The single most important task facing elementary school teachers today is teaching students to read by the end of third grade. Learning to read in those formative years is essential to develop the higher order thinking skills demanded in the older grades, when students are reading to learn. Beginning readers must be engaged in highly purposeful…

The principal is the educational leader of the school and he or she needs to guide teachers in using quality learning opportunities for pupils to achieve objectives. The reading curriculum cuts across all curriculum areas and needs updating continuously to assist pupils to achieve as well as possible. In supervising reading instruction, there are…

Examines the history of California's reading program, reviewing its change to a literature-based approach and then back again to a phonetic- or skill-based one. Reviews key factors influencing California policy and speculates about the future of the state's reading program. (TB)

Describes the successful use of the beginning reading program called Sing, Spell, Read, and Write (SSRW) in Aberdeen (Mississippi) elementary schools. Using a whole language rather than basal reading approach and emphasizing phonics and total immersion, SSRW has been instrumental in dramatically improving achievement test scores and in combating…

Summarizes the latest issues and research on reading that are of particular interest to classroom teachers. Discusses phonics versus whole language, meeting individual student needs, matching teaching strategies to grade levels, the reading-writing link, and using technology to support instruction. (WRM)

Compared the longitudinal effects of phonics and whole-language instruction on kindergartners' reading and writing task performance over one year. Found that the whole-language group made more progress in reading and writing, and with more developmental coherence, than the phonics group. (JPB)

Analyzes five cases related to challenges to public school textbooks. Five different U.S. Courts of Appeal have considered the objections of parents to textbooks, and all five found for the defendant school districts. Reveals that what began as a grassroots parental movement evolved into a nationwide crusade that has embroiled communities. (129…

Describes the controversy over phonics versus whole-language reading instruction, and cites research concluding the necessity for combining the two methods to achieve comprehension. Gives examples of practitioner techniques of combining phonemics, phonics, and whole language in early reading instruction. Sidebars highlight key resource…

Presenting the viewpoint that teaching reading is not an "either/or" situation of phonics versus whole language, this book offers a comprehensive compilation of research and best practice on the specifics of skill development and how skills should be organized, taught, and integrated into the language arts program. The book helps…

A study examined two first-grade classrooms implementing the whole language approach and two utilizing the basal reading approach to determine the differences, if any, between the treatments. The hypothesis was that the whole language reading approach when combined with a phonics program would not result in higher test scores on a standardized…

Providing a context for discussion rather than an insider's point of view, this report discusses the current state of reading research. The report reviews differing visions of educational reform of reading instruction espoused by supporters of phonics and by supporters of the whole language approach. The report then proposes four criteria for use…

This document consists of the two issues published during 1997 of the newsletter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching's national special interest group (N-SIG) on foreign language literacy. The major articles in these two issues are: "How To Develop Reading-To-Do Skills in Engineering Education" (Esko Johnson); "Key…

A descriptive study used survey methodology to determine first-grade teachers' theoretical orientations toward reading and students' attitudes toward reading, as well as structured classroom observations to describe teachers' reading instructional practices. Subjects, 259 of the 428 first-grade teachers (61%) in 94 elementary schools of a large…

"Decodable text" devotees say phonics is scientifically superior to the whole-language approach, which supposedly lacks research validation. However, 60 years of research supports holistic, literature-based approaches to literacy. Whole-language instruction is further validated by research on independent reading, cooperative learning, Reading…

This article reviews the evidence for balanced literacy instruction in the elementary years. The case is made that the balanced instructional model is particularly appropriate and beneficial for students who have initial difficulties in learning to read and write. Key features of successful reading instruction programs are described. (Contains…