An analysis of children's response patterns to Test 7B of the Standard Reading Tests, designed to test knowledge of consonantal blends at beginnings of words, suggests that the response patterns reflect spoken or written vocabulary rather than knowledge of phonic elements. (GT)

Focuses on four kinds of reading/writing actions which readers and writers need to perform and which are based on two actions necessary to phonic competence: the blending of sounds together (synthesis) and the splitting of a sound into its component parts (analysis). (JM)

Describes ten learning activities, contributed by a group of teachers, that deal with such areas as phonics; word attack and spelling skills; and powers of observation, listening, and recall. (GT)

Describes recent, major contributions to both sides of the debate between phonics instruction and the "meaning-based" approaches. Argues that it is too early to evaluate the debate, but that a tentative evaluation of the evidence favors meaning-based approaches. (RS)

Uses a dialogue format to examine the nature of the reading process, including the aspects of decoding, encoding, interpretation, and application. Includes British references. (VJ)