Presents results of a cross-sectional study of a sample of Year 2 children in reading. Finds an improvement in the attainment level of children in 1992 compared to 1991. Concludes that there is a need to view apparently rising standards in England, as measured solely by the Standard Assessment Task results, with a degree of caution. (PA)

A total of 125 7-year-old students who were poor readers were assigned to 1 of 4 experimental teaching conditions: reading with phonology, reading alone, phonology alone, or a control. Although the phonology alone group showed the most improvement on phonological tasks, the reading with phonology group made the most progress in reading…