Examines arguments favoring direct teaching of reading vocabulary and those favoring extensive reading to develop vocabulary, concluding that direct vocabulary instruction is still appropriate. (HTH)

The criteria of 75 percent utility for phonetic rules to be used in reading instruction may be based on faulty logic. Once children achieve approximate pronunciation by applying phonetic rules, they usually can infer proper pronunciation. This supports teaching children to find and pronounce little words in larger unknown words. (MCK)