The Effective Instructional Strategies Series is a collection of six booklets based on the components used in Pacific Communities with High-performance In Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD), a principles-based professional development program consisting of research-based teaching and learning strategies proven to help improve students' reading…

Describes 10 methods that have proven successful in improving the comprehension skills of problem readers, including the use of pictures, cloze-type exercises, and repeated readings. (FL)

Skills development in reading should be balanced with reading, listening, and talking activities which focus on content and themes, so that reading comprehension is also developed. (SJL)

An approach to developing reading and listening comprehension skills in junior high, high school, and college students through song analysis is described in this brief article. AUTHOR'S COMMENT (excerpt): One of the best methods for gaining attention for a cause or idea is through finding or writing a song which becomes associated with the desired…

Presents a unit of activities based on a reading of Albert Camus'""L'Etranger." The activities, which can be adapted to various levels and abilities in an intermediate French class, incorporate reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Sample materials and a bibliography are appended. (AM)

Noting that students who learn strategies to make and complete analogies benefit in many ways, the introduction to this workbook for grades three through five defines analogies as comparisons between seemingly unrelated items. It notes that comparing an unfamiliar item to an item that is more familiar increases understanding. In addition, the…

Noting that students who learn strategies to make and complete analogies benefit in many ways, the introduction to this workbook for grades six through eight defines analogies as comparisons between seemingly unrelated items. It notes that comparing an unfamiliar item to an item that is more familiar increases understanding. In addition, the…

Presents exercises and activities on the novel, "The Red Badge of Courage," that are designed to supplement the basic comprehension exercises in a literature class. (FL)

Teaching comprehension skills requires teaching to intuition with activities such as presenting puzzling situations to introduce a topic, using art to elicit latent feelings, using imagery and improvisations to enhance visualization, and using music and dance to encourage nonverbal expressions. (DB)

Provides suggestions for activating prior knowledge, getting children to be aware when their comprehension is lagging, and tying it all together at the end. (FL)

These individual and group activities are designed to help students learn to analyze, evaluate, and remember stories they've read. (SJL)

Argues that the use of semantic webs (a means of organizing a subject visually) can help students focus on the social issues in their reading and discussions of literature. (Author/FL)

The relation of reading comprehension and information retention is discussed with emphasis on teaching methods and learning activities. (DS)

Riddles designed to measure Spanish-English bilingualism are presented. The riddles are given in three forms: (1) the background material in English with the answer required in Spanish, (2) the background material and answers in English, and (3) only answers given, either in English or Spanish. The riddles are useful as classroom language…