Punctuation

Annotated Research

Question: What is the relationship between punctuation marks and auditory “imagery”?

Answer: “Found a relation between punctuation units (stretches of language between punctuation marks and the intonation units of speech, based in part on the auditory imagery of intonation, accents, and hesitation that both readers and writers experience.” W Chafe. 1988. P. 219.

Comment: Suggests that students internalize the “imagery” of intonation, accents and hesitation when reading aloud. Interesting. Can use as a basis for teaching punctuation. Might begin a unit on punctuation by having students read aloud, noting the punctuation in the material read. Remember that spoken essay by the pianist who was so funny, Victor Borge? He invented sounds of the various punctuation marks. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Predictor of Reading Achievement

Annotated Research

Question: What is the best predictor of reading achievement?

 Answer: “Reading books outside of school was the best predictor of reading achievement, but on most days, children did little or no book reading.”  RC Anderson, PT Wilson and CG Fielding. 1988. P. 218.

Comment: I’m not surprised that reading of books outside of school is a good predictor of reading achievement. Obviously, if they read outside of school, they know how to read. And have an interest in reading. However, the second part of the finding—that on most days, children did not read books outside of school—negates the predictability. If they don’t read books outside of school, you have nothing to use to predict. I guess it’s a kind of Catch-22. Discouraging. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Reading Comprehension

Question: How much does prior knowledge affect reading comprehension?

Answer: “Indicated the important role of prior knowledge in reading comprehension.” JA Adames. 1987. P. 217.

 Comment: The more students know about a topic before reading, the better they will comprehend what they read about that topic. Points up the importance of teachers’ preparing students with background information for what they are about to read. An important element in the directed reading assignment. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Science and Literature

Question: How do science articles and literary criticism differ in their approach to argument?

Answer: “Science articles open and reopen questions of fact, classification and cause ,,,while literary critical articles seem to concern issues of value  that are to a great extent already granted by their audience.” J Fahnestock and M Secor. 19988. P. 217.

Comment: Highlights the differences between scientific criticism and literary criticism. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Audience

Question: Which audiences do students adapt for: non-academic or academic?

Answer: “Writing for a non-academic audience, college students perceiving differences in audience’s knowledge adapted their texts, while students writing for an academic audience did not adapt their texts despite perceiving differences in audience knowledge.” E Odoroff. 1987. P. 215.

Comment: Well, I guess audience differences in knowledge of non-academics was perceived as significant, while academics are academics regardless of differences in knowledge. The students probably perceived that essential knowledge is present that enables the audience to understand what is written. I guess. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Revision

Annotated Research

Question: Does revision on word processors affect the quality of students’ writing?

Answer: “Total number of revisions made by students who wrote using computers was significantly greater than for those students who wrote by hand, but this difference did not influence the analytic scale for overall quality.” MJ Lytle. 1987. P. 214.

Comment: Increased number of revisions did not add up to better quality writing. Interesting. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.

Word Processing and Planning

Annotated Research

Question: How much planning occurs when using word processing?

Answer: “When word processing, writers did less planning.” C Haas. 1988. P. 213.

Comment: That’s the second study I have read concerning word processing and planning. Both agree. There is less planning when using the word processor. The corollary is that more planning occurs when using paper and pencil. When I don’t know what I am going to write, I always begin by brainstorming with paper and pencil. When I know what I am going to write, like memos, I use the word processor. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Ed. JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1989), 208-222.