Discusses briefly 6 professional books that discuss and illustrate skill instruction within a balanced approach to reading. Intends to help teachers think through and justify the professional decisions they make to support every student's development toward becoming a lifelong reader. (SR)

Discusses the importance of phonics instruction and the different types of phonics instruction. Notes that phonics instruction in these technological times means computers, and the Internet can be a valuable resource to teachers who wish to provide drill-and-practice opportunities, particularly for students who seem unmotivated to learn. Provides…

Considers and discusses different ways of teaching phonemic awareness. Suggests that 5 factors should be included to have an adequate background for informed decision making about phonemic awareness instruction. Describes 10 books, guidebooks and activity books with phonemic awareness or phonological awareness in their titles. (SG)

This topical bibliography and commentary provides an overview of current thinking on the role of phonics in reading instruction. It discusses the value of phonics, phonics and phonemic awareness, the need for explicit instruction, principles in phonics instruction, and recommended instructional procedures. It concludes that findings from research…

Provides 11 annotations from the ERIC database of recent reports and conference papers that address the relationship of phonics to beginning reading. (MG)

During the 1970s direct phonics instruction was the preferred method of reading instruction. In the 1980s the whole language concept caught on and phonics instruction was considered defunct. In the 1990s the pendulum, in the process of swinging back, was intercepted before it went to the extreme of "all phonics," by a balanced approach…

The annotated bibliography of all special education materials found in the Prescriptive Instruction Center of the Minneapolis (MN) public schools consists of approximately 700 items categorized under the following eight major subject areas: reading, phonics, spelling, math, perception, speech/language, readiness, and social awareness. Each major…

This Topical Bibliography and Commentary examines recent studies on phonological awareness, finding the evidence conclusive that teaching phonological awareness to young children greatly facilitates the reading process. Researchers have studied problems children experience in reading for many years. The focus of research during the 1990s has been…

This annotated bibliography of material from the ERIC database presents 87 annotations on the topic of the "whole" whole-language debate. Entries in the bibliography are grouped under the topics of philosophy and analysis; the struggle for a definition; comparative analyses of whole language versus traditional approaches; and application…

Notes that a major issue in literacy instruction today is whether commercial reading programs emphasizing phonemic awareness and phonics are more effective than teacher-designed programs that focus on literature-based reading and process writing with integrated skill instruction. Reviews two books that address this controversy. Presents seven…

This book addresses common questions to enable teachers to make informed decisions about the appropriateness of integrating phonological awareness activities into their language arts programs. The primary purpose is to call attention to recently published (mid to late 1990s) children's literature that can be used to foster children's…

The years when a young child's language skills are "exploding" are the years between three and five. What can make a dramatic difference in a child's life is if parents take a few minutes a day to read to him or her. Reading to a child helps him or her become a successful reader. The child develops a sense of phonics and learns that stories have a…

Listed are classroom resources--films and filmstrips, textbooks, multimedia kits, and cassettes--for language arts. Included in each resource listing are a description of the content emphasis, organization and/or instructional method, objectives, recommendations/evaluations and, in some cases, student evaluations. (KC)

Focusing on spelling as an integral part of the writing process, this annotated bibliography addresses the problem of developing individualized, focused, and relevant methods for teaching spelling to elementary students. The annotations are organized around two specific questions: What strategies do children use to spell words and what…

This 173-item annotated bibliography contains books on literacy primarily published in 1996 in the United Kingdom, although some books are included which were omitted from the guide for the previous year. In addition to an annotation, each entry provides author's name, full title, number of pages, place of publication and publisher, and ISBN…