Traces the history of reading instruction in the United States, discussing books about teaching reading which exerted great influence in their respective eras. Discusses the "First-Grade Studies" (begun in 1964), a cooperative effort to analyze study results on teaching reading. (PA)

Compiles data from 27 studies comprising the Cooperative Research Program in First-Grade Reading Instruction. Reveals ability to recognize letters of the alphabet prior to beginning reading instruction was the best predictor of first-grade reading achievement. Indicates various nonbasal programs tended to be superior as measured by word…