The Effect of the Weekly Reader on Children'S Knowledge of Current Events

Analyses of data drawn from 2,331 urban and suburban elementary students ages 8 to 12 in Chicago, Houston, Boston, and San Francisco suggest that children who have higher reading levels and greater exposure to current events through communication media (television, newspapers, newsmagazines, discussions) have more knowledge and greater understanding of current events within classrooms, as measured by a 29-item current events knowledge test. Children in lower elementary classrooms (Grades 2 and 3) with the Weekly Reader periodical present appeared to have higher levels of current events knowledge, even after controlling for key classroom variables. The effect of the Weekly Reader is less for children in upper elementary classrooms (Grades 4 through 6) because they tend to receive more current events information from other communication materials.