Describes the Said Web, an instructional strategy that encourages students to examine clusters of words and the words' linkages to one another so that vocabulary study does not occur as lists of isolated words, but rather as meaningful groups. Outlines eight instructional steps for the Said Web, which can be used with young children and modified…

Presents the personal history of Donald D. Durrell, whose research and teaching marked several generations of reading education research and practice, focusing on: early family history; the William B. Durrell family; high school education and early teaching; university education; career; related activities; marriage and family; and the…

Addresses why seemingly normal students sometimes fail to learn to read. Suggests five reasons for this dilemma. Reports the results of applying to the author's theory a principle first espoused by William of Ockham some 700 years ago. Supports the notion that this theory is robust enough to explain both the successful and unsuccessful learning of…

Discusses four areas of reading instruction that the author (a retired distinguished educator) believes have been neglected or misunderstood: Sylvia Ashton-Warner's Key Vocabulary, the Alphabetic Principle, transmogrification of spoken to written language, and individualized reading. (SR)

Discusses the literacy development of both deaf and hearing children. Offers techniques to attempt in the classroom, including a Reader's Workshop, and specific ideas about teachers as facilitators. (RS)

Describes enhancing stories with elementary school students through the use of musical sound. Discusses getting started, the story, creating stories with musical sound, and the role of the music specialist. (SR)

Describes a strategy reading tutors can use with elementary school children to help bring their attention to the targeted skill in their reading instruction, done by demonstrating to the child the reading behavior that is intended for instruction. Shows how the child then can articulate the purpose of the skill and the rationale for learning it.…

Article develops a rationale for early literacy intervention, reviews the major implications of converging evidence in early literacy and reading acquisition, and proposes mechanisms to enhance early literacy development through the strategic and timely linkage of assessment and intervention. Presents major areas of convergence research regarding…

Presents annotations of 16 nonfiction children's literature books (published in 2000 or 2001). Considers how to meet the needs of the children who are seeking quality nonfiction. Gives certain criterion for selecting nonfiction for children such as: the qualifications of the author, the scope and purpose of the book, and the information accuracy.…

Presents a nonfiction sampler of 10 favorite titles of the 1990s with descriptions of features that make them distinguished examples of the genre. Notes that the comments about the 10 picks focus on several exemplary characteristics of content, access features, and visual information. Concludes that deciding which nonfiction books to share with…

In December of 2006 and again in February of 2007, fifty Literacy Professors representing almost every college and university in Michigan met in a collegial forum to discuss and advocate for all students involved in reading instruction/education. This advocacy spans students from prekindergarten through college undergraduates and graduates. The…

An observational study of reading instruction was conducted in general education, resource, and self-contained classrooms, grades 1-4, in public schools. Participants included students who were deaf or hard of hearing and their reading teachers. Results indicated that time engaged in reading and/or academically responding varied significantly by…

US government mandates to implement intensive phonics instruction in elementary classrooms invoke an alleged scientific superiority of this approach over more meaning-centered models. But curiously absent from this scientific enterprise is a study of the phonics system itself. Advocates of intensive phonics have not demonstrated that the commonly…

Reading is a skill--learning how the alphabet works by using it. Learning how to do it involves practice in building letters into words. As the decoding process is practiced, phonics moves into long-term storage. Building the skill of reading has the same 4 aspects as developing other skills: (1) the beginner uses the motion of his vocal organs to…

Suggests methods for improving blending skills and includes a review of the research on blending. (RB)