Reviews the recently released Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, Third Edition. Identifies the test as one which is widely used by school systems to measure students' reading progress in instructional settings. (MG)

Suggests that storytelling in the early childhood classroom is an excellent technique for fostering growth in language. Notes that the exposure to book language that a child receives through storytelling is related to reading development. (MG)

Surveys parents to find out what they thought about the reading instruction their children receive in schools and how it could be improved. Reports that reading educators need to communicate with parents about the design and importance of reading instruction. (MG)

Explains portfolio assessment and how it can be used by educators. Provides responses from three educators who offer their perspectives and suggestions for using portfolio assessment to evaluate reading and writing. (MG)

Presents a strategy to improve students' comprehension of content material by having them read, discuss, and give written responses to items pertaining to short content texts. (MG)

Presents a seven-step activity for researching and presenting information in the form of nonfiction big books, allowing children to read for information and write to inform. (MG)

Describes how to initiate research projects by having students work with a grid, or QUAD (questions, answers, details). Notes that this approach helps students learn that research stems from asking clear questions about the world around them. (MG)

Describes an activity to provide the stimulus for the semantic elaboration that leads to students' word ownership. Uses graphic representation to expand and refine concepts and relate new knowledge to previous experiences. (MG)

Describes a successful writing activity to help students become confident reporters for a classroom newspaper. Notes that this assignment incorporates several writing styles and literary devices. (MG)

Reviews research on United Kingdom programs which focus on parental involvement in children's reading. (MM)

Discusses characteristics reading passages must have if they are to be used for main idea assessment. Analyzes each grade one to grade six passage on the Analytical Reading Inventory, Basic Reading Inventory, and Informal Reading Inventory, assessing suitability for use in main idea assessment. Finds many passages are unsuitable. (MM)

Discusses three types of congruence--procedural, instructional, and philosophical--for compensatory educational programs. Asserts that most definitions of congruence are inadequate because they don't include all three aspects. Examines the practices used to operationalize congruence, and notes that conflicting perceptions of congruence may lead to…

Compares the phonetically regular orthography of Spanish with the phonetic inconsistencies of English. Reports on the role of phonics in six popular Spanish reading programs. Notes that the regularity of the Spanish language is compatible with the use of systematic phonics for reading instruction. (MM)

Examines how the use of self-directed training materials and limited inservice training improved the quality of teaching the Direct Reading-Thinking Activity. Concludes that teachers' verbal behavior in directing story reading can be easily modified. (MM)

Describes the Inferential Training Technique (ITT), a modified cloze procedure and self-monitoring checklist focusing on the inferential process. Notes that this strategy improves reading comprehension and inferencing skills, and can be applied to content area reading. Provides a sample cloze passage, inferential questions, and worksheet guide for…