This paper describes a research and development center's project to design procedures for helping students both to develop and to apply effective behaviors for understanding text. The project's developmental efforts are summarized and promising directions for future work are examined. Specifically, the paper (1) clarifies the goals of the project,…

In a question-and-answer format similar to that used by Dear Abby and Ann Landers, a professor suggests possible letters he might receive and formulates humorous answers to them. (DF)

The Wisconsin Design for Reading Skill Development is a vehicle for implementing a skills-centered approach to reading instruction. The components of the design are (1) management guidelines; (2) an essential skills list for six areas (word attack, comprehension, study skills, self-directed reading, interpretive reading, and creative reading) and…

Discusses D. Durkin's 1979 study of reading comprehension instruction and J. Heap's critique of the study in a recent issue of "Journal of Reading Behavior." Asserts that the traditional reading lesson is a vehicle for acculturation or teaching cultural knowledge and logic. (SRT)

A survey of studies on handwriting is undertaken in this research review. Sources of information on the history of handwriting from its earliest beginnings to present attitudes toward it are indicated. Also discussed are research findings on the handwriting act (hand movement, handwriting instruments, and penmanship), the handwriting product (in…

Recounts in an amusing style that a colleague of the author has served as his "muse" by sending him materials on reading instruction that might be of interest, and that she often was not amused at how he used her input in his columns. (SKC)

Notes that neither teacher experience nor graduate level reading courses have much effect on instructional practices. Argues that answering the questions of how additional knowledge can get translated into classroom practice and how to identify the most effective teachers of reading comprehension are more important than identifying still more…

Argues that students' problems in reading content area materials can best be solved by helping them make effective use of their skills through skill-centered instruction. Describes the purpose and rationale for an approach involving the "glossing" of expository text--the addition of intratext notations to direct students' attention while they…

Marginal and other intratext notations (gloss) can be used as an instructional technique to direct readers' active attention to (1) places in text where the application of specific skills would be appropriate (either for teaching or for encouraging the application of specific skills), (2) instances where a particular strategy could be useful for…

A framework for organizing instruction in reading is discussed which includes the following objectives: identification of essential skills in reading, a statement of objectives, assessment, identification of appropriate teaching/learning activities, and evaluation. The objective of instruction is to focus on what the teacher wants the children to…

Focusing on managing reading instruction related to the range of differences in the classroom, this paper includes a historical review of managing instruction beginning with examples from the 1800s. It offers a selective review of the literature on managing reading instruction and explores the following: (1) studies of organizational plans such as…