Review of College Reading Research and Practice: Articles from The Journal of College Literacy and Reading. Edited by Eric J. Paulson, Michaeline E. Laine, Shirley A. Biggs, and Terry L. Bullock. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2003 304 pp. $29.95
This book is an essential part of the professional library of a college teacher of reading. Twenty-seven articles are grouped under three headings: theoretical issues, research, and program and strategy descriptions. The articles are succinct, and each states its position clearly, presents its support briefly, and discusses outcomes candidly. While the research is often based on quantitative approaches, most of the statistical analyses are summarized and tables of numbers do not fill pages. The recommendations are useful and significant.
One criticism of this book is its short and incomplete index. One glaring omission is the word “metacognition.” Even when cursorily skimming the articles, one is bound to note the recurrence of the term “metacognition.” Metacognition, which consists of a reader’s awareness of skills needed to comprehend text as well as the awareness of his or her individual capacity to apply these skills, appears as a theoretical concept to study reading, as a discriminating variable in research on proficient readers, and as a key strategy to be taught in a college reading program. The term is used in two chapter titles and surfaces in numerous articles. Since about forty authors contributed to this collection, the recurrence of this concept attests to its importance, and there is no reason why “metacognition” should have been omitted from the index.
Despite this oversight, the subject index does include a number of relevant and important topics for reading instructors. Gender differences are the topic of an article by Valeri-Gold and Commander, in which they describe male and female attitudes towards reading. The implications they discuss could be of interest to a community college such as ours, with its large difference in male and female enrollment. “Computer” is not a subject index listing, but “technology” is, and a chapter by Scales presents fresh ideas on how university and community college students use computer technology. If successful transfer is a secondary goal of Developmental Education, then it might be worthwhile to include computer skills, as community college students will need these as they move on in the university. “Assessment” has many page citations in the index, and an article by Casazza is of interest since it carefully considers how to use a portfolio to assess each student’s reading abilities. She doesn’t disguise the work involved, but she explains how the process strengthened the reading program, incorporated part-time faculty, and aided students.
Beginning at either the end, in “Subject Index,” or at the beginning, in “Contents,” a college reading instructor is bound to find many thoughtful and thought-provoking articles in College Reading Research and Practice. This is not the sort of book which has to be read from front to back. A brief dip in the text will be refreshing.
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Maintained by Jay Howard,Jan 2004