Reviews ERIC materials dealing with relative and absolute definitions of literacy. (FL)

Offers seven annotations of books and journal articles (published between 1992 and 1994) from the ERIC database on the topic of language and literacy in upper elementary grades. (SR)

Discussing the evolving conception of literacy, this digest provides a current review of material in the ERIC database on the multiplicities of literacies. The digest includes sections on the broadening scope of literacy, acquisition of literacies, defining literacy, and expanding the domain of literacy. (RS)

Summarizes 3 documents and 12 journal articles that discuss programs and classroom efforts in which older students tutor younger children. The programs address literacy and academic subjects including reading, writing, science, and math. (BC)

Examines the progress libraries have made in establishing literacy programs and looks at the efforts of several specific library systems. (FL)

This digest is intended to help parents support young children's literacy learning. It begins with definitions of literacy and then follows with suggestions for parent involvement in children's early literacy development, based on recommendations from the National Reading Panel. It also lists 23 additional resources (organizations, books,…

Statistics on the literacy skills of America's children reveal that approximately 40% of students across the nation cannot read at a basic level. And for low-income students, the figure is even worse. In response to this situation, a number of efforts are underway--spearheaded by federal and state policymakers and a number of independent…

This book presents a debate between "reasonable" educators who either claim that there is evidence for the effectiveness of whole language, or who challenge the claim that whole language works across the broad spectrum of learners. The book presents the debate in the form of formal debate resolutions, opening "statements,"…

Some of the major reading and writing practices currently in use in adult English-as-a-Second-Language programs are described in this digest. Reading activities for such learners are similar to those used in adult basic education classes. At the beginning level, students dictate stories to the teacher or give an oral account of an experience.…

This ERIC/RCS Special Collection contains 10 or more Digests (brief syntheses of the research on a specific topic in contemporary education) and FAST Bibs (Focused Access to Selected Topics--annotated bibliographies with selected entries from the ERIC database), providing up-to-date information in an accessible format. The collection focuses on…

A state of the art report on the development of native and second language reading skills in nonnative English speakers begins with a review of the reading process and the relationship of language to the reading process. The second chapter reviews various levels of language and relates them to reading and learning to read a first and second…

Discusses materials in the ERIC system that deal with the concept of scaffolding, building on children's natural language, and ways teachers have translated the concept into instructional strategies. (HTH)

This volume of measurement instruments in the English language arts is the second one produced by the Research Instruments Project (TRIP), which was designed to collect and evaluate research instruments in language arts, language and language development, literacy, literature, oral language, reading, teacher knowledge/attitudes, and writing. The…

This paper presents six chapters that describe how statewide reading assessment is currently being performed and how the data are being used. The validity of statewide reading assessment instruments and the appropriate uses of statewide reading assessment data are explored. Several chapters discuss new ways in which some states conduct reading…

Focusing on future directions for English and reading research, the papers presented in this book examine the complex interplay of skills, processes, and classroom conditions that influence the development of children's competence in reading, writing, and the language arts. The titles and authors of the essays are as follows: (1) "Reading and…