Table Of ContentA MANUAL FOR TEACHERS OF SECONDARY
SCHOOL READING IMPROVEMENT
A P ro ject
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The U niversity of Southern C alifo rn ia
In P a rtia l F u lfillm en t
of-the Requirements fo r the Degree
M aster of Science in Education
by
Theodore R. Wessinger
February 1950
UMI Number: EP46133
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UMI EP46133
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r
E j 5 O luj s / Zi / '
This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
Date...............................................................................
Adviser
Dean
i i
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER PACE
PART I . PREPARATION
HOW TO SET UP AN ENVIRONMENT FOR READING IMPROVEMENT
1. HUMAN COMPONENTS: How to se le c t your students • • * 2
1. ABILITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS: How to get data
on adjustm ent and mental m a t u r i t y ................................ 2
2, TEST MOTIVATION:; How to m otivate students fo r
reading readiness te s tin g .................................................... 3
3« LEVELS: How to fin d the reading readiness
lev el ................................................................................................. i|.
ij.. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r d irectio n s on te stin g ................................ . . 6
2. STATISTIC QUANTITIES:. How to use te s t scores
and findings ....................................................................10
1. RECORDS: How to prepare scores to use in
classroom advisement ............................................................. 10
2. GROUPS: How to use scores in a ffe c tin g
students .............................. 10
3» PLANS: How to u tiliz e the scores in planning
a reading program ............................................................. 13
SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r a ssistan ce ...................................................... . . . . 13
3« PHYSICAL QUALITIES: How to make your classroom a
su itab le place fo r teaching and learn in g .......................... 17
1. SERVICE CENTERS: How to increase sense of
se cu rity through sta b le areas .......................................... 17
2. MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES: How to prepare fo r
experience a c tiv itie s .............................................................. 18
3. STORAGE: How to keep m aterials in your room . . 19
i^. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to fin d
fu rth e r d irec tio n s . ................................................................... 20
i i i
CHAPTER PAGE
PART I I . INCITATION
HOW TO MOTIVATE FOR READING IMPROVEMENT
If. CHANGED ATTITUDES: How to c ry sta liz e aware
ness of n e e d s 23
1. BAD NAMES: How to remove s t i g m a s ........................... 23
2. POSITION: How to inform students of th e ir
r e t a r d a t i o n ......................................................................... 2if
3. GET-TOGETHER: How to conduct student-
p arent- teacher c o n fe re n c e s .............................................. 25
if. HEROICS: How to u tiliz e ’’successful"
v is ito r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r assistan ce ................................................................... 26
5 . CLASSROOM OPERATIONS: How to organize class fo r
maximum work and i n t e r e s t ......................................................... 29
1. GROUP ORGANIZATION: How to prepare and set
up class organization 29
2. ROUTINE JOBS: How to assign classroom t asks• 30
3. CONDUCT STANDARDS: How to b u ild meaningful
ru les of behavior fo r retard ed readers . . • • 31
if. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to find
fu rth e r a ssistan ce ......................... 32
6. STIMULANTS: How to o rien t your teaching
techni q u e s ............................................................................................ 35
1. DRAMATIC DEMONSTRATION: How to build
confidence in your devices .......................... 35
2. MATERIAL STATUS: How to ’’b u ild up" p o sitiv e
a ttitu d e s toward your m aterials ............................... 36
3* ATTENTION: How to develop a fu nction al
concept of a tte n tio n ......................................... 37
if. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r assistan ce ................................................................... 39
iv
CHAPTER PACE
PART I I I . MEANING
HOW TO UTILIZE MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES
7» STUDENT VIEWPOINT: How to get su b ject content
su itab le fo r reta rd ed r e a d e r s ............................................... ij.2
1* STUDENT NEEDS: How to secure c r ite r ia of
course c o n s t r u c t i o n ............................................. l\2
2. PROBLEMS: How to make a ’ d if f ic u lty an aly sis • I4.3
3« WANTS: How to use the student in te re s t
a p p ro a c h ....................................................................................... J4.7
i).* SUCCESSES: How to make assignm ents in d iv id
ual and w ith in indiv id u al success ranges . . . ij.8
5. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r a s s i s t a n c e ................................................................... 51
8. RESOURCES: How to secure m aterials fo r solving
problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................... 57
1. CLASS-MADE MATERIALS: How to build a
classroom lib ra ry .................................................................... 57
2. READY MATERIALS: How to s e le c t and use a v a il
able teaching aids and m a t e r i a l s .................................. 58
3« GRATIS MATERIALS: How to secure a v a rie ty
of free source m a t e r i a l s . 60
DUPLICATING MATERIALS: How to solve duplica
tio n problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6l
5. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r assistan ce ................................................................... 62
9. SUSCEPTIVENESS: How to build readiness . . . . . 65
1. INTRODUCTIONS: How to introduce daily
lessons . . . . . . ..................................... . . . . . 65
2. SITUATIONS: How to prepare students fo r
word study ............................................................. 67
V
CHAPTER PAGE
3« LIVE EXPERIENCES: How to use v is ita tio n s
and t r i p s .......................................................................... 67
if. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r a s s i s t a n c e .............................................................. • 69
PART IV. WORD RECOGNITION
HOW TO USE WORD STUDY IN READING IMPROVEMENT
10. MECHANICAL DEVICE: How to use a taohistoscope
in word and phrase study . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
1. RECEPTION: How to introduce d a ily word l i s t • 73
2. PRESENTATION: How to confront student w ith
words ............................................................................ 7if
3« INSIGHTS: How to develop the use of clues in
word r e c o g n itio n ........................................................................ 7if
If. PRODUCTION TESTS: How to proceed w ith a
learn in g t e s t ............................................................................. 75
5. RECOGNITION SPEEDS: How to develop speedy
reco gn ition of words and p h r a s e s ............................... 76
6. RECREATION: How to re lie v e tensions w ith
games and contests ......................................................... 76
7. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where -to get
fu rth e r a s s i s t a n c e ’. . . . . . 77
11.., HANDMADE CONTAINERS: How to make three to o ls , need
ed in teaching w ith the t a c h i s t o s c o p e 80
1. TEACHER WORD FILE: How to make a useful f ile . 80
2. GLASS SLIDES: How to make cellophane cen ter
ed s l i d e s 81
3. STUDENT DICTIONARIES: 'How to guide students
in making a u sefu l word l i s t .......................................... 82
If. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r a s s i s t a n c e .................................... 8lf
vi
CHAPTER PAGE
12. STUDENT MADE DEVICES:: How to use handmade
d ic tio n a rie s and notebooks ......................................................... 86
1. DEFINITIONS: How to record meanings of
w o r d s .................................... . . • • 86
2. USES: How to p rac tic e uses of words . . . . . 87
3* GRADES: How to d ire c t se lf co rrectio n and
evaluation of work ................................... 88
if. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r assistan ce ................................................................... 89
13. PARTS AND WHOLES: How to use word an alysis . . . 92
1. PERSONAL WORDS: How to keep words w ithin
grasp of students ........................................ . 92
2. WORD LISTS: How to work out a c tiv itie s of
word s t u d y ........................................................ 93
3. TEACHING TECHNIQUE: How to make sp ellin g and
reading one learning process ..................................... • 95
if. SPECIAL LIST: How to make word l i s t s to
provide fo r s tru c tu ra l analysis ................................ 9&
5. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER:. Where to get
fu rth e r assistan ce . . . . . . . . . ..................... 9&
lif. EYES AND EARS: How to use audio-visual aids as
word building m aterials ............................... . . . . . . 101
1. INCIDENTAL LEARNING: How to use displays
and ex h ib its in word s t u d y ............................................... 101
2. APPEALS: How to ex h ib it fo r maximum appeal • 102
3* HELPERS: How to se le c t and use audio-visual
m aterials in your c l a s s ................................................... 103
if. SOURCES FOR THIS CHAPTER: Where to get
fu rth e r a s s i s t a n c e .................................................................. 10if
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Reserve Shelf .............................................................. 107
v ii
LIST OP EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT PAGE
A. Check Sheet fo r Summarizing Individual Data • • • 11
B. Oral In te re s t I n v e n t o r y ............................................. i|_9
59
C« Cover fo r Magazine A rtic le s and Pamphlets • • • •
D. Word Spacing on a Glass Slide . .................................... 83
E* Examples of "Every-Day1’ Reading M aterials. . . » 94-
v iii
PREFACE
Current tendencies in the reading f ie ld show a move
ment away from rem edial c lin ic s and special reading classes
towards an o v e r-a ll preventive reading program. The ideal
reading program appears to be a continuous process in which
a ll teachers in elem entary, secondary, and junior college
would purposefully include and m anipulate student reading
improvement in th e ir c o u r s e s T h e cu rren t problem in moving
toward th is id e a l seems to be one of teacher education and
re-education in functional curriculum building and g u id a n c e .^
At the presen t tim e, the g re a te st need seems to be
one of developing adequate teaching and study m aterials for
students in sp ecial c la sse s. Secondary school remedial
students r ig h tf u lly resen t elem entary school m ateria ls.
They are older in l if e experiences. They are confronting
the adult world and are beginning to tu ssle w ith i t . Of
most import, is the fa c t th a t they are unable to use aca
demic escapism needed to be successful w ith tra d itio n a l
categ o rical course m a te ria ls. They remain at great odds
w ith any school s itu a tio n which o ffers no h in ts of a solu
tio n to th e ir personal problems. I t appears most lo g ic al
and necessary, i f we are to educate them even to minimum
standards, th at we must reach them in re a l-life -p ro b le m
solving s itu a tio n s .
