Reading in Basals II

Annotated Research

Question: How are reading and writing portrayed in basal readers?

Answer: “In basals, few characters are shown reading or writing, and when shown, characters are generally using literacy for pragmatic rather than for recreational or intellectual reading.” BK Grady. 1986. P. 225.

Comment: How are reading and writing portrayed in children’s literature and in trade books? Still true today? RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

Real Reading in Basals I

Annotated Research

Question: How often does reading occur in children’s basal readers?

 Answer: “Acts of reading portrayed in [basal] stories comprise less than 10 percent of content, and usually show the reading of signs.” S Davis. 1987. P. 225.

Comment: FYI. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

Vocabulary in Context

Annotated Research

Question: In what context do students learn new words best?

Answer: “Young children learned new words best when the words were embedded in a narrative context.” R Watson. 1987. P. 225.

Comment: FYI. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

Writing in Reading Classes

Annotated Research

Question: How much time is spent in reading classes on writing?

Answer: “Little or no reading class time was spent on writing or writing instruction.” KC Howard. 1987. P. 224.

Comment: I don’t know if this is still true (2011), but if so, it’s a huge mistake. Reading  to learn activities help with comprehension among other reading skills. I wonder if this finding involved literature classes? RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

NOTE: Four-day vacation from this blog for the Thanksgiving Holiday. RayS.

Reading Interest in Families

Annotated Research

Question: What is the effect of parents who enjoy and demonstrate reading on their families?

Answer: ‘Parents who enjoy and encourage reading produce families that do.” A Lockledge and S Matheny. 19989. 223.

Comment: This may be a more complex issue than it appears. What about a parent who enjoys reading books and the other doesn’t? I don’t think the issue is that simple. What does “enjoy” mean? What does “encourage” mean? RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

Learning

Annotated Research

Question: What helps students learn new content?

Answer: “Students’ ability to integrate new information with existing knowledge was more likely to help them learn new content than were their vocabularies or reading skills.” MF Shaughnessy and R Evan. 1986. P. 223.

Comment: A skill not easily taught. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.

Retelling and Young Children

Annotated Research

Question: What is the effect of retelling what they have read on young students?

Answer: “The effects of practice in retelling upon the reading comprehension of proficient and less proficient readers.” Both groups improved their reading. BA Kapinus. 1986. P. 222.

Comment: Retelling stories effectively is also an opportunity for teaching good oral summarizing. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” JD Marshall and RK Durst. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1988), 213-227.