No trend in education has been more exalted than "whole language," which has a following of teachers, researchers, and specialists who are almost fanatical in their observance of this teaching method. The debate is between two types of direct instruction: the "atomistic" approach encourages teachers to break down reading into…

This book focuses on what a quality reading program for children in kindergarten through third grade should look like and how parents can support that program at home. It includes a letter to parents and a list of tips for supporting reading. The guide encourages parents to focus on the five essential components of reading: Phonemic Awareness;…

Compares the phonetically regular orthography of Spanish with the phonetic inconsistencies of English. Reports on the role of phonics in six popular Spanish reading programs. Notes that the regularity of the Spanish language is compatible with the use of systematic phonics for reading instruction. (MM)

This article applies research findings to the teaching of phonics, and outlines four instructional steps: (1) introduce letter-sound correspondence in isolation, (2) teach students to blend sounds to read words, (3) provide immediate feedback on oral reading errors, and (4) provide extensive practice. (JDD)

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by parents and others about why they do not teach phonics in isolation, drill students on sight words, or expect word-perfect oral reading. Notes that teachers often need to explain and justify their expertise and teaching methods to individuals not familiar with the…

One of a series of educational packages designed for implementation either in a workshop atmosphere or through individual study, this Hot Topic guide presents a variety of materials to assist educators in designing and implementing classroom projects and activities centering on the topic of research about teaching reading. The Hot Topic guide…

This phonics outline is designed as a guide for parents, as a manual for teachers, and as a handbook for those who wish to improve their reading pronunciation skills. The purposes of the handbook are: (1) to show parents what a person needs to know to become a good reader; (2) to provide a convenient source of words that follow rules of phonics;…

New readers must be taught a variety of decoding skills to allow them to increase fluency and get on with the process of meaning making. Four of the most important strategies of decoding are: (1) using context clues; (2) developing a sight vocabulary of whole words; (3) analyzing the parts of words; and (4) attending to the letter-sound (phonics)…

This paper surveys methods for teaching reading and writing in kindergarten. The paper stresses the importance of accepting a child's own efforts, including invented spelling, and providing an atmosphere that encourages experimentation. Chapter 1 introduces the topic; chapter 2 provides a historical overview. The current state of the art is…

This publication deals with practical areas of early reading in instruction that may be of immediate use to practitioners. The first chapter offers a perspective on current theories of reading instruction, and subsequent chapters deal with topics that are often considered controversial among those who teach reading. Discussed are the learning…

This Getting Started guide contains material presented at a two-day Additional Literacy Support (ALS) training course in the summer of 1999. ALS is designed to help pupils in Key Stage 2 who have already fallen behind in literacy, but who would not otherwise receive any additional support in this area. Each module includes a practical, high…

Noting that parent involvement could be the single most important factor in children's success in school, this book helps parents act as tutors in reading and writing for their kindergarten children. It offers both general guidelines and specific strategies and activities to use for accomplishing specific objectives, such as improving decoding…

Reading achievement and instruction receive wide attention in the popular press. Ways in which principals can increase reading levels in their schools are offered here. The text emphasizes the fact that principals have the power to create a "school of readers"; it offers current research in reading instruction and shares eight components needed to…

This manual, intended for use by tutors working with adults learning to read, offers a consolidated resource of specific instructional techniques and provides additional suggestions not covered in basic tutoring workshops. The manual summarizes a variety of approaches commonly used to instruct adults and provides background for three modes of…

Intended to help educators explain an instructional program to parents, this document presents and discusses the following ten statements reflecting traditional views about teaching reading: (1) Reading is a simple, passive mental process. (2) An efficient reader pronounces every word in the passage. (3) When children come to an unfamiliar word,…