Discusses what research says about silent and oral reading and the implications this has for reading instruction and instruction in the content areas. States that students are more attentive during silent reading and participate more in follow-up discussions of silent reading than in oral reading. (MG)

Describes how a sixth-grade teacher modified the reciprocal teaching strategy to use with a group of struggling readers. Describes implementing the strategy, reviews data on effectiveness with her students, and recommends modifications for students engaged in silent reading. (SR)

Extensive research on reading in a first language has shown the critical role fluency plays in successful reading. Fluency alone, however, does not guarantee successful reading. Cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies and schemata that readers utilize also play important roles in constructing meaning from text. Most research, however,…

A study used the Reading Retelling Profile to examine the effectiveness of the holistic instructional approach called "reading workshop," which involves increased time for sustained silent reading, authentic literature in the reading program, a choice of books to read, written response journals, group discussions, and a supportive…

A study examined whether sustained silent reading produced positive attitudes toward reading. Subjects, 583 intermediate grade students and 26 teachers in the 5 elementary schools in the Pulaski, Wisconsin School District, were questioned about reading on a broad basis and about their attitudes toward Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) in particular.…

In supporting independent or contextual reading, the principal can make a major difference in the lives of remedial and at-risk students. Initially, curricular congruence should be firmly established so that learning center staff and classroom teachers mutually support the use of school time for developing students' fluency. In addition, sustained…

The concept of inertia--the property by which a body in motion tends to remain in motion, and a body at rest tends to remain at rest--is analogous to a situation that occurs in reading. Some students, despite being able to read, choose not to read when other options are available. In terms of inertia, these students are at rest and tend to remain…

A reading program was developed to motivate 20 second grade children identified as capable, confident readers but who would not read on their own. An interest inventory, a free response interview, and direct observation revealed that the students were in literate school and home environments, but few chose to read independently. A 10-week…

Twenty-seven second-grade students were observed during two reading periods to examine the nature of instruction and academic responding time for students in high, middle, and low reading groups. Across all groups, it was found that students spent about 20 minutes of a 120-minute typical reading period actively engaged in academic responding, and…

In an effort to provide maximum support for the reading success of its students, a primary school in a rural, coal mining area simultaneously developed a family reading program and a sustained silent reading (SSR) program. The major objective of the family reading program was to encourage parents to read to their children for 15 minutes a day,…

To ascertain whether subjects spanning the range of reading acquisition exhibit semantic constructivity when confronted with a silent reading task, a study was conducted involving 120 second, fifth, and seventh graders, and 30 graduate students. For purposes of the study, semantic constructivity was defined as the uncued production of inferences…

COVERT BEHAVIOR HAS POTENTIALLY GREAT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE, THOUGH PRESENT KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RESPONSE CLASS IS MEAGER. SCIENTIFICALLY, COVERT BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN STUDIED FOR TWO REASONS--(1) BECAUSE OF ITS INTIMATE RELATION TO THE "THOUGHT PROCESSES," AND (2) BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE REALM OF BEHAVIOR THAT THE PSYCHOLOGIST SEEKS…

STEPS IN TEACHING EACH LESSON IN OPERATION ALPHABET 2, A SERIES OF WORKBOOKS FOR ADULTS LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE, ARE OUTLINE--STIMULATING INTEREST, NEW WORDS, SILENT READING, QUESTIONING FOR COMPREHENSION, REEXAMINATION OF NEW WORDS, READING EXERCISES, WRITING PRACTICE, AND PARAGRAPH WRITING. LESSON PLANS FOR BOTH VOLUMES ARE INCLUDED. THIS…

Statistical methods and test writing for reading comprehension have been based on the assumption that certain reading tasks or levels are appropriate at one age level that would be too difficult at another. A clear-cut determination of grade levels for reading materials has, however, not been defined. Grade and age equivalent scores on silent…

Two major concepts are considered. First, a distinction is made between Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI) which is more closely associated with the cognitive domain and Individual Reading Program (IRP) which is more representative of the affective domain. IPI is characterized by continuous progress, skill mastery, subject matter…