BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Melling, O. R.: The Singing Stone (1988). Chapman, L. John: Reading: from 5—11 years (1987). Tuman, Myron C: A Preface to Literacy: An Inquiry into Pedagogy, Practice, and Progress (August, 1987). Thorpe, Dina: Reading for Fun: A study of how parents and libraries encouraged children aged 9—12 to read for enjoyment. Oakhill, Jane & Garnham, Alan: Becoming a Skilled Reader (1988). Luke, Allan: Literacy, Textbooks and Ideology: Postwar Literacy Instruction and the Mythology of Dick and Jane (June 1988). Janet Brennan is a Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy at the West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education. White, D.: Books Before Five (1984). Calkins, L. M. Lessons from a Child (1983).     

Climatology for guidance

African Education: An Introductory Survey of Education in Commonwealth Countries. Donald G. Burns. (London: Oxford University Press, 1965. Pp. 215. $2.40.)

Education Through English: The Use of English in African Schools. Eva Engholm. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965. Pp. 182. $4.50.)

Techniques of Teaching. A. D. C. Peterson, editor. (New York: Pergamon Press, Inc., 1965. 3 volumes. $2.95 each volume.) (Vol. 1, Primary Education; vol. 2, Secondary Education; vol. 3, Tertiary Education.)

Education and the Development of Nations. John W. Hanson and Cole S. Brembeck, editors. (New York: Holt, Reinehart and Winston, Inc., 1966. Pp. 529. $4.95, paper.)

The Experience of Higher Education. Peter Marris. (New York: Humanities Press, 1964. Pp. 220. $5.00.)

Psychology and Education of the Gifted: Selected Readings. Walter B. Barbe, editor. (New York: Appleton‐Century‐Crofts, 1965. Pp. 534. $4.50, paper.)

The Public Schools and Religion, the Legal Context. Sam Duker. (New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1965. Pp. 238. $2.75.)

Society Schools and Progress in the U.S.A. Edmund J. King. (New York: Pergamon Press, Inc., 1965. Pp. 241. $4.50.)

Teaching Gifted Students: A Book of Readings. James J. Gallagher, editor. (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1965. $6.00, paper.)     

Promotion of Reading and Early Literacy Skills in Schools: a comparison of three European countries

This article gives a short overview based on the EU High Level Group of Experts on Literacy (HLWG) report to address issues and challenges in Europe on improving literacy competencies in schools. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted focusing on the promotion of reading and early literacy skills in schools taking into account psychological and institutional learning conditions in three countries (Denmark, Germany, and France) with different outcomes in PIRLS 2011 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study). Country comparison is conducted using multiple groups – multilevel structural equation modelling (MG-MSEM). An important finding is that policy action taken in order to evaluate and improve school effectiveness in each country must address particular needs of its educational system. Suggestions for improving reading achievement in schools are derived from the analysis.     

Shorter Notices

Hoffman , M. (1977). Reading, Writing and Relevance. Jackson , S. (1977). Oxford Junior Workbook, 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A. Riddell , G. and Gulland , D. (1975). Teaching: Active or Passive. Lewis , L. (1977). Attack-a-track. Spooncer , F. A. (1976). The Development of Reading, The Evaluation of Reading. Williams , A. (1971). Reading and the Consumer. Zimet , S. G. (1977). Print and Prejudice.     

Valid inferences of teachers’ judgements of pupils’ reading literacy: does formal teacher competence matter?

The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether and, if so, how formal teacher competence relates to the relationship between pupil reading achievement and teachers judgements’ of pupils’ reading achievement. The data come from the Swedish participation in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2001 in Grade 3. Information was obtained from pupils (N = 5271) and teachers (N = 351). Analyses were conducted using multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) with random slopes. Teacher competence was operationalized using multiple observed indicators and defined as a latent variable. A higher correspondence between teacher judgements and pupil reading achievement for teachers with higher competence was found. The results highlight the importance of teacher competence in assessment practice.     

Reviews

Marzollo , J. and Lloyd , J. (1977). Learning through Play. Meek , M., Warlow , A. and Barton , G. (1977). The Cool Web: the Pattern of Children's Reading. Hoffman , M. (1977). Reading, Writing and Relevance. Jackson , S. (1977). Oxford Junior Workbook, 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A. Riddell , G. and Gulland , D. (1975). Teaching: Active or Passive. Lewis , L. (1977). Attack-a-track. Spooncer , F. A. (1976). The Development of Reading, The Evaluation of Reading. Williams , A. (1971). Reading and the Consumer. Zimet , S. G. (1977). Print and Prejudice.     

What counts as reading? PIRLS,EastEnders and The Man on the Flying Trapeze

After briefly reviewing how reading is conceptualised in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the English National Curriculum, this article examines two unofficial reading activities in a class of 10–11‐year‐olds' to see how far these activities match up with the official definitions of reading, or whether they involve a different kind of interaction with text. Although the children's unofficial reading appears trivial, fleeting and fragmentary, analysis shows that they are applying, albeit in a rudimentary way, the comprehension skills of retrieval, inference, interpretation and evaluation promoted by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the National Curriculum. These skills, however, are driven by children's emotional, critical and creative responses to the texts. The children's reading is more imaginative and dialogic than is possible within official curriculum activities; they interweave emotional and moral response with argument and critique in one example and respond humorously to poetic rhyme, rhythm and tone in another. These spontaneous reading activities, where children are active, animated and engaged, provide evidence of important dimensions of literacy which are not adequately addressed in official surveys and curriculum assessment.     

Reviews

Engelmann , S. and Bruner , E. C. (1974). Distar Reading Scheme. Reading 1: Blending Sheets. Sound Sheets. Stories and Writing Sheets. Workbook. Reading 2: Stories. Questions. Read the Items. Worksheets and Writing Sheets. Mastery Tests. Alphabets and Pronunciation Guide. Teachers Guide. Vidler , M. (1974). Find a Story, 1—6. Stephenson , S. (1974). RoZZ a Story, 1—6. Haskell , S. O. and Paull , M. E. (1974). Look I'm Reading.     

Reviews

Lawrence , D. (1973). Improved Reading Through Counselling. Johnson , T. D. (1973). Reading: Teaching and Learning. Dean , J., and Nichols , R. (1974). Framework of Reading.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Van Dijk , Teun A. (1977) Text and Context: Explorations in the Semantics and Pragmatics of Discourse. Pugh , A.K. (1978). Silent Reading: an Introduction to its Study and Teaching. Jansen , Mogens , Jacobsen , Bo ; and Jensen , Poul Erik (1978) The Teaching of Reading without Really any Method: An Analysis of Reading Instruction in Denmark. R. Bamberger , L. Binder and E. Vanacek (1977) Zehnjährige als Buchleser. Margaret Mann (1977) The Reading Habits of Adults-a select annotated bibliography. Julia Vida -Kulcsar (1978, ed.) Market Research in the Hungarian Booktrade     

Reviews

Smith , P. (1977). Developing Handwriting. Mc Kenzie , Moira and Warlow , Aidan (editors) (1977). Reading Matters, Selecting and Using Books in the Classroom. Otto , W., Peters , C. W. and Peters , N. (1977). Reading Problems: A Multidisciplinary Perspective.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: PARADIS, M., HAGIWARA. H. and HILDEBRANDT. N. (1985) Neurolinguistic Aspects of the Japanese Writing System. KEAN, M-L.(1985) Agrammatism. CLARK. M. (ed) (1985) New Directions in the Study of Reading. SINGER, H. and WNLAN. D. (1985) Reading and Learning from Text. RICKHEIT, G. and STROHNER. H. (1985) Inferences in Text Processing. BRYANT, P. and BRADLEY, L. Children's Reading Problems: Psychology and Education PUMFREY, P.D. (1985) Reading: Tests and Assessment Techniques (Second edition).     

Not Read,but Nevertheless Solved? Three Experiments on PIRLS Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Test Items

Multiple-choice (MC) reading comprehension test items comprise three components: text passage, questions about the text, and MC answers. The construct validity of this format has been repeatedly criticized. In three between-subjects experiments, fourth graders (N ₁ = 230, N ₂ = 340, N ₃ = 194) worked on three versions of MC items from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2001 reading comprehension test with relevant components successively deleted: “original version” (text, questions, MC-answers), “version without text” (questions, MC-answers), “version without text and without questions” (only MC-answers). Answering correctly the MC items became more difficult as the relevant information was eliminated. In the two narrative fictional texts presented, the students' performance of the version without text was not better than chance. Conversely in the informational (fictional) text, the students' performance of the version without text was better than chance. In the third condition, students' performance was never better than chance.     

Reviews

Miles , T. R. and E. (1975). More Help for Dyslexic Children. Newton , M. and Thomson , M. (1975). Dyslexia: A Guide for Parents and Teachers. Thackray , D. and L. (1974). Thackray Reading Readiness Profiles. Gillham , W. E. C. (1974). Teaching a Child to Read. Walker , C. Reading Development and Extension.     

Reviews

Start , K. B. and Wells , B. K. (1972). The Trend of Reading Standards. Jones , A. and Mulford , J. Eds. (1971). Children Using Language: An Approach to English in the Primary School. Moseley , D. V. (1971). The English Colour Code Programmed Reading Course     

Reviews

Marcus , Marie (1977). Diagnostic Teaching of the Language Arts. Ball , F. (1977). The Development of Reading Skills, A Book of Resources for Teachers. Hart , N. W. M., Walker , R. F. and Gray , B. (1977). The language of children: A key to literacy. Berg , Leila (1977). Reading and loving.     

Reviews

Carver , Clifford , and Stowasser , C. H. (1963-6). The Oxford Colour Reading Books. Obrist , Cecilia , and Pickard , P. M. (1967). Time for Reading Ablewhite , R. C. (1967). The Slow Reader Tansley , A. E. (1967). Reading and Remedial Reading Sceats , John (1967). i.t.a. and the Teaching of Literacy     

Reviews

Keddie , N. (ed.) (1973). Tinker, Tailor …The Myth of Cultural Deprivation. D'Arcy , P. (1973). Reading for Meaning. Volume 1. Learning to Read. Mc Cullagh , S. K. (1973). The Pirate Dramatic Readers 1–10. Mc Cullagh , S. K. (1973). The Pirate Reading Scheme Handbook.     

Reviews

Chapman, L. John and Czerniewska Pam (Editors) (1978) Reading: from Process to Practice PUGH, A. K. (1978). Silent Reading – An Introduction to its Study and Teaching.     

Book reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Gillham, Bruce (Ed.) Reading Through the Curriculum Betty, Charles Discovering Together (Series). Titles: Christmas Chapman, L. John. Reading Development and Cohesion. Gregson, D. and Thcwlis, S. Comprehension and Research Skills: an index of classroom resources. Miles, T. R. Dyslexia, The Pattern of Difficulties. Miles, T. R. & Miles, E. Helpfor Dyslexic Children. Moore, Leonard. My Favourite Nature Encyclopedia. Haas, W. (Ed.) Standard Languages, Spoken and Written. Moyle, Donald and Sykes, Eileen. Games for Language and Reading Development.