Flattening the Developmental Staircase: Lexical Complexity in Elementary Reading Texts Across Six Decades
This study examined how the lexical complexity of elementary reading textbooks has changed over six decades, finding that the issue is not declining rigor, but rather compressed progression.
Unpacking automaticity: Scaffolded texts and comprehension
In this review, Freddy Hiebert examines the standard intervention for secondary students lacking automaticity—repeated oral reading—and the limited evidence for its impact on silent reading comprehension. She then presents an alternative approach using texts where the core 2,500 most frequent word families in written language comprise the majority of content.
The Presence and Progression of Rare Vocabulary in Texts Across Elementary Grades and Between Genres: How Rare Words Increase the Challenge of Reading and What We Can Do About It
The authors examined a set of rare words from narrative and expository texts aimed at Grades 1, 3, and 5. The purpose of the study was to determine the proportions of rare words that occurred across grade levels and genres, as well as to examine the features of rare words that occurred in these elementary…
Text types and their relation to efficacy in beginning reading interventions: The effects of decodable and non-decodable texts in early reading instruction
Supporting early readers means not only selecting texts at an appropriate level but also selecting texts of the appropriate text type. While necessary, decodable texts may not be sufficient for the full development of reading skills. Texts without phonetic control—non-decodable texts—may also provide a benefit.
Making sure the books check every box: Preservice teachers learning to select texts for reading instruction
To be prepared to teach reading, teachers must learn what makes a text complex: how text features contribute to text complexity. They must also learn how to locate and select appropriate texts for various pedagogies and know how to differentiate based on individual readers’ needs and interests.
Enhancing Opportunities for Decoding and Knowledge Building through Beginning Texts
Abstract Learn how existing texts can be reorganized to give beginning readers opportunities to apply and extend their developing knowledge of letter–sound correspondences and of physical and social worlds. Ensuring effective texts for student reading acquisition is a shared goal. This paper addresses the efficacy of decodable and leveled texts, their word features, and outcomes
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