Provides opinions of five eminent educators on a variety of issues in literacy education including phonics, emergent literacy, reading and writing relationships, whole language, and defining literacy. (MG)

Discusses the use of predictable literature as a method of helping beginning or slower readers become more proficient readers. Offers a list of predictable literature and ideas for classroom activities to accompany each story and ways to record children's behavior as they read. (JC)

Noting that recommendations for integrating elementary reading and writing often fail to provide adequate specific suggestions, proposes seven instructional principles based upon research on the reading-writing relationship and suggests specific techniques for each principle. (NH)

Argues that teachers can take advantage of child-initiated explorations to develop beginning reading and writing skills. Offers specific recommendations and suggestions. (FL)

Argues that in language development, children display a sustained and conscious effort to learn (L) words and expressions, assimilate (A) the language system, and acquire fluency (F) in using it to communicate. Maintains the same is true in literacy development. (FL)

Reports that readiness tests given to children in bilingual villages in Papua New Guinea showed that children learning to read in an unfamiliar language were more confused than were children who had never had literacy instruction. (FL)

Reports on a study in which a seven-year-old girl was trained to focus on individual words in learning to read. (FL)

Reports that teaching educable mentally handicapped children to compare unknown words to words they already have in their sight vocabularies seems to improve their reading abilities. (FL)

Argues that using the themes and stories of humans' earliest heritage can enhance language and learning for children. (FL)

Describes a Missouri-based program, Parents as Teachers (PAT), in which professionals work with parents to develop literacy activities in the home. Discusses a new adaptation of the original PAT program, its observed effects, and implications for schools. (MG)

Presents ways to integrate reading and writing with art concepts. Describes how open-ended artistic expression can help children develop problem-solving, organizing, and internalizing skills while actively engaged in concrete experiences. (MG)

Presents the author's perspective on why children deserve the opportunity to learn to read using high quality literature as opposed to basal readers. Examines (1) examples of good books; (2) ways to find the books; (3) benefits of reading aloud; (4) and advantages of literature-based programs. (MG)

Reexamines what learning the alphabet means from the child's perspective. Draws from several case studies and other naturalistic examinations of young children as they learn to read and write to describe what young children learn about the alphabet. (MG)