Considers the relationship between decoding and sight-word reading. Investigates whether to use the whole-word method or to build decoding skills before introducing sight words. Sets up five goals to address these issues. Concludes that sight-word reading instruction is likely to be successful if decoding skills are firmly established first. (SC)

As part of a larger effort to develop a test battery for diagnosing difficulties with various word recognition subskills among mainstreamed students in grades 2 through 5, four experiments were conducted to compare the abilities of good and poor readers to read a frequency-graduated series of irregularly spelled words first in isolation and then…

Individual interviews and a series of ten tests were used to investigate the order in which children acquire reading concepts and demonstrate reading skills. Each of 44 first grade and 22 kindergarten students was tested and interviewed three times during the 1977-78 school year, and their responses were sorted and tabulated to determine whether…

Over 100 simple, easy-to-make activities for building specific reading skills in six areas, readiness, sight word knowledge, phonetic analysis, structural analysis, comprehension, and critical reading, are presented for the elementary teacher to use as tools in individualizing reading instruction. Each game activity has been tested and complete…

Described is the language experience approach to reading used in grades K-8 of a small city school system. Largely concept-centered, the program allows the students to work individually or in small groups, insuring a wide variety of learning activities. Constructed without the use of commercially prepared materials, the program encourages students…

Reports a case study of the reading and spelling processes of a developmentally disabled child indicating that there was almost a complete lack of alphabetic functions, that reading appeared to be based on a "logographic lexicon," and that spelling was based on a letter sequence generator. (RS)

Reports that teaching educable mentally handicapped children to compare unknown words to words they already have in their sight vocabularies seems to improve their reading abilities. (FL)

Describes two word-recognition activities and a cross-age tutoring program that have proven successful in developing poor readers' sight vocabulary. (MKM)

Investigates the use of closed captioned television to improve the sight vocabulary of adults receiving literacy instruction. Finds that students' sight vocabulary increased significantly and that student attitudes to closed captioned television were extremely positive. (RS)

Group and individual informal reading inventories have brought about considerable improvement over standardized reading tests in the placement of students at their proper reading levels. Parents and school administrators want more individualization, however, so a comparatively effective, but quicker, test is needed. A combination of "cloze"…

Examines the word-reading strategies of a sample of second- and third-grade students in normal classrooms, focusing on the students' relative reliance on decoding versus sight-word associations. Suggests that lack of efficient decoding skills will begin to take a toll on reading comprehension by grade 3. (SR)

This practical guide to teaching reading offers activities to teach reading readiness and mathematics. It also discusses the reasons for reading to children, teaching phonics, and using the basal reader. The section on reading readiness focuses on the importance of such skills, and specific reading readiness skills such as visual discrimination,…

This teacher's manual is designed to help teachers organize primary level reading instruction according to the particular skill being taught and to integrate lessons from several different sources. Skills are suggested for instruction, and directions and examples are given to aid the teacher in selecting lessons from different reading program…

Investigates differences in performance on a task involving judgments of word-likeness between a group of reading-disabled children and normal readers matched to them either in reading level or age. Shows that although the knowledge of orthographic structure of reading-disabled children matches that of younger normal readers, reading-disabled…

Presents a summary of the deliberations of a primary school teacher concerning her use of an "apprenticeship approach" to beginning reading instruction. States that it is the teacher's role to use a child's pleasure in a book as a key to the development of reading skills. (RS)