This article reviews the literature on the importance of phonological awareness within the context of language/literacy learning and discusses the developmental continuum of phoneme awareness skills. Specific techniques are suggested to guide the speech-language pathologist in the assessment of phonological awareness skills. (Author/DB)

A 3-month pilot project was undertaken at the University of Texas to gain experience in administering the Cynthia Buchanan Language Program (Buchanan, 1967) and to test its effectiveness in making meaningful changes in the language development of disadvantaged Mexican-American preschoolers. A group of 114 Mexican-American children were chosen as…

The exposure of linguistically different black kindergarten children to a special literature program was undertaken to test its efficacy as a preventive approach to reading failure. There were 94 subjects (45 in an experimental group and 49 in a control group) in four schools located in lower income urban areas. The program demonstrated a…

Reading research in which different methods or materials have been compared has proven inconclusive. This paper is restricted to beginning reading, defined as the acquisition of letter-sound decoding ability, and raises the question: what skills are required by current tests? Available reading readiness and achievement tests consist of batteries…

Describes a study of early readers to determine the linguistic and social interactions in the homes of early readers that seemed to make a difference in their reading. (HTH)

Reports on naturalistic research studies revealing that children begin to learn to read and write long before they go to school. (JL)

Examines the relationship between syntactic maturity of oral language and reading achievement of first-grade students and compares this aspect of language competency to several traditional factors of reading readiness. (FL)

Describes a radio program offering suggestions to parents for getting their children off to a good start in reading that is broadcast over the American Forces Network in Europe. (TO)

CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN HAVE DIFFICULTY MASTERING BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS. WHILE UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN CAN COMMUNICATE AMONG THEMSELVES AT A RATHER HIGH LEVEL OF FLUENCY, THEIR ONE-WORD SENTENCES, STRANGE SPEAKING NOISES, AND IRREGULARITIES PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC READING READINESS SKILLS. A FUNDAMENTAL NECESSITY IN OVERCOMING…

The premise of this book is that most children are ready to learn to read at age four and that parents are capable of teaching their own children to read. Ways in which parents can and do aid in the development of a child's language are discussed. This development of oral language is very important to learning to read the language and is usually…

Emphasizes the value of reading to preschool children as a method of developing language skills and enhancing reading readiness. (MH)

Reflects on the possible factors that enabled the author's child to learn to read at the age of five. (MKM)

Discusses the relationship of cognitive development or thinking skills to language development and beginning reading. (MKM)