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This study investigated the reliability and validity of Part 1 of the Informal Decoding Inventory (IDI), a free diagnostic assessment used to plan Tier 2 intervention for first graders with decoding deficits. Part 1 addresses single-syllable words and consists of five subtests that progress in difficulty and that contain real word and pseudoword components. The IDI was administered to a sample of 94 first graders who attended three high-poverty schools in a rural district located in a South Atlantic state. The Test of Word Recognition Efficiency–Second Edition (TOWRE-2) was given in the same session. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) exceeded .70 for the total scores and all but one subtest. Total scores for real words and pseudowords correlated highly with TOWRE-2 subtests. Confirmatory factor analysis substantiated the five-factor structure of the IDI, and mean comparisons affirmed the order of the subtests in all cases but one. Overall, this preliminary study affirmed the reliability and validity of the IDI. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic books (e-books) are a prevalent method for integrating technology in preschool and elementary classrooms; however, there is a lack of consensus concerning the extent to which e-books increase literacy skills in the domains of comprehension and decoding. This article assesses the efficacy of e-books with a comprehensive review method, including a systematic literature search, comparison of outcomes with effect sizes, and discussion of individual studies that met either (a) randomized-trial synthesis criteria, or (b) quasi-experimental/observational narrative synthesis criteria. Seven studies met the randomized-trial criteria and 20 studies met the quasi-experimental/observational narrative review criteria. Results from the randomized trials indicate that the effects of e-books on comprehension-related outcomes were small to medium in size. Only two randomized trials examined decoding-related outcomes, thereby preventing firm conclusions. The narrative review suggests some interactive e-book features support comprehension, whereas other incongruent features may hinder comprehension. Educational implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that examines the decoding assessment from an onset-rime perspective based on an interactive model of cognitive constructs. The interactive model involves word identification, language comprehension and print processing beyond word identification that underlies silent reading comprehension ability. The study aims to construct validity for children without severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) on the items of the alternative reading battery test being developed to assess decoding ability of children with SSPI. The result shows that onset-rime-decodable real words have high construct validity than onset-rime-decodable non-words.

The article discusses the impact of articles published in the "Journal of Reading Behavior" periodical on reading scholarship in the U.S. Data concerning the frequency with which publicized articles have been cited in professional journals were gathered from the Social Science Citation Index. The most frequently cited articles tend to concern comprehension-related topics, as well as word recognition. The topics published in the first 25 volumes of the periodical presents a number of enduring articles to which present-day scholars in a variety of disciplines continue to refer.

This article examines the current rift in perspective between whole language arts and traditional language arts instruction by analyzing the basis of each view in research and theory. Suggestions are made regarding research developments that might alleviate the present impasse. These include not only hypotheses to be tested but also explain the need for a variety of designs, improved instrumentation, and collaborative investigations [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Investigates the effectiveness of alternative certification (AC) and traditional certification (TC) programs for teachers. Comparison between TC and AC programs graduates; Advantages of AC programs; Examination of teachers' behavioral differences; Discussion on the impact of AC versus TC prepared teachers on the output of their students; Other results and implications of the study.