This study investigated the effects of the "Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention" (ERI) on growth rates in the early literacy skills of urban at-risk kindergarten students. Students participated in one of three groups: treatment-intensive/ strategic, treatment-benchmark, and nontreatment-benchmark. Treatment group students received…

"Let's Begin with the Letter People"[R] is an early education curriculum that uses thematic units to develop children's language and literacy skills. A major focus is phonological awareness, including rhyming, word play, alliteration, and segmentation. Children are encouraged to learn as individuals, in small groups, and in a whole-class…

This study examined the long-term growth of reading skills following 1 year of supplemental 1st-grade code-oriented intervention provided by paraeducators. A group of 79 1st graders with reading skills averaging in the lowest quartile received explicit alphabetic and decoding instruction and were assessed postintervention and at 1-year intervals…

Among risk factors associated with reading difficulties, poverty and underdeveloped oral language skills can be particularly detrimental to reading success. The City Early Reading First (CERF) project implemented a comprehensive curriculum, professional development, intensive mentoring, and home supports to enhance children's language, literacy,…

Describes how to select and implement the right technology for an early childhood literacy program. (PKP)

Attempts to develop a comprehensive analysis of the specific requirements of the early reading task and to identify related competencies. (RB)

Briefly describes the New Approach Method Pre-Reading and Reading program and defends the early reading education of preschool children. (ED)

Argues that although Feitelson, Tehori, and Levinberg-Green raise important questions about early education in general and early reading instruction in particular, one major question remains to be answered: What sort of programs should group settings for young children provide? (MP)

Finds that children come to preschool with some knowledge of print but do not achieve mastery until the second or third grade. Finds a significant gender effect, but different patterns of that effect for each of the concepts about print task. (RS)

The purpose of this article was to illuminate for early childhood teacher practitioners how guided reading, as a research-based approach to reading instruction, could address the challenges of early reading instruction. The early years are the focus for the prevention of reading difficulties and research conducted over the past two decades has…

Outlines environmental factors associated with early reading, and describes an environmental framework which is conducive to learning to read. (CM)

This article reports some of the findings of a study involving 11 New Zealand 4-year-old precocious readers (Margrain, 2005). The children, aged between 4:01 and 4:10, had reading ages three to nine years above their chronological age. Assessment of precocious reading abilities is discussed, including how assessment findings are influenced by the…

By observing children who learn to read by themselves, teachers may learn some important aspects of beginning reading. (JM)