Examines responses of fourth, sixth, and eighth grade students to realistic and fantasy novels. Finds that students responded to fantasy with more categoric evaluations and to realism with more analytic evaluation. Finds also that evaluative responses moved from mainly categoric in grade four to more analytic in the upper grades. (KEH)

Gives an example of a seventh-grade reluctant reader whose special reading class was assigned to read to kindergartners. Notes that students want interesting books that they are able to read, and want help when they're struggling. Presents a list of 18 books that students in grades six through eight rated as the best, along with statements…

A 3-month unit on folktales with two sixth-grade classes proved to be a highly motivating means of developing critical reading skills. Lessons, which generally occupied from four to six class periods each, involved four steps: (1) the teacher stated the skills to be learned and told students what was planned for the reading period each day; (2)…

A reprint of a classic review of research and research tends on reading that originally appeared in 1941 as the article "Reading" in the "Encyclopedia of Educational Research," this monograph sets forth the views of William S. Gray, an eminent reading educator and theorist. The 11 sections of the review discuss the following topics: (1) the…

A study gathered information concerning the reading habits and attitudes of three groups of educators: 249 preservice teachers, 89 inservice teachers, and 65 teacher educators. A self-reported survey questionnaire was used to gather the data. When asked whether they enjoy reading, 89% of the preservice, 100% of the inservice, and 92% of the…

A questionnaire was sent to a number of elementary and secondary school English and reading teachers in Connecticut, asking them to survey one or two different classes to determine their students' reading interests. Questions dealt with such topics as favorite type of book, favorite books, more recently read title, favorite authors, sources of…

This booklet provides specific, workable suggestions for parents in helping them create the best atmosphere they can for developing their childrens' reading. The booklet begins with general principles for establishing a home reading program, and continues with a checklist of fifty specific suggestions for parents on helping their children become…

This "Summary Report" is the last report of the findings of the 1985 Manitoba Reading Assessment. The report contains a description of the study along with recommendations based upon teachers' and principals' opinions and the judgment of the Technical Advisory Committee. The purposes of the 1985 Reading Assessment were: (1) to provide…

To determine if purposes in reading differ with sex, grade level, and nationality, a 16-item "Functions of Reading Scale" (developed from content analysis of student essays on why they like to read) was administered to 459 Irish (Dublin, Ireland) and American (Windham, Connecticut) students in grades three, five, and eight. Data…

One hundred forty-seven students enrolled in a developmental reading program responded to a questionnaire designed to ascertain the reading attitudes and interests of middle school students. It was hypothesized that by overemphasizing basic skills instruction, schools may not be taking the necessary steps to help students develop the ability and…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 25 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the effect of reading ability, mode of presentation, and passage familiarity on the general and precise comprehension of expository text; (2) a constructivist…

If reading is to become a lifelong passion, teachers must strive to encourage in students a lifelong interest in reading, and to improve their literature appreciation and critical reading abilities. Research indicates that teachers must enrich the reading curriculum beyond the basic skills program if children are to learn to love to read. Such an…

The articles in this publication offer ideas for developing enjoyment of reading in children. Among the topics discussed are the following: the need for teachers and parents to build children's self-esteem through increasing their experiences of success, their expectations of success, and the value they place on reading; methods for increasing…

A year-long study designed to create a high school English course entitled "Guided Literature" is described in this report. The described course was intended to provide literature instruction for nonmotivated poor readers at the eleventh and twelfth grade levels, and was structured so that students could read materials they found…