Reading First has been implemented in Nebraska since the 2004-5 academic year. In two rounds of funding and participation, schools have transformed the way they trained their teachers, measured student progress, and taught. This transformation is one of the hardest tasks in education and it has taken the considerable dedication of school personnel…

Investigates the development of decoding (efficiency), reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling during the elementary school years. Determines the differences between poor, average and good performers with regard to the development of these skills. Finds clear seasonal effects for reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling, but the…

This study examined the influence of first language (L1) orthographic experiences on decoding and semantic information retention of new words in a second language (L2). Hypotheses were that congruity in L1 and L2 orthographic experiences determines L2 decoding efficiency, which, in turn, affects semantic information encoding and retention.…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 created the Reading First program to help ensure that all students could read at or above grade level by the end of grade 3. The program promotes practices recommended by the National Reading Panel for early reading instruction, highlighting essential components of reading instruction. As required by the…

Study investigated incidental learning of word meanings from context during normal reading. Effects of word and text properties were examined in detail. Small but reliable gains in knowledge were found at all grade levels and ability levels tested. (RB)

Proposes three guidelines to assist teachers in helping students become independent decoders: (1) teach the flexible use of a repertoire of strategies, (2) don't overnurture, and (3) provide a strong vocabulary development program. (FL)

Replicates an earlier study that concluded that skilled comprehenders were relatively unaffected by whether a word was known. (HOD)

This study examined the influence of interactions between first graders' fall language-literacy skills (vocabulary and decoding) and classroom instructional practices on their spring decoding scores. Instructional activities were coded as teacher managed or child managed and as explicit or implicit, as well as for change in amount of time spent in…

Analysis of the Rinsland vocabulary list indicated that while the list was dated, it was more than adequate for purposes of classroom instruction. (RB)

This study examined the effects of Making and Writing Words (MWW), a variation of the Making Words word study activity by Cunningham and Cunningham (1992), on second-grade students word learning. MWW was implemented daily with a group of second-grade students' over a five-month period. Results indicated that students who received the MWW treatment…

Research has shown that students can be taught to comprehend the material better while they are reading. Successful instruction of this type has usually focused on the teaching of comprehension strategies--that is, intentional actions students can use during reading to guide their thinking. Such strategies improve both understanding and memory.…

Examines strategies a reader of a foreign language uses to identify unknown words in context and if there is a hierarchy of application. Includes recommendations concerning foreign language acquisition skills which will allow the foreign language student to possess vocabulary independently. (EKN)

Explores the use of drama as a teaching tool to promote students' interest in literacy and to support every aspect of literacy development. Describes how drama can help develop affect, emergent literacy, decoding knowledge, fluency, vocabulary knowledge, syntactic knowledge, discourse knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge. Discusses also using…

Taking a psycholinguistic approach, this paper presents an overview of vocabulary and word identification instruction. Sources for instructional procedures are discussed rather than detailed suggestions for teaching procedures. Five approaches to word identification are examined: sight vocabulary development, phonic analysis, structural analysis,…

After reviewing previous research on the acquisition of vocabulary through contextual clues, research carried out with 429 students in the upper grades of an Italian elementary school is discussed. (12 references) (CFM)