Discusses the results of research on the effect of readiness training for preschool youngsters. (RB)

Voices the plea that classroom teachers learn more about the learning process. (RB)

Reviews some of the research on the effectiveness of direct versus incidental instruction of beginning reading. (MKM)

Proposes a variant of the language experience approach in which teachers provide simple models of repetitive sentences about an interesting object. (FL)

Concludes that the development of the reading abilities of preschool children in Japan is mainly a responsibility of the parents. (RB)

Discusses the concept of "emergent literacy," contrasting this term with the concept of reading readiness. Proposes that a program of kindergarten instruction related to literacy should provide opportunities for children to interact successfully with print. (MM)

Suggests activities that can assist in learning how to develop hypotheses. (HOD)

Learning music can help children with reading readiness and beginning reading skills. (MKM)

Suggests that early identification should not focus on predicting which children will fail, but should concentrate on determining which skills children need in order to be successful in reading. (JM)

Explores the concept of emergent literacy, discussing what children know about reading and writing, how they come to know it, and what this information means for classroom practices and school policy. (MM)

Contends that improved visual screening techniques can identify gross visual problems, but reading professionals should be aware of their limitations. (FL)

Indicates that a relatively small percentage of the gifted preschool population actually starts to read before starting kindergarten. (Author)

Describes two strategies (Yes/No...Why? and It Reminds Me Of...) that provide young or poor readers with the prerequisite background knowledge for interpreting a passage. States that these strategies can be used with all types of reading materials and can also be used with nonreaders. (MG)