Examines the differences in the effectiveness of whole language and traditional instruction in end-of-the-year reading, writing, and spelling achievement for children with varying levels of incoming phonemic awareness, reading, and writing ability. Finds that neither program was more likely to close gaps between children high or low in these…

Examined relationship between family literacy practices and mothers' beliefs about early reading instruction, and children's emergent literacy skills. Identified mothers with 'whole language' theories and mothers with phonics orientations. Found that mothers' implicit theories were associated with their modeling of literacy behaviors, helping…

Helping teachers to discover approaches and techniques that fit their teaching style and their teaching situation, this book presents as fairly, completely, and clearly as possible the major approaches and techniques of reading instruction that research and practice have indicated to be successful. Based on the idea that the best reading programs…

A study investigated the effects of the literature-based reading instruction on the reading achievement of Mexican-American first graders in Spanish. Using a posttest-only control group design and "t" test for independent samples, results indicated that after three months the experimental group of 30 students (attending a 100% Hispanic…

A cross-curricular comparison focused on learner interpretations of beginning reading and writing instruction in skills-based and whole language inner-city classrooms across kindergarten and first grade. Subjects, 48 low socioeconomic-status students in four classrooms in two midwestern cities, were observed during literacy instruction twice…

An action research project described a program for improving prerequisite reading skills. The targeted population included students in a special education kindergarten and an at-risk first grade from declining urban schools located in a medium sized Midwestern city; and students in an at-risk prekindergarten program from a nearby middle class…

This "Research" section contains three articles. "Pedagogy" discusses the need for explicit phonics instruction combined with whole language as the most effective way to teach beginning readers. "Practice" describes a first-grade whole language reading class which incorporates phonics. "Findings" reviews briefly three studies on mixed-age…

This book presents state-of-the-science research on the components of successful literacy learning and how to target them in contemporary classrooms. The volume builds on and extends the work of Steven Stahl, whose pioneering contributions encompassed the key areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and assessment.…

This review describes the types of adult literacy practices in current use and identifies those found to be particularly effective. The report is organized around the program areas of: (1) methods and materials; (2) testing and evaluation; (3) outreach and recruitment; (4) learner retention; and (5) program management. The review demonstrates the…

While a college degree is an important economic and social resource for graduating-age students, more and more students are entering colleges and universities without the basic skills necessary to achieve academic success, and a growing number are low-literate or limited English speaking. Community colleges have an important role in ensuring…

These four issues contain the following articles: "A Case Documentation of English Instruction at the Elementary School Level: The Cross-Cultural Impact of Native Speaker Teachers" (Hsien-Chin Liou) [written in Chinese]; "A Collaborative Tale with Two Taiwanese EFL College Groups" (Feng-Ming Chi); "A Developmental Study on…

This nontechnical guide for parents and teachers examines learning to read from infants' babbling to the fluent reading of children reading independently for pleasure. Chapter 1, "Baby Speaks," describes language development in infancy. Chapter 2, "Our Alphabet: Language by Ear and by Eye," presents the alphabetic system and…

Highlighting three exemplary schools, Steve Lacayo defines a good school as a visionary community of parents, teachers, and students. Afterschool programs, accessible technology, small classes, and improved teacher training are essential ingredients. Other articles discuss related issues: vouchers, standards, the phonics/whole-language debate,…

This book examines the basic principles of the cognitive psychology of literacy and explains how insights gained from that theory can inform and improve reading, spelling, and writing instruction aimed at adults. The following are among the topics discussed in the book's eight chapters: the principles of cognitive psychology (the nervous system,…

The guide provides adult literacy teachers with background information in adult learning and the performance-based approach to literacy education. The first section reviews theory and research on adult learning, including the factors affecting learning (language background, expectations, gender, learning styles and modes, age and health,…