In analyzing the issue of the extent to which speaking a nonstandard dialect of English affects a child's ability to learn to read, this paper reviews linguistic and reading research from the 1960s to the present and notes how that research has changed and developed. Based on this research, the paper argues that (1) there is no direct causal…

Intended to help dispel several unsupported "myths" about reading instruction, this book analyzes a selected group of teaching practices that have been supported by reading experts but not by research findings. The "myths" discussed in the first 12 chapters of the book are as follows: (1) phonics hinders comprehension; (2) unpredictable spelling…

The reflections and theses on preschool children's literacy development presented in this book are the result of an experimental project carried out in Buenos Aires from 1974 to 1976. Chapter 1 discusses the educational situation in Latin America, traditional methods of reading instruction, contemporary psycholinguistics, the pertinence of…

The Australian term "fair dinkum" (meaning genuine, true, or real) in the title emphasizes the book's intention of providing thoughts and reflections on how to enhance the art and science of English teaching. Focusing on literacy, the book deals with action research or teaching theories that may suggest other strategies and further field…

As part of a continuing series, this book contains 21 papers, the titles of which reflect the authors' attention to the theme of the conference (the nature of reading behavior and the central role of meaning in the broad definition of reading). Titles include the following topics: (1) reading as one part of language; (2) how home life affects…

Intended for reading specialists and adult education teachers, this paper assesses the current state of adult basic skills, the general education degree, and English as a second language teaching. The first part of the paper consists of a series of tables representing demographics of participants in adult education programs. The second part…

Designed to create a foundation for collaboration between research on teaching and research on reading, this critical review of teacher effectiveness first provides a historical perspective as a means for creating a "common ground" between the two fields. Teacher effectiveness findings are then presented in two major categories. The first examines…

The literature on research and development of programs relevant to the area of compensatory education is reviewed and summarized in this report, which was designed to provide information for the state of Florida in planning compensatory programs. The review is divided into four sections concerning administration and organization, home/school…

Examines questions typically asked about the effectiveness of computer-based reading instruction, suggesting that these questions must be refined to provide meaningful insight into the issues involved. Describes several critical problems with existing research and presents overviews of research on the effects of computer-based instruction on…

Examines the nature of scientific discussion and places the problem of scientific literacy within the broad context of critical analytic reading skills. (FL)

This paper provides an overview of Reading One-to-One, a structured paraprofessional tutorial program designed to improve the performance of at-risk students in grades K-8, particularly low-income, minority, and second-language learners. The program builds on some elements of Reading Recovery and Success For All. The curriculum combines explicit…

Reading is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought. Reading consists of two related processes, word recognition and comprehension. Learning to read is an important educational goal. Research has shown that there is a great deal of transfer from learning to read in one language to learning to read in a second language. This…

Presents the 1998 position statement regarding early literacy development formulated by the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Outlines issues and reviews research. Offers a set of principles and recommendations for teaching practices and public policy. Includes a continuum of…

Nineteen studies of the use of reciprocal teaching to help students improve their comprehension of texts are reviewed. The studies are grouped according to the type of instructional approach used, the type of student involved, and the type of outcome measure used. Two main approaches are identified: (1) reciprocal teaching only, in which the…

This monograph reviews the literature on intervention for potential dropouts at the secondary school level in order to determine factors responsible for students being at risk and to provide information on a variety of projects and programs that are effectively alleviating the number of such students who fail to complete their education. The…