“CATERing” to Readers’ Needs with AI: Innovation in Text Design and Instruction
June 27, 2024
In this article, the authors describe an innovation that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create texts tailored to the interests, strengths, and learning needs of individual readers.
What the Quasi-Regular Orthography of English Means for Bringing Students to Proficient Reading
April 19, 2024
Proficiency in reading demands automaticity in connecting letters and sounds, necessitating systematic phonics instruction. However, the complexity of English orthography and its morphology means that becoming proficient in reading takes time and requires substantial exposure to text.
Enhancing Opportunities for Decoding and Knowledge Building through Beginning Texts
April 16, 2024
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 of reorganizing texts by vowel patterns and topics. Sparse evidence supportsRead More »Enhancing Opportunities for Decoding and Knowledge Building through Beginning Texts
When students perform at the below basic level on the NAEP: What does it mean and what can educators do?
July 12, 2022
Introduction When the National Assessment of Educational Progress in Reading (NAEP) results are published biennially, journalists and policymakers focus on the approximately third of a fourth grade cohort who fail to attain the basic standard in readinRead More »When students perform at the below basic level on the NAEP: What does it mean and what can educators do?
Patterns of Silent Reading Rate and Comprehension as a Function of Developmental Status, Genre, and Text Position
July 12, 2022
This study examines how comprehension and rate in silent reading—the construct of comprehension-based silent reading rate (CBSRR; Spichtig et al., 2016)—are affected by grade, genre, and text position. Each of 63 second graders and 52 fourth graders read 2 grade-specific passages (one narrative, one informational) in four sections, each followed by 4 comprehension questions. Only the main effect of Grade for comprehension was not significant. All other main effects showed moderate or small differences with higher performances by fourth graders, higher performances on informational than narrative texts, and better performances as students moved through sections of a text. Percentages of students attaining CBSRR decreased across the four sections of both genres and at both grade levels. Students’ rates of reading with comprehension were somewhat faster than oral reading norms. For students persisting in the task, silent reading rates were at or above Spichtig et al.’s norms. Implications of findings are discussed, as are questions that arose about text complexity and silent reading patterns.
Does One Size Fit All? Exploring the Contribution of Text Features, Content, and Grade of Use on Comprehension
July 11, 2022
Readability systems have once more become prominent in policy and practice because of recommendations in the Common Core State Standards. This study revisited two features of current readability systems: their generalizability to all grade levels and to all content areas.
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