Outlines the most important 20th century developments in reading instruction for young children, analyzing why an approach was tried, and presenting results of these instructional efforts. It is concluded that the current perspective that seems to meet the needs of most children is that of emergent literacy. (SLD)

William S. Gray, Professor of Education and Dean of the College of Education at the University of Chicago, began work in 1929 on a major revision of the "Elson Readers," a popular basal series published by Scott, Foresman and Company. Organized around the daily life of two ordinary children, the "Dick and Jane" readers…

This Manual provides the foundation for a reading and spelling course which avoids use of the phonic method. Instead of teaching the word as a whole and afterward subjecting it to phonic analysis, this Synthetic Method takes the sounds of the letters for the starting point, and with these sounds lay a foundation firm and broad, upon which is built…

This book, published in 1941, is a collection of articles that emphasize the value of teaching the "tool" or basic skills: reading, elementary mathematics, language arts, "and their subdivisions." The book emphasizes the value of using the environment and experiences of rural children in teaching these subjects. Chapter 1…

Focusing on how textbooks and ideology influence and reflect literacy instruction, this book examines literacy as defined in the public elementary schools of British Columbia, Canada. Chapters include: (1) "Approaches to the Study of Literacy and Curriculum"; (2) "The Text in Historical Context: The Debate over Schooling and…

The need for a first grade curriculum based upon the work of the modern kindergarten has been frequently expressed, and the curriculum here presented is an effort to meet that need. It follows the Kindergarten Curriculum which was published as a bureau of Education bulletin in 1919 and is organized on the same general principle and the same plan.…

This manuscript on instruction in English shows the changes that have come over this subject during the past 40 years particularly, describes the condition in which it now is, and makes suggestions for further study. It finds a good deal of uncertainty in the matter of formal study of grammar. Emphasis varies. Some courses of study enumerate 45…

This bulletin is concerned with how children learn to read. It describes as simply as possible the teacher's part in the reading experiences children have, and the ways parents can help in making the learning-to-read years of the child's life both happy and successful. Learning to read is not limited to the first grade. During each year a child…

Gives a history of the whole language movement. Looks at the early use of the term "whole language." Explores influences from philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and education on development of whole language. Discusses influences from early educational movements in the U.S., England, and New Zealand. (Author/BB)

This book, appropriate for secondary students, includes brief biographies of 21 Native Americans of the 20th century. The biographies focus on childhood experiences, cultural heritage, and career goals. The book is divided into four units that feature Native Americans with successful careers in the fields of literature and drama; fine arts and…

This paper describes the recent policy history of reading education, its place on the public policy agenda, and the research that relates reading policy to reading instruction. Part I of the paper provides a brief recent history of federal education policy, which aims to ensure equity. Part II revisits compensatory education and describes systemic…

This book is designed for advanced classes of adults learning English as a second language. The first section uses maps and texts to show the historical background of some important English dialects. A brief look at Canadian French is included. The second section deals with the origins of words, focussing on the tremendous influence of French on…

One of the most difficult problems of modern school practice is how to prevent overcrowding the curriculum, breaking up the school day into small fragments of time devoted to disconnected tasks, and dissipating the energies of the children to such an extent that the process of education is hindered rather than helped by the attempts to enrich and…

Published originally in 1952, the bulletin "How Children Learn to Read" was the first in a series designed to illustrate the philosophy and principles set forth in The Place of Subjects in the Curriculum, Bulletin 1949, No. 12. It was planned to describe as simply as possible, especially for inexperienced teachers and for parents, the process of…

This bulletin is based upon a conference on beginning reading instruction which brought together professional leaders in the field of reading and related disciplines. Their purpose was to report on research and to review a variety of practices on primary reading. Keynoting the conference, one of America's foremost reading authorities gives a…