Two experiments aimed at extending the principles of paired-associates learning transfer to the acquisition of reading skills are reported. Approximately 15 first graders were randomly assigned to each of the 10 treatment conditions. In the first experiment, four types of letter training were compared to two control conditions. The experimental…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO COMPARE THE FOLLOWING APPROACHES TO TEACHING FIRST GRADE READING (1) A TRADITIONAL BASAL READER, (2) BASAL READER PLUS INTENSIVE PHONICS INSTRUCTION, AND (3) THE LATTER TWO METHODS PLUS SENSORY EXPERIENCES. THESE THREE APPROACHES WERE TRIED FOR 140 SCHOOL DAYS (1 YEAR), USING 28 FIRST-GRADE CLASSES. THEY WERE…

A child's ability to read is at the very foundation of his or her learning in school and plays a significant role in scholastic success. Although no one literacy model can ever represent the range of diverse learners in our schools, Cunningham, Hall, and Defee's literacy model known as Four-Block attempts to meet the needs of as many learners as…

"Between the Lions" is an award-winning PBS television series based on a comprehensive literacy curriculum that combines phonics and whole language. This guide has been created to help first grade teachers use "Between the Lions" in their classrooms to enhance their reading lessons. The guide is filled with engaging activities,…

Author calls for well-controlled, longitudinal studies of several issues needing further investigation in beginning reading. (MB)

Reviews the materials, techniques, and some of the schools involved in the phonics-based Alpha One reading program. (MB)

Reports on an investigation of the effects of teaching first grade children two sets of six words by phonics and sight word methods in three instructional conditions with either a selection or production response. (MKM)

Results of two experiments involving kindergarten and first grade students indicate that oral blending of dictated sounds into consonant-vowel-consonant words was markedly and significantly better when no pauses intervened between sounds than when pauses of one or three seconds intervened. Interactions between pause interval and word familiarity…

A study examined the effects on 80 first graders' reading achievement when direct instructional phonics is incorporated as a supplement to a whole language approach. Two first-grade classrooms used the Houghton-Mifflin Integrated Literature Program, and two other classrooms supplemented the program with direct phonics instruction. Subjects…

A study examined the position of phonics instruction or direct skill instruction within the context of a whole language, meaning-based approach to reading instruction. A total of 22 first-grade students participated--12 students received instruction in phonics while 10 followed a meaning based curriculum. All were administered a phonics test and a…

A year-long study examined how phonics or whole word instruction affected first graders' progress in reading and spelling words. Subjects, 80 Houston, Texas students of average reading and intellectual abilities from three classrooms receiving phonics instruction and three classrooms receiving whole word instruction, were administered a phonemic…

Based on research supported by U.S. Office of Education Contract No. OEC-5-10-154.

A study investigated whether the workbooks used in the first grades of the Rahway, New Jersey, public schools provided adequate practice in the skills listed in that school district's reading skills array. The four workbooks analyzed were (1) "Phonics We Use: Book A," (2) "The Phonics Workbook: Book A," (3) "Programmed Reading Activities for Books…

The purposes of this study were to determine (1) if it is possible to predict which children will develop word recognition deficits based on levels of articulation proficiency and auditory discrimination ability; (2) the effect of two different instructional approaches for beginning reading, phonics, and whole-word approach; and (3) if first grade…