Evaluates the effectiveness of two dissimilar programs, SAPA and the First Talking Alphabet (FTA), upon the acquisition of reading readiness skills of kindergarten pupils. Compares the effects of four different programs (SAPA, FTA, an informal language development program, and a control) on the reading readiness of kindergarten pupils. (GA)

Results of research reports can be interpreted to suit personal prejudices, say the authors, since many research studies are not carefully reported. (Authors/MB)

Preschool and kindergarten teachers can help young learners meet early literacy standards without sacrificing developmentally appropriate practice. Several professional associations have described appropriate expectations for children of different age levels known as milestones, developmental accomplishments, and benchmarks. (MLH)

A study was conducted to determine whether or not a child who is older when entering school performs better on reading readiness and achievement tests than a younger child. Two samples of second grade students from a middle class community in Bloomfield, New Jersey, were established by examining the ages of all the children in the cohort. Sample A…

An informal field study to design a system of beginning writing for the prefirst-grade child is presented in this paper, following a review of the literature. A series of questions are then raised regarding what letter form should be taught first, how letters should be grouped for instruction, and what verbal references should be used for…

One approach to preparing kindergarten children for beginning reading combines a meaningful print environment with active student involvement in the learning process. The environment of the classroom from the beginning exposes children to meaningful printed words and symbols. Children use name tags not only for identification but also as a way for…

THE RESULTS OF A FOLLOWUP INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PERSISTENCE OF LEFT-LATERAL TENDENCIES OF A GROUP OF CHILDREN WAS RELATED TO FIRST-GRADE READING PERFORMANCE ARE REPORTED. THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL INCLUDED 64 SUBJECTS. FORTY SUBJECTS REMAINED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH FIRST GRADE FOR THE FOLLOWUP…

Twenty-six articles and books, both pro and con kindergarten reading instruction, are selected to encourage objective consideration of the wisdom of early reading instruction, at least for some children. Research reports, descriptions of kindergarten programs, and studies of various aspects of readiness, ranging in date from 1937 through 1965, are…

The status of reading readiness practices in kindergarten and first grade was investigated in this study. A questionnaire based on reading readiness research was mailed to kindergarten and first grade teachers in randomly selected school buildings. Frequency of reading readiness practices utilized were tabulated and percentages determined. A…

The primary purpose of this study was to test the implication that perceptual-motor development training will increase school readiness at the kindergarten level. Sixty kindergarten children were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups and administered the following pretests: Stanford Early School Achievement Test, Boehm Test of Basic…

Effectiveness of the MECCA program (Make Every Child Capable of Achieving--in which a learning disabilities specialist collaborates with a classroom teacher using a task analysis approach) was examined with 14 kindergarten age children in four MECCA classes, 17 children in four referral classes, and 37 controls. (SBH)

A study of 107 kindergarten children was undertaken to compare the predictive efficiency of kindergarten teachers' ratings with reading readiness and reading achievement over a four-year period. (PHR)

Measures the relationship between developmental maturity and performance on a test of reading readiness. Finds no significant difference in performance between boys and girls or between older and younger children. Concludes that reading readiness is in large measure determined by the nature of the reading program. (RS)

Examined effectiveness and feasibility of phonological awareness training, with and without a beginning decoding component. Teachers were assigned randomly to three groups: control, phonological awareness training, and phonological awareness training with beginning decoding instruction and practice. Group differences were identified at the end of…

This study examined the relationship between age at school entry and reading readiness in kindergarten. Subjects included 30 kindergarten students selected randomly from a population of 56 students at a parochial school in a predominantly low socioeconomic status neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. All students were African American and ranged in…