Investigates the effect of vowels on reading accuracy in Arabic orthography. Finds that vowels had a significant effect on reading accuracy of poor and skilled readers in reading each of four kinds of texts. (NH)

Outlines the difference between "drilling for skills" and "becoming skillful readers" and shows how teachers can help students become skillful readers, writers, discussants, and thinkers through literature discussions. Discusses establishing a context for literature study, and initiating and maintaining literature study groups. (SR)

Examines how children's written work is enhanced through "teachable" lessons, where the teacher draws attention explicitly to aspects of literary texts and where children explore and evaluate literature through group reading and discussion. Explores the relationship between group evaluations of texts and children's writing development with…

Describes how a reader-response approach can help students construct a portfolio of readings that reflects their development as poetry readers. Describes using a reader-response journal, communal learning activities, and a portfolio to create a recursive process through which students develop a better understanding of how poetry works. Discusses…

Discusses both the ways and the contexts which make sense within the tension created by the relationship between reader and reading in short stories and cartoons. (PA)

Studies word learning in predictable text by investigating three important factors in facilitating young children's word learning: the reader, the text, and the task. Offers specific suggestions for teaching. (SR)

Presents a review of the literature on reader-focused text evaluation. Gives an account of the document characteristics that can be evaluated and considers the possible functions of evaluations making a distinction between verifying, troubleshooting, and choice-supporting research. Presents an overview of methods appropriate for the various…

Analyzes the results of using focus groups for the evaluation of a safety manual for a large chemical company. Discusses the main advantages and disadvantages of focus groups. Describes how this method was applied in the specific situation and discusses the value of the method. (SG)

Presents a program that encourages struggling adolescent readers in a special education classroom to engage in the narrative mode of thinking when reading and interpreting texts. Notes that the results are promising, and there are implications for helping preservice teachers develop an awareness of narrative thinking. (SG)

Finds that both low-ability and average-ability first-grade readers, and to a lesser extent high-ability readers, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, select books that are beyond students' reading level. Discusses influences of gender and genre on these selections. Discusses the relation of frustration-level texts to interest and motivation,…

Notes that students can begin to learn that literature is not a dead art with no relevance to them by studying works that provide a wider context that will allow readers a new sense of the cultural milieu in which texts are written and read in conjunction with the ones in their course anthologies. (SC)

Considers how teaching John Updike's short story "A & P" to treat issues of class and gender provides practice in reading for multiple meanings. Discusses students' responses to the character "Sammy" and considers issues from personal response to reading the text. Notes multiple perspectives and ways of teaching "A & P." (SC)

Describes a critical reading unit in which one seventh-grade class read L. Sacher's "Holes" and three other classes read texts of their choosing along with a partner. Notes that the goal was to set up a context for the students, as readers, to experience the main character's growth--for them to become active, independent, passionate readers. (SC)

Suggests that using K-W-L as an active learning strategy in a traditional lecture classroom setting can facilitate interaction between professor, students and subject matter. Considers how this method fosters a sense of community between professor, the discipline, and students even in large classes. Concludes that one of the advantages of active…

Studies Chinese bilingual readers' nonverbal responses (vividness of imagery and emotional response) to a text in English and in Chinese. Finds readers of English text did not understand the passage as well as readers of the Chinese version; however, imagery and affect were formed even in the absence of total understanding, showing they are…