Education Commons^™

Good Readers And Their Reading Strategies, Mary Jane Gray, Marion Henneberry

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Those who are responsible for elementary reading programs should have as a major concern recognizing what children do as they engage in the act of reading. F. Smith (1973) makes this clear In his statement, "Find out what a child is trying to do and then help hi m do it." (p. 195)

In order to take a first step in gaining this information we need to have children provide answers to some pertinent questions. One of these would be what children consider as the criteria for good reading. A particularly relevant question, especially at the beginning stages, would be …

Teaching Young Remedial Readers To Generate Questions As They Read, Victoria J. Risko, Naomi Feldman

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Poor readers are often characterized as passive learners who fail to select and apply strategies that will aid their comprehension. Activities designed to develop student use of strategies and self-monitoring may be especially helpful for students who are experiencing reading difficulty in school (Brown, Bransford, Ferrara, and Campione, 1983; Palincsar & Brown, 1984; Pearson & Gallagher, 1983).

One activity for enhancing reading comprehension is reciprocal questioning. Teaching students to reflect upon what they have read and to formulate questions about literal and implied meanings of the author can improve comprehension and encourage active monitoring. Previous investigations of reciprocal questioning in …

Differing Perspectives On The Goals And Means Of Reading Instruction, Patrick Shannon

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The recent suggestions in reading journals that school and teacher effectiveness research should affect reading inst ruction in public schools imply that all levels of school personnel agree upon the goals and means of reading inst ruction (Baumann, 1984; Blair, 1984). Indeed, many reading programs which have recently reorganized according to this literature share this implied assumption (Cuban, 1984; Wise, 1979). That is, the programs are organized upon the assumption that administrators, reading teachers, and classroom teachers agree that high achievement test scores are the important goal for reading programs and that reading instruction should be rearranged in order to …

Reading Horizons Vol. 27, No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 27, issue 1.

Reading Teachers Are Asked "What Is Relevant In The Classroom?", Donna Jamar, Leo W. Pauls

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

One of the most crucial problems facing teacher education today is one of relevancy. This cry for relevance suggests that what we in higher education do as we prepare students to become teachers is not compatible with the real world of the classroom. Backman tells us that as teacher educators we are perceived as (1) delivering preparation programs which have little real influence on the way in which our graduates actually teach; and (2) being completely out of touch with the actual teaching conditions in contemporary schools (1984).

Linguistic Development Of Children And The Syntax Of Basals, David L. Brown, L. D. Briggs

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Children's ability to reflect upon language begins to appear about age two (Clark, 1978). During the early stages of language development, children correct their own pronunciations, question the appropriateness of speech styles, play with different linguistic units, and make judgments concerning language usage for varying situations (Clark, 1978). Children exhibit an increasing awareness of language with age and soon become aware of both the form and function of language. Their metacognitive skills become apparent as they progress from the simple to the more complex linguistic structures. Children's language acquisition and cognitive development continue to develop during the early years of …

Using The Word Processor To Clarify Textual Phrasing, Rona F. Flippo

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article briefly reviews the literature relevant to investigating the effects of textual phrasing on the efforts of children to comprehend, and then addresses the question, "Is there evidence in the reviewed literature that the use of word processors could have an impact on helping children improve their comprehension?" Some suggestions for use of word processors, based on the reviewed literature, are made.

Reading Research: Some Comments, Richard D. Robinson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

As early as the beginning of this century men such as Dearborn, Javal, and Judd were asking questions concerning the epistemology of reading. Huey described these efforts when he noted:

And so to completely analyze what we do when we read would almost be the acme of a psychologist's achievements, for it would describe very many of the most intricate workings of the human mind, as well as to unravel the tangled story of the most remarkable specific performance that civilization has learned in all its history (Huey, 1908, page 6).

Huey's challenge to reading research remains as relevant today …

Long-Term Effects Of Clinical Intervention: An In-Depth Study, Barbara J. Rennie, Carl Braun, Christine J. Gordon

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Numerous longitudinal studies attest to the concern regarding the long-term effectiveness of remedial programs (Balow, 1965; Balow & Blomquist, 1965; Buerger, 1968; Muehl &' Forell, 1973; Robinson & Smith, 1962; Shearer, 1966). While short-term improvement has been demonstrated repeatedly, the majority of the reported studies fail to demonstrate maintenance of achievement gains (Spache, 1980). The fact that follow-up studies persist (Bessai & Cozac, 1980; Gottesman, 1979; Ito, 1981; Miles, Foreman & Irwine, 1978) demonstrates an intuitive belief that remedial treatment should have lasting beneficial effects.

Using Direct Instruction In A College Skills Course, Audrey Heinrichs, Linda Lehnert Lehnert

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The lowest third of the freshman class, those predicted to have the most trouble in college, participated in the study skills course herein described. These students achieved at least a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) as frequently as students ranked in the upper two-thirds of the freshman class. This article describes the course and the means by which its effectiveness was assessed.

Analysis Of Able And Disabled Sixth-Grade Readers' Knowledge Of Story Structure: A Comparison, Evelyn L. Kreine, Jane Ann Zaharias

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Current research indicates that reading is a transactive process, suggesting that the background knowledge a reader brings to a text is at least as important as the text itself in determining comprehension (Goodman, 1984). Of particular interest here is the reader's tacit knowledge of typical organizational patterns which govern the structure of narrative texts, or what has been termed story schemata (Rumelhart, 1975, 1980).

And This Little Teacher Went To Market, Charles R. Whaley, Deborah Yacinda

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Have you ever seen an unmotivated child in a supermarket? There I s no such thing! From tempting displays of colorful, animated cereal boxes to appealing, eye-level candies at checkout, children (and adults) are bombarded with motivating messages from the friendly market manager. These master merchandisers could teach us something about motivation in the classroom.

This Book Reminds Me Of You: The Reader As Mentor, Andrea C. Sledge

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

You, the teacher, are the reader's mentor, whether that reader is your student, your colleague or your friend. No, more accurately, readers are mentors to readers and to future readers; close, trusted, experienced counselors and guides in the development and promotion of a wide variety of reading interests.

Do Pictures Make A Difference In College Textbooks?, Brenda D. Smith, Joan M. Elifson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

When we compare college social science textbooks popular in the 1960's with those used in the 1980's, the first change that strikes us is the proliferation of pictures. The number of pictures has not merely doubled or tripled in twenty years; in many cases pictures have increased exponentially.

Ways To Foster A Home-School Partnershipin Reading, Nicholas P. Criscuolo

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Polls consistently show that the public gives literacy a high rating. Although many children are receiving high quality reading instruction at school, parents have a role as reinforcers. At one time, the belief was prevalent that parents should keep "hands off" any aspect of inst ruction. Teaching took place in the classroom and the place for parents was in the home. No more. It is now recognized that parents can do a great deal to support and buttress reading/language arts skills at home.

The Consonant Generalizations Revisited, Louis Gates

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

It has been over twenty years Since Clymer published his pioneer phonic generalization study. In this study Clymer selected four widely used basal reader manuals from which he culled over 150 consonant and other word attack generalizations, including some that had been used without question from the time that phonic generalizations were first introduced by Noah Webster.

Our Daughter Learns To Read And Write: Looking Back, Marcia Baghban

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

I enjoy reminiscing about our earliest years with Giti and her language learning. My husband, Hafiz, and I were graduate students at Indiana University and interested in everything there was to know about life. When I found out I was pregnant, I never doubted that our child would read. I had spent entire days in my childhood whipping through piles of library books and swapping Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton books with cousins. My husband had taught himself to read under the most miserable of circumstances, and begged for paper and pen in a Central Asian village where neither could …

Learning To Read Better: Training Decoding, Comprehension And Perceptual Skills, Elizabeth J. Short, E. Marcia Sheridan, Louise Anes

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The present study is a program evaluation designed to evaluate an elementary school remedial reading instructional program using Carr's model (1982) of reading ability. The "Learning to Read Better" program evolved from Anes' (1979a, 1979b, 1981) study and experience In teaching children with reading problems. The program is structured according to the components of the reading process, with time in the reading room and teaching responsibility allocated so that learning in each component occurs during every remedial session. Four key components of the reading process emphasized in this program are: visual-perceptual training, decoding, oral reading, and comprehension.

Interactive Children's Literature: Movingfrom Print To Electronic Literacy, Dennis M. Adams

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

New computer software allows children to take ownership of a story they are reading. Students change the plot, participate in the action, choose a role as a major or minor character -- or simply step aside and change the direction of the action. The combination of print, computers, visual imagery and personalized action is a strong motivation for learning about all four. Motivation is one thing, effective instruction is another. To be effective as an instructional tool, computer controlled literature must pay careful attention to both technology and instructional theory. One thing is certain, the potential is there for powerful …

Improving Students' Comprehension Of Character Development In Plays, Claire Ashby-Davis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article is divided into three sections, each a development of theory or practices which relate to direct teaching of thinking in the reading or language arts classroom. These are: 1. the need for a reader to use inductive reasoning when reading a play; 2. the importance of understanding character development in a play; and, 3. the presentation of a method to teach inductive reasoning directly so that students can use the strategy when analyzing character development in plays.

Parents, Schools And Hssr, Elene S. Demos

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

As parents become more involved in the schools and as schools st rive to involve parents in meaningful ways and extend the work that is done in schools, educators should look at promising educational practices that can be reinforced in the home environment.

One of these reinforcing, supportive activIties that are feasible for all parents and children, yet do not require instructional technology, is Sustained Silent Reading, which has been effectively utilized in schools.

Teaching/Learning: The Student Viewpoint, Bruce A. Lloyd, Rosa C. Lloyd

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Learning is a vital aspect in the life of every individual. To some it comes, easily, but to others it does not. Why this happens depends on several interrelated factors. Among them are home environment and parental support, individual capabilities/potential including mental maturity and personal drive, and school/educational classroom methodology or procedures. The latter point is the focus of this paper.

Author Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to authors in volume 26.

Reading Horizons Vol. 26, No. 4

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 26, issue 4.

Article Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to articles in volume 26.

Predictable Books Guarantee Success, Judy Chandler, Marcia Baghban

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The structure of the materials that readers encounter and the abilities and experiences readers bring to the act of reading affect the ease with which they comprehend the text. Good readers who are not lawyers or accountants will be slowed down, if not completely perplexed, by their first law briefs or tax forms. Conversely, those students who are In 167 trouble with reading should benefit from texts whose structure and story line are obvious to them.

To test this last assumption, one group of students using their basal reader and another group of students using predictable books in a reading …

A Motivational Strategy For Teaching Locational Skills: The Name Game, Sharon J. Crawley

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Locating places is of great importance in our daily lives. Because it is crucial, we teach students map locational skills. Yet, merely asking students to locate the name of a city, mountain or river becomes quite boring if done without interest and variety.

Elementary Teachers Of Reading As Models, Mary Jane Gray, Anne Troy

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The teacher at all levels should devote his/her efforts to leading students into the other worlds that can be found in the pages of books. Whether these are make believe worlds found in fantasy or the real worlds of science, geography, history, etc., each reader needs to become acquainted with the elements of all possible worlds. How is this to be accomplished?

Building An Effective Reading Program, Donald C. Cushenbery

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

One of the most basic questions facing educators at all levels is that of constructing a reading program which meets the needs of all children and provides effective instruction in developmental, corrective, and remedial reading. To insure such conditions requires careful planning, thoughtful instruction, and thorough evaluation and measurement. The basic purpose of this article is to describe and analyze four important steps which should be followed in building a reading program that will help gain the objectives and goals mentioned previously.

Word Cluster: A Strategy For Synonym Development, Bonnie Higginson, Peggy Phelan

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

A cluster is defined as "a small, close group." Word Clusters are groups of words sharing the same global concept. For example, house, cabin, mansion, and shack are similar in that they are all forms of shelter. However, there are distinct differences that must be distinguished by students to facilitate understanding of the impact of their words in various contexts.