Cloze reading strategies with elementary pupils as informants

The major purpose of this report is to challenge some cloze reading instructional assumptions through: (1) reviewing cloze procedure instructional literature; (2) reporting a six-week study and practical cloze reading instructional experiences with elementary-grade pupils over the past eight years; and recording effects of using these pupils as informants to their instructional needs. (Cloze procedure is a word-deletion technique in which readers predict deleted words from the remaining context and their prior knowledge). The pupils act as informants by demonstrating that they do not need practice with cloze procedure exercises to develop cloze reading strategies. (Cloze reading strategies are incorporated when readers pretend that unfamiliar text is deleted and predict something which makes sense). These pupils further demonstrate that they do not need detailed directions for developing cloze reading strategies. These strategies motivate resourceful independent reading through putting learners in control of their reading. -- Strategy instruction, learning environment, and teacher education are three practical implications discussed. This report suggests the need for further research in: (1) cloze reading strategies without prior cloze procedure exercises; (2) cloze procedure studies which deal with comprehension; (3) cloze instruction in the context of all literacy learning; and (4) using learners as informants through ethnography. Through ethnographic procedures teachers and researchers can constantly examine and change instructional assumptions when necessary