This monograph is the second in a series of semiannual reports that focus on research related to reading in secondary schools. The first section contains two literature reviews dealing with study habits and study skills related to reading. The second section offers two reviews related to prereading anticipation activities, including the advance…

Three reading comprehension strategies are presented to assist learning-disabled students: an advance organizer technique called "TELLS Fact or Fiction" used before reading a passage, a schema-based technique called "Story Mapping" used while reading, and a postreading method of categorizing questions called…

A study examined whether (1) subjects' comprehension and recall of an expository passage would improve if they were given information about the organization of the passage before they read it, (2) the effects of being given such information would be similar across various hierarchical levels of the passage, and (3) the effects would be similar…

A study was conducted to investigate the compensatory effects of graphic organizers on text organization. Subjects were 114 tenth grade students who read two versions of an expository passage containing identical information but differing in top level structure. The version organized to show opposing views (comparison/contrast) was considered…

Merging the instructional implications drawn from theory and research in the interactive reading model, schemata, and metacognition with computer based instruction seems a natural approach for actively involving students' participation in reading and learning from text. Computer based graphic organizers guide students' preview or review of lengthy…

Three methods of preposed questioning aimed at improving student comprehension of short stories were tested with a group of high school students. The methods were as follows: teacher-prepared, preposed questions, self-preposed questions (student-prepared), and schema self-preposed questions (embodying teacher-specified limitations within which…

Options are presented in this paper for the imaginative use of questions in content area study. An argument is made against the stereotyped use of questions to test factual recall and for the use of questions to expand instruction in content study to stimulate higher levels of thinking and learning activities. Suggestions and examples are provided…

Developing prerequisite learning skills and strategies and providing knowledge necessary to further learning in a particular discipline are the dual roles of a middle-grade content-area teacher. This paper demonstrates how these dual roles can support each other in developing readiness for learning. The importance of readiness for learning is…

Concludes that providing the reader with prior structure on which to map incoming material leads to increased comprehension of a related reading. (FL)

A two-part study examined the effectiveness of glossing (writing comments or questions in text to improve comprehension) when students use it in social studies texts in combination with discussions and other activities. Students were divided into two groups, one of which learned glossing while the other engaged in assigned workbook activities.…

"Imbedded Aids to Readers" is a theoretical component of the "Languaging in the Content Areas" (LICA) thesis, which emphasizes that understanding the uses of language and increasing language practice will improve content reading and critical thinking ability. The imbedded aids are clusters of vocabulary and…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of pre-reading guides would effect better comprehension in the reading of short stories by ninth grade public school students. Four pre-reading guide sheets were prepared and validated for use in this study for each of the following stories: "The Interlopers" by Saki, "The Necklace" by…

Reports findings of a study investigating the effects of three prereading activities--advance organizers, structured overviews/graphic organizers, and multivocabulary experiences--done both orally and in writing before a text reading assignment was given. (FL)

Describes a prereading learning activity designed to make comprehension easier in content area reading for students with limited background. (MKM)

A study found that both paradigmatic and syntagmatic aspects of text were important for signifying meaning of text in the reading comprehension of 102 Australian students at 3 age levels (10, 12, and 14 years). Underlying comprehension problems was a lack of prior experience of text topics. Reading preparation through developing shared meanings is…