Uses a cognitive processing perspective to revise fifth grade social studies texts, to describe those revisions, and to demonstrate their effects empirically. Finds that students reading the revised text recalled more material and answered more questions correctly than did those reading the original text. Concludes that a text-processing approach…

Presents five experiments examining the use of illustrations in the comprehension of technical material by students of good to very good reading ability. Concludes that technical content which lends itself to presentation as an illustration will be comprehended better as an illustration than as text and will be comprehended best of all if…

Takes a closer look at the reading skills of beginning readers who are able to read words by analogy. Finds that reading unfamiliar words by analogy to known words is an easier process and can be executed by beginners more readily than reading unfamiliar words by phonologically recoding the words. (MG)

Examines the word-reading strategies of a sample of second- and third-grade students in normal classrooms, focusing on the students' relative reliance on decoding versus sight-word associations. Suggests that lack of efficient decoding skills will begin to take a toll on reading comprehension by grade 3. (SR)

Investigates whether college readers are aware of their performance following multiple-choice comprehension tests. Certainty ratings were more consistent with students' actual performance for opposites and analogies than for comprehension test items. (SR)

Relates research done with three strategies to create "text-based interest" (how interesting a text is) in order to improve children's recall of expository texts used in schools. While some of the strategies increased subjective interest, none significantly improved recall. (SR)

Investigates whether readers comprehend a text better when it is displayed conventionally (on printed pages) or computer-mediated (offering the reader access to additional information, or controlling the reader's processing of the text). Comprehension scores were significantly higher for readers of the computer-mediated, computer-assisted texts.…

Abstracts the International Reading Association's outstanding dissertation, a study examining narrative accounts in the day-to-day conversations of five- to seven-year olds with their friends, the range of narrative forms they produce, and the social and interactional functions served by such narratives. (SR)

Presents a summary of a case study of the Machiguenga of the Peruvian Amazon, who have reached a relatively high level of literacy 40 years after receiving a written alphabet. Identifies sociological and educational factors contributing to literacy acquisition and retention. Notes that the program has noticeably increased the people's self-esteem…

Documents the range and frequency of literacy practices in 20 low-socioeconomic-status homes. Finds great variability in type and frequency of literacy events: children knew more about the alphabetic principle in homes where literate members read and wrote for their own entertainment and leisure; and parents' involvement was higher when children…

Determines the impact of a literature-based program integrated into literacy and science instruction on achievement, use of literature, and attitudes toward the literacy and science program. Finds that literature/science group children scored better on all literacy measures than literature-only group children, who scored better on all measures…

Finds that third and fifth graders were able to select characters containing the correct radicals (a component of Chinese characters that provides information about the character's meaning) even when the characters as a whole were unfamiliar to them. Finds that good readers displayed more awareness of radicals than poor readers. (RS)

Presents the personal responses of three literacy educators to the question, "What are the values of a history of literacy?" Offers a call to action that centers on ways that researchers, educators, and organizations devoted to literacy can promote history. (RS)

Gives children (ages 5+ to 9+) four tests of phonological skill to investigate relationships between these measures and their predictive relationship with reading and spelling ability. Finds performance at phonemic segmentation, rhyme sound categorization, and alliteration sound categorization improved with age, but all groups performed onset-rime…

Examines 339 Israeli first graders, divided into three experimental and one control group, who were read aloud to. Asks teachers of experimental groups to read interactively--that is, to interact with students before, during, and after reading to help them understand the story. Indicates that classroom story reading led to increases in decoding,…