This paper urges primary grade teachers to be certain that pupils are off to a good start in reading. A fundamental goal of beginning reading instruction should be to move each child toward the understanding that readers reconstruct texts by using multiple strategies to interpret the language encoded in print and, at the same time, to make it…

Based on the notion that children become literate by trying to read and write in a supportive atmosphere with interesting books, rather than being instructed in isolated language skills, this book offers teachers ideas for using children's literature and related activities as an alternative to basal readers to make learning language skills…