LD and normal students were compared across the three grade levels on reading flexibility (i.e., the ability to vary reading speed according to their purposes for reading). LD students tended to become less flexible with additional years in school but did achieve better comprehension in grade 10. (SEW)

This study compares college freshmen's reading test scores over 50 years. The 1978 freshmen at the University of Minnesota scored significantly lower than their 1928 counterparts on vocabulary, comprehension, and reading rate. (Author/PN)

Describes Brigham Young University's reading and study skills course for law students, which is designed to increase reading speed and comprehension. Explains the use of the FAIR (Facts, Action, Issues, and Reasoning) system for analyzing law cases. Covers student reactions and modifications implemented in course design. (AYC)

Contributors offer teaching ideas, including: using Sherlock Holmes mysteries to teach character and plot development, using materials supplied by the athletic coaches in the reading laboratory, and using individualized reading in the content areas. (AEA)

Analyzes the roles of verbal coding skills, processing efficiency, and memory ability in accounting for individual and developmental differences in the reading comprehension of children in grades 3 through 8. Results indicate that skill differences can arise through ability differences at two independent levels--processing speed and memory.…

Results of two experiments strengthen the hypothesis that the ability to divide attention is constrained primarily by the individual's level of skill. It is not affected by rapid alteration of attention between a reading and writing task, or by automatic processing of the dictated material. (Author/CP)

During oral and silent reading, retention was related to segment length and existence of sentence boundary. Next limits on retention were tested by increasing segment length and difficulty. Performance of less skilled readers was uniformly low; performance of skilled and older readers was again affected by length and sentence boundary. (Author/CP)

A target paragraph was embedded in one passage where the target was of major importance, and one where it was of minor importance. Free recall, reading time, and usage of cognitive capacity were measured. There was greater recall when the target was important. The selective-attention hypothesis was not supported. (Author/GDC)

Discusses the origins of the interest in faster reading, oculomotor activity in reading in relation to eye movement and eye span, misapplication of eye movement data in courses designed to promote faster reading, and objections to some of the more common mechanical devices used in faster reading courses. (GT)

Examines the correlation between reading ability in a student's first and second languages and his language proficiency in a foreign language. The study concerns university students of English as a second language in Belgrade whose first language is Serbo-Croatian. Available from: Liviana Editrice, Via Altinate 31, 35100 Padova, Italy.

The hypothesis that gains in reading performance occurring among dyslexic children during individually paced reading are partially attributable to changes in short-term memory processing was tested with 23 elementary school students. Findings provide support for a causal role for short-term memory functioning in text processing. (SLD)

Procedures are presented for improving the reading fluency and comprehension of students with mild handicaps, through use of the neurological impress method and repeated readings method with some modifications. Precision teaching techniques are used in conjunction with these methods, to measure performance, monitor improvement, and design…

Examines the efficacy of a computer assisted instruction system designed to help junior high school remedial reading students increase their reading motivation by immediately providing definitions for unknown words. Finds that the program increases students' reading rates and actively engages students in reading novels. (RS)