This book addresses the problems of reading and the teaching of reading in the United States, where 43% of children test below grade level in reading and 42 million adults are functionally illiterate. The book contends that both the whole language approach and phonics are not viable methods of teaching reading and explains why. It argues that the…

This article addresses two sets of organizing principles to guide prevention and intervention in beginning reading: (1) the complexity in our alphabetic writing system, and (2) the complexity in our schools. The first set is related to instructional design, while the second set is related to a schoolwide model. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)