Examines first-year college developmental reading students' aliterate behaviors as revealed in self-reported reading histories. Finds that most subjects had early enabling literacy experiences, but even those experiences did not provide a hedge against later aliteracy. (RS)

Explores whether either of two sorts of individual work with parents in reading expository texts to their third-grade children would help children's understanding of new texts. Suggests that work with parents which specified how to highlight main ideas and details had moderately positive effects, while nonspecific work with parents had no similar…

Finds that the number of books and the amount of time treatment group children read and/or were read to by family members significantly increased over no-treatment comparison children, especially for boys. (RS)

Determines teacher and child behaviors during story reading and how they are related. Gathers data from 146 urban and suburban elementary school classrooms. Uses factor analysis to identify five categories of teacher behaviors and five categories of student behaviors. Finds that, across grade levels, children's involvement in prediscussion was…

Examines how mothers deviate from text while reading to young children and how these deviations vary according to children's development based on chronological age. Tests 25 mothers. Shows mothers of 24-month-olds and 4-year-olds asked more questions to engage their children, whereas mothers of younger children simplified text concepts. (PA)

Examines the types of book-sharing strategies mothers use to make book language comprehensible and enjoyable for children. Finds mothers of 24-month-olds and 4-year-olds used questions and extended explanations whereas mothers of 6-,12-, and 18-month-olds used simpler language and engagement strategies. (NH)

Describes the variety of intertextual links made by the children as they listened to each variation of the Rapunzel story. Traces the development of their schema for the tale. Identifies seven types of intertextual connections. Consolidates the findings into a grounded theory of young children's schema-building for traditional stories, through…

Study investigated the perspectives of parents who read aloud to their young children. Results indicate that outside information can increase parents' awareness of the importance of reading aloud to their children and can motivate them to do so. (MM)

Examines to what extent teacher and parent interaction styles during storybook reading predict emergent reading level. Finds that percentage of teacher high cognitive demand and age parent began reading to their child accounted for 30% of the variability in the emergent reading level. (SR)

Study investigates the nature of verbal interactions which occur between parents and kindergarten children as they read favorite (familiar) and unfamiliar books. States that favorite stories allow children to become more involved in the story and attend to print, while unfamiliar stories provide for expanded schemata which may enhance meaning…

Investigates whether frequent small group readings in school increases comprehension scores and the number and complexity of comments and questions from children of low socioeconomic status. Finds that story reading in small groups increases comprehension and the number and complexity of questions and comments. (RS)

Describes recruitment strategies, roles, and training of participating college students, and barriers to implementation of Project PRIMER (PRoducing Infant/Mother Ethnic Readers). Notes that 147 low-income families participated, that parents engaged in the targeted behaviors, and that children in the high-intervention program showed improvements…