Describes a supplemental pull-out program that helped struggling first graders become independent readers who could participate more successfully in their classrooms. Describes in detail how small groups of children were taught using a 30-minute "literacy group" format offering a fast-paced, tightly structured, and well-balanced instructional…

Responds to an article ("On Balanced Reading") in the December 1998/January 1999 issue of this journal. Argues for a closer look and more evidence before committing to "balanced" models of literacy education. Discusses criticisms of Reading Recovery programs. (SR)

Argues that flashcards can help beginning and struggling readers to identify high-frequency, irregularly spelled words. Describes various ways flashcards can be used to help make a poor reader a better reader. Argues that the key to success is to use flashcards sensibly, in small doses, for fun, and with pizzazz. (SR)

Describes a reading program designed to help slow readers bridge the summer gap between the first and second grade. (RB)

Discusses how teachers can foster the development of self-monitoring and searching behaviors in beginning readers. Describes reading strategies and cues that tend to be used rather automatically. Discusses two types of processing strategies (monitoring and searching) and observing cues used for self-monitoring. Describes how to foster…

Replies to an article in this issue that responded to an earlier article ("On Balanced Reading") by this author. Argues that Welna's unbalanced coverage of research and critique is the very fuel that continues the Reading Wars. Argues that a study of past and present research can lead the profession to common ground. (SR)

Argues that extra encouragement stimulates a positive self-concept among students who encounter reading difficulties and describes one student's success. (RB)

Offers an alternative to round-robin oral reading that uses paired, choral, imitative, and mumble reading. (FL)

Highlights the teacher's critical role in spelling instruction and provides examples of how to support spelling development in classrooms. Argues that educators need to look closely at children's emerging capacities as writers, focusing especially on the issue of invented spelling, and its use and misuse in classroom practices. (SG)

Reviews a number of beginning reading materials that can be used in improving children's reading skills in a variety of content areas. (FL)

Argues that the singing-reading connective helps children learn to read and fosters a love for reading. Discusses integrating music with reading and notes various activities designed to extend the singing-reading experience, involving book concepts, sight vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency. (SR)

Presents a case study in which one 9-year-old nonreader of English at a private school made progress in a 6-month remedial reading program. Describes strategies that may help other primary school teachers of English as a second language. Describes the process of instruction and highlights the implications of the findings. (SG)

Describes ERIC documents pertaining to the role of parents in preparing their children to read and the ways in which they can help shape and strengthen a school's reading program. (FL)

Reports that techniques that enhanced the quality and quantity of parents' communication with the school were found to improve children's short-term reading performance. (Author/FL)

Describes a set of activities and materials using Language Master machines, combined with more traditional listening-while-reading procedures that helped emergent readers grow rapidly in reading ability and motivation to read. (SR)