Numerous reviews of the experimental research conclude that phonics is indispensable in word recognition instruction. However, there have been numerous objections to phonics teaching over the years. Some of the intolerance of phonics teaching reflects a lack of knowledge about the subject. Critics suggest that phonics hinders children's learning…

A study examined the achievement scores of second graders by race and sex on several measures of language competence. Achievement was measured in paradigmatic language, reading comprehension, sight vocabulary and listening comprehension. Subjects were 157 second graders in a large elementary school in a rural county in Georgia; one-third of the…

Most word learning studies conducted over the past decade have shown that methods of word instruction that emphasize the graphic or phonic features of words presented alone (word alone method) affect learning rate more positively than do methods that emphasize meaning through oral, written, and pictorial cues (context methods). To compare the…

The debate between the whole language approach and the word-centered skills approach to beginning reading instruction is likely to continue into the next decade, so it seems crucial that educators at all levels understand thoroughly the views held by the participants. Advocates of the whole language approach believe effective readers see meaning…

To discover the truth about the extent of children's reading vocabularies, a project was undertaken at the Falk Laboratory School, University of Pittsburgh, to determine how many words first, second, and third grade children could recognize in print. A team of graduate students tabulated the words appearing in commonly used basal materials and in…

The capability of the very young child to learn selected reading skills and the effectiveness of the television medium to present such skills were investigated. Television as the facilitator of such an instructional program was viewed as appropriate because of its ability to reach so many children, especially the disadvantaged. Ninety children who…

Reports on a study that investigated whether computer-assisted instruction is as effective and efficient as teacher-only instruction in helping children with severe learning difficulties master a basic sight vocabulary. Concludes that children can significantly improve their sight vocabulary with minimal daily individual instruction and that the…

Describes the use of close-captioned television to motivate high school remedial readers, who must read the captions in order to understand the story. (ARH)

A comparison of the self-selected reading words of a group of preschool children to the words in the first reading books of four widely used basal reading series reveals that the children's self-selected words are more imagery-loaded than the words in the readers. (FL)

Among 157 rural second graders, girls' scores exceeded boys' and Whites' scores exceeded Blacks' in four language competence areas (listening comprehension, paradigmatic language, sight vocabulary, reading achievement). While White girls scored higher than White boys except in the paradigmatic language measure, Black children scored almost…

An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the effects of two interventions using different intertrial intervals on sight-word mastery rates among three elementary students with behavioral disorders and learning deficits. Results found both interventions to be equally effective in increasing sight-word reading accuracy.…

The Dyslexia Training Program, a remedial reading program derived from Orton-Gillingham methods, embodies principles of structured phonetic instruction, drill and repetition, and multisensory methodology. Following the two-year program, dyslexic students (N=22) demonstrated significantly higher reading recognition and comprehension than a control…

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)