Children in first, second, and third grades were subjects in a study that investigated how well they drew inferences after reading their own dictated stories, peer-dictated stories, and adult-written stories. Results showed they inferred better if they dictated the story themselves or if they were accurate decoders. (HOD)

Offers a plan for organizing and implementing a schoolwide reading week entitled, "Drop Everything Else, Read" (DEER). Presents explanations and directions for eight reading activities which focus on animals. Includes materials that can be duplicated and used by students as bookmarks and certificates. (ML)

Describes a stimulating one-day reading program in which 209 students divided into four groups according to their interests in a particular literary genre and spent an entire day reading a paperback in that category to each other. (RW)

The author challenges the usefulness of the "reading-comprehension passage" in teaching English to speakers of other languages and suggests alternative methods. (FWB)

Describes successful classroom strategies for improving the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of a fourth grader with poor communication skills development. Practices include sustained silent reading, exposure to "real" literature, reading aloud, purposeful listening, and writing with a purpose. Guidelines for teachers are…

A teacher who once relied on a reading skills program describes her conversion to an approach that emphasizes the reading of books. A substantial part of each class period is set aside for free reading time. A sampling of book projects used to focus students' efforts is included. (PP)

Describes a language arts teacher's work at a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children, showing how the teacher established student reading habits before developing their writing. (A novel written by one of the students is included as an example of the work done in the program.) (RL)

Presents a teaching technique of assessing the child's reading interest, making available a collection of books, and specifying time for recreational reading. Discusses how the teaching objectives avoid the listing of activities for students and focus on behavior to arouse children's interest. (MG)

Examines the comparative use of grapho/phonic and syntactic/semantic cues for ongoing word recognition by readers in grades two, four, six, and eight reading both silently and orally. Finds a greater number of altered words were identified in the oral compared to the silent reading mode in grades four, six, and eight. (RS)

A study is reported that examined whether Japanese students of English could learn vocabulary incidentally while reading silently for entertainment in the classroom. The findings demonstrated that such incidental vocabulary learning did occur for both high school and university students. (Author/LB)

Presents descriptions of six class activities: students writing in journals at home; a vocabulary development activity; a two-week unit on publishing for first graders; word maps for adjectives and verbs; a program to sensitize fifth graders to the elderly; and sustained silent reading. (RS)

Describes the reading styles of a group of first graders. Explains how mumbling reading gradually develops into silent reading. Provides an overview of the Project on Mumbling Reading and evaluates its effectiveness. Claims that more information is still needed for the development of silent reading and provides strategies to encourage the use of…

Describes a proven program of structured, sustained silent reading (SSR) for middle school students that helps students successfully develop academically and socially. Notes the learning climate attends to the cognitive, personal, and social needs of the learner. Discusses student-teacher conferences and SSR, and negotiating individual reading…

An action research project described a program for improving elementary children's recreational reading habits through a combination of modeling by the teacher plus incentives to enhance students' intrinsic motivation to read for enjoyment. The targeted population consisted of three suburban public schools, grades 2 and 4. Analysis of probable…