Concludes that intensive phonics teaching produces greater beginning reading achievement than do reading programs that deemphasize phonics teaching. (FL)

Presents research and opinion on the pros and cons of teaching phonics in the middle school. (SJL)

A phonics advocate maintains that claims for results with the method called "assisted reading" or sentence reading are higher than can be expected. (MKM)

Discusses the pros and cons of phonics for spelling. (MP)

States that in the 1970s, sight words existed in a "topsy-turvy world" in which the variety of definitions was confusing. Suggests that readers recognize sight words as single, holistic units without segmenting and attending to letters one at a time, and without sounding out and blending letters sequentially. Explains the connection…

Concludes that monosyllabic words are easier for beginning readers to read than are polysyllabic words and that children just learning to read should be taught phonics skills with monosyllabic words. (RB)

Reviews research findings that suggest the importance of systematic phonics instruction in beginning reading. Cites arguments against phonics teaching and indicates that they appear unsupportable since they are incompatible with research findings and since they make unwarrantedly negative accusations about the kind of teaching that must be used in…

A review of research which concludes that there is no cause and effect relationship between speech errors and spelling errors, that there is a relationship between Black English and certain spelling errors, and that there is conflicting evidence on the use of intensive phonics in spelling programs. (DD)

Questions the usefulness of lists of the most frequently used words in reading instruction, and recommends that teachers develop good phonics skills in young pupils and that teachers adopt the psycholinguistic approach to reading. (JM)

This monograph reviews discussions of the nature of syllables, in order to determine the usefulness of the syllable as a tool in teaching children to read and spell. The review found that the nature of the syllable remains controversial; there are at least four different definitions in the contemporary literature. The sharpest disagreements seem…

Reports the findings of a survey of the prevalence of negative beliefs about the usefulness of phonics among directors of university reading clinics. (JM)

a rehash of the "Great Debate" between Jeanne Chall and the proponents of basal readers for teaching beginner's reading. (NH)