In fall of 2019, the EdWeek Research Center set out to gain a clearer sense of nationwide teacher and teacher education perceptions and practices by sending out two surveys about topics related to early reading instruction, especially as it related to phonics. One survey was taken by 674 K-2 and elementary special education teachers who indicated…

The author attempts to develop a theory of learning to account for complex human learning using early reading as an example. (HMD)

Chapters of this book on diagnostic-prescriptive reading instruction examine such topics as defining reading, language and reading, reading comprehension, assessing student progress and needs, visual and auditory discrimination and perception, visual memory of words, decoding word symbols, primary reading, creating interest in reading, critical…

Chapters in this volume discuss the problems that teachers, parents, and librarians face in encouraging elementary school children to read and suggest ways to improve student motivation and reading ability in this age of mass media. "Sparking the Fuse for Literacy" defines the complex term "literacy," and examines the effects of the media on…

This paper suggests that by emphasizing word identification skills and oral reading and by using limited reading materials, teachers have neglected reading for meaning. Following a review of current instructional practices, the paper explains how understanding writing depends on the world experience, language knowledge, and processing strategies…

A status report on the use of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) is presented by the i.t.a. Foundation, an independent, non-profit organization which conducts and supports i.t.a. programs and research. In reviewing the 70 studies which compare i.t.a. programs to traditional orthography (T.O.) programs, it has been found that two-thirds of the…

Data on beginning reading practices in 23 countries are presented in this report. Each entry provides information about the age at which children are introduced to reading; the methods, materials, and classroom organization used in the primary reading classes; and the involvement of parents and family in beginning reading activities. Selected…

Provides guidelines for using action (pop-up) books of rhymes and tales to help children develop prereading skills and a sense of story structure. (AEW)

Examines the nature of power over literacy (such as knowledge of print conventions, and experiences of participation in reading and writing activities) which children often possess when they begin school. Discusses ways in which teachers sometimes interfere with this power and how they can, instead, enhance it. (MM)

The 33 articles published in this conference report represent the wide range of topics covered at the conference. Entries are organized under the following six headings: Comprehension: the reason for reading; the role of reading in personal development; language and cultural variables and reading; instructional programs and procedures; reading in…