A longitudinal study examined the relationship between the emergent literacy knowledge of preschool entrants and their subsequent reading performance, 5 years later. Subjects were selected randomly for the preliminary class lists of 6 separate preschools located in a mid-size midwestern city. Within the first 4 weeks of preschool, 8 informal…

A study examined the ways teachers and children in a preschool classroom enacted informal book-reading and other informal book-related events. Four key patterns in children's activities and teachers' curricular responses were identified: (1) children naturally selected their own "themes" for reading at the book center, and often these themes were…

Although varying in approach and emphasis, the articles in this yearbook serve the twin goals of creating a literate citizenry and nurturing the habit and tradition of reading. Following a foreword and an editorial, articles in the yearbook are: "Reading Assessment at the Statewide Level" (Peter Afflerbach); "The Road to Literacy:…

Intended for teachers, reading specialists, administrators, students in teacher education programs, and parents, this book contains descriptions of strategies for fostering emergent literacy and steps for carrying them out. An underlying theme is the merging of the art and the science of teaching. Chapters in the book begin with questions to focus…

The articles in this special journal issue focusing on children's literature were drawn from papers presented at the Conference on Children's Literature held in 1982 at The Ohio State University. The first section contains articles that address the question "What makes a good children's book?" The question is approached from a historical…

This book seeks to set the record straight about today's "reading wars," and analyzes the three major "battle cries" of whole language critics. In a step-by-step dissection, the book reiterates the three arguments, then explores the most salient studies that support or refute them. According to the book, the three claims are:…

Questions whether people during the past century had access to a range of reading materials and asks whether various groups of people acquired different levels of literacy skills. Concludes that the United States needs educational and cultural policies that will increase literacy skills while fostering the variety of materials read by citizens.…

Illustrates how a volunteer tutor "taught" one seven-year-old boy to enjoy reading through the use of stimulating books that matched the child's personal interests and through motivational activities. (BB)

Examines the contrasting interpretations of reading brought by young children of Bangladeshi origin and their teachers into school. The author questions the universal relevance of western school-oriented models on how reading is learned. Reading programs that are culturally responsive to the varied communities they serve must be designed. (49…

Examines the real-world literacy contexts in which children find themselves. Discusses research at multiple sites over five years looking at how teachers struggle day by day to work out how to acknowledge and build on the language and cultural diversity of the students in their schools. Explores and illustrates four distinct "constructions" of…

Uses the metaphor of the "literacy club" to illustrate the re-making of three fifth-grade readers. Describes three children in jeopardy of being excluded from the literacy club and the steps that they and their teachers took. Looks at how their teachers started where the students were, used a variety of assessment measures, and offered supportive…

Examines the discrepancies in engagement that arose when the teachers' instructional and the students' personal stances (regarding the intents and purposes of literacy) are misaligned during literacy events. Discusses the ways in which instructional and personal stances encourage and/or discourage engagement. Considers the opportunity to construct…

A study examined the reading behaviors of college students--in particular it asked why aliteracy occurs among college students. A survey designed to identify the aliterate population was administered to a psychology class of 40 students from a variety of majors, and included both genders, some ethnic variety (mostly Anglo), and a range of ages.…

The Victorian and Edwardian British cared deeply about what their children were reading. While some feared that unsuitable literature would ruin both the children of the nation and the nation itself, many viewed the power of reading as a key to boundless imaginative and intellectual opportunities. This book examines the role of child literacy in…

There are several reasons why Japan has one of the world's highest literacy rates. One reason is the nature of the Japanese written language, which employs a dual code of ideographs representing specific objects and a syllabary, in which each symbol represents a separate syllable. The syllable symbols are read consistently the same way, and…