagnostic survey and recovery procedures from "Early Detection of Reading Difficulty") in two first-grade classrooms in order to ascertain class profiles for January and April of 1983, the reactions of teachers, instructional changes, and changes in the children's reading behaviors…

Reflecting the popularity of television viewing, the use of captioned video cassettes bridges the gap between "televiewing" and reading, and can be used to improve the reading skills of college students, who see these materials as helpful in improving concentration, mental imagery, speed, and comprehension. Cassettes, either of captioned…

The articles in this publication cover a variety of topics related to college reading instruction. The topics of the twenty-two papers include the following: (1) innovation in audio-visual vocabulary programs, (2) a survey of learning centers/laboratories in Hawaii, (3) a summer program for high risk readers, (4) oral reading tests and black…