Reading fluency is the ability to read orally with speed and efficiency, including word recognition, decoding, and comprehension (Chard & Pikulski, 2005). Able readers achieve fluency as they recognize words with speed and build upon them to aid in comprehension (Pumfrey & Elliott, 1990). One way to help students achieve fluency is through the use…

This article presents four Idea-Sparkers that were submitted by Jason McKinney, a graduate student at Southern Mississippi University and a 1st-grade teacher at Pisgah Elementary in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. First is entitled, "Raceway in the Classroom." This activity can help increase children's fluency and ability to identify numerous…

Two programs that may be used for instruction of handicapped or remedial students in sight word recognition--the EDMARK Reading Program and the Essential Sight Words Program--are reviewed and compared in terms of words taught, program design, and potential usefulness. (CL)

To succeed at reading, children must be able to identify or "read" printed words and understand the story or text composed of those words. For many children, increasing reading and school success will involve increasing oral language competence in the elementary years. Lack of appropriate vocabulary knowledge can result in academic failure. (SM)

Presents three examples of how basal reading programs miss opportunities to build word and world knowledge: lack of focus on systematically building essential knowledge and vocabulary during teacher read-alouds and discussions aimed at building background knowledge; wasting time by including too many lessons on formal reading comprehension skills;…

Joanne, a seven year-old Down's syndrome child, participated as a student in a first-grade peer tutoring program to improve sight word recognition. (Author)

Most struggling readers, including those with reading disabilities, have difficulties recognizing printed words. This unique, lucidly written book synthesizes the research on how children learn to read words skillfully and translates it into step-by-step strategies for the classroom. The author demonstrates how to plan and implement a coordinated…

Constructivism refers to a collection of educational practices that are student-focused, meaning-based, process-oriented, interactive, and responsive to student personal interests and needs. In contrast, instructionism refers to a collection of educational practices that are teacher-focused, skill-based, product-oriented, non-interactive, and…

This investigation examined the effectiveness of a computer program in teaching sight word recognition to four young children with developmental disabilities. The intervention program was developed through a formative evaluation process. It embedded a constant-time-delay procedure and involved sounds, video, text, and animations. Dependent…

Suggests a methodology, based on the highly successful model of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) literacy training, for teaching non-Latin alphabets such as Arabic. A holistic communication approach, presenting the alphabet as a key to learning the target language, helps learners to assimilate vocabulary more rapidly. (CB)

This guide begins with a story about the parents of twin kindergartners. The story models ways in which the parents of Mike and Chris help them learn to read, such as reading the newspaper together with them and asking them questions about the books they are reading. Included is another short story parents can read with their child, and a list of…

One of the programs included in "Effective Reading Programs....," is this program begun in 1969 which uses a language experience approach during the first three years of the children's education, kindergarten through second grade. The primary objective is to develop an initial sight vocabulary and word recognition skills in each child by…

Describes four global areas (children's literature, thematic approach, language experience, and interactive computer software programs) in which meaningful context is used to increase poor readers' sight and expanding reading vocabularies. Describes teaching procedures for each of the areas that help poor readers choose the types of context that…

Parents are the child's first and most important teacher. This booklet begins with a story about the parent of a first grade reader. The parent in the story models methods which a real life parent could employ to help a child learn to read such as finding words that begin with the first letter of a child's name, or taking turns with the child…

CD-ROM storybooks can support the development of the five essential elements of reading instruction identified by The National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Specific features inherent in these texts, audio pronunciation of text, embedded vocabulary definitions and animated graphics can be used…