A study determined if handicapped adolescents have an interest in reading novels about handicapped teenagers. Many in this population tend to be reluctant readers. Generating interest in reading is important in helping to change that tendency. Reading novels concerning adolescents with handicaps or problems may also be considered a type of therapy…

A study investigated the relationship between reading and the writings of gifted secondary school writers, especially their developmental reading interests, leisure reading selections, and the influence of others on their literary choices. Subjects, 79 students from rural and urban Arkansas schools were participating in a gifted writers'…

A study conducted in the Orange County Public Schools in central Florida investigated the reading interests of sixth-grade students. The study also gathered information from teachers regarding the nature and source of reading materials used for independent reading in their classrooms and on the implementation of sustained silent reading practices.…

Research shows that middle school students overwhelmingly cite three characteristics that they like in books they read: (1) humor; (2) mystery and suspense; and (3) reality (true stories about real people). Matching students with appropriate books helps turn students "on" to reading, and it is this "electric" reading that…

A study examined the effects of sex-typed content and sex role preference on 87 fifth grade boys' and 64 fifth grade girls' reading material preferences. It also explored how high- and low-rated sex-typed reading content and students' sex and sex role preferences influenced reading comprehension. After reading the sex-typed content, which…

The 14th Jerusalem International Book Fair, as an integral part of the International Jerusalem Symposium on Encouraging Reading took place for the fourth time. It addressed itself specifically to the promotion of reading habits among children and young people. The proceedings contain the following addresses: (1) "Give Us Books, Give Us Wings;…

"New Horizons in Adult Education" is an electronic journal started in the fall of 1987 by the Syracuse University Kellogg Project. In the spring of 1989, the project surveyed readers of New Horizons to find out how they were reacting to the journal and its method of transmission. Data were collected by sending the survey electronically…

This book draws on extensive demographic information to present a portrait of the nation's reading habits. Research offers the following observations and facts: reading of serious contemporary literature is the pastime of a distinct minority; the proportion of Americans who read serious literature is between 7 and 12% and contemporary fiction,…

The problems arising from treating word and sentence complexity as the direct causes of difficulty in comprehension are surveyed in this paper from the perspective of readability formulas. The basic choices and assumptions made in the development and use of readability formulas are discussed in relation to the larger question of text…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores issues affecting high school literature programs. The digest first explores whether a literature curriculum can be based upon the results of limited surveys of high school reading interests. Next, the digest addresses the question of what literature to include…

Acknowledging that the literary quality of children's stories strongly affects reading comprehension and interest in reading, a study examined how inside view (the insight an author provides about a character's thoughts and feelings) affects the presentation of character beliefs and plans. The study was based on the following premises: (1) basal…

Intended to document the change in attitudes toward adults (parents and teachers) reading aloud to children since the late 1950s and to determine if the practice is strongly correlated to early fluency for young readers, this annotated bibliography also provides a research review, makes recommendations for reading aloud to children, and lists…

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of several techniques for teaching reading to students with mental disabilities. Basic considerations include the following facts: (1) the effectiveness of the teacher is more important than the teaching method used, and (2) the teacher's view of reading should match the reading approach…

Intended for classroom teachers and reading specialists, this monograph features high-interest, easy-to-read materials for readers who experience difficulty with text. The monograph, a revised and updated edition of a 1979 publication, includes an overview and a bibliography that contains reviews of 44 book series and 15 periodicals. The entries…

A study was conducted to discern reading habits of adult basic education (ABE) and General Educational Development (GED) students in two Mississippi junior colleges. A sample of 217 students was administered a questionnaire about reading habits. The sample was studied as a whole and by the demographic variables of race, gender, age (14-19; 20-29;…