Children need to learn early that reading can give them new ideas and change old ideas. Pupils are all too often evaluated in terms of their ability to express what they know rather than what they think. Thoughtful reading can be done from the very beginning of reading instruction. Effective questioning practices will develop this ability. The…

The effects of specific directions on the reading comprehension of sixth-grade students were investigated. Two passages on different topics, each with 20 percent of the sentences relevant to the topic, were materials for two informal tests administered to 92 six-grade students. Half of the students were given specific directions to learn about the…

This paper offers suggestions in the form of six guidelines on how the teacher can build toward reading maturity in the classroom. The first guideline urges the teacher to remember that reading necessitates a total complex thinking process, one which will prevent persisting at one level of instruction longer than is necessary. Secondly, students…

This article describes a study of the novel "Le Grand Meaulnes" following a new methodology for directed reading consisting of three phases: introductory, analytical, and creative. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Shows how a content area teacher can help students relate prior experiences to the new information to be gained through the reading assignment. (MKM)

Presents guidelines that enable classroom teachers to help mildly handicapped students develop two types of text lookback strategies and offers a series of explicit teaching activities that emphasize direct, student-centered instruction. (HOD)

Described is a technique for the development of survival reading activity packets for the science classroom. The reading packets described include labels from different food and medicine products and from magazine and newspaper articles. Three types of questions were used with each packet: factual, interpretive, and application. (DS)

Explains how administrators can help teachers incorporate reading skills into the content areas and outlines a five-step procedure. (Author/JM)

Diagnostic/prescriptive techniques can match adult reading students with appropriate content materials. The Directed Reading Activity is a structured approach that introduces concepts and vocabulary, teaches or reviews specific reading skills, prepares for reading, encourages discussion of content, and follows up on information and skills…

The study found that instructing 13 learning-disabled junior high students in the necessary prior knowledge (information and vocabulary concepts) led to superior reading comprehension performance. Textually explicit text structure also improved reading comprehension. (DB)

Discusses guided reading as an approach that teachers can use to help young students better comprehend what they are reading. Notes that guided reading allows teachers to talk, think, and read through a text with children, offering questions, comments, and prompts to the children to stimulate their interest and understanding. (MDM)

This study examined the use of story impressions as a prereading writing activity. Students either received story impressions, read a story, then wrote stories using clues; received story impressions and listed predictions about a story; or received no preview activity before story reading. Story impressions produced the highest level of story…

Describes one educator's whole-language approach to elementary school reading. Her class activities focus on books and friends during February to help celebrate Valentine's day. Two student pages offer friendship-oriented student activities. (SM)

Based on the premise that children's natural love for music makes it appropriate to use songs as a motivational vehicle for reading and writing, this paper presents a reading/singing strategy which promotes vocabulary, word recognition, writing, and comprehension skills while providing appreciation of music. The paper briefly discusses the eight…