This study utilized early reading assessment data from a randomized trial of 210 urban and rural schools in Texas to examine contextual effects on risk prediction in first and second grade. The primary objective was to examine the roles of (a) individual differences, (b) the grade 1 classroom, and (c) the pairing of first and second grade teachers…

This paper presents results of Year 2 of an Early Reading First project in a low-income, primarily African American community. Goals of Early Reading First include preparing at-risk preschoolers for school success. This project provided professional development, classroom coaching, books, and materials in support of a literacy-focused preschool…

This study investigated the effects of a supplemental early reading intervention program on the phonemic awareness and alphabetic principle skills of students identified as at risk for reading failure. Seven kindergarten students and one first-grade student received 20 min of supplemental reading instruction 3 days a week for 16, 12, and 8 weeks.…

Structured interviews with 128 poor readers and nonreaders probed subjects' early reading experiences and attitudes about those experiences. Topics covered include subjects' perception of personal reading ability, family environment, and school experience. Findings indicate poor self-images result from bad reading experiences, including reading…

An interview with David Olson concerning his current research on the relation between the oral conversational language of preschool children and the formalized language of written texts. (RAE)

Investigates how preschool children gain understanding about the functions of print in order to determine if there are trends in children's processing of print functions that can be identified and used to gain insight into the process. (FL)

Anthropomorphism as a cue in word learning was investigated in relation to illustration and no-picture cue conditions in trials to criterion and word memory tasks with kindergarten children. Results are discussed. (Author/DF)

Examines five apparent axioms concerning the teaching of reading to ascertain if they are in reality axiomatic. (TO)

Explains how children's imaginations develop. (SW)

Children who are reading well as they enter first grade usually have extensive vocabularies and good retention. Teachers should assess the students' various levels of reading ability (word recognition and comprehension) to plan a program with differentiated methods. (CL)

Describes several techniques that enable parents to prepare their preschool children for the actual process of learning how to read that they will encounter when they enter school. (FL)

Outlines environmental factors associated with early reading, and describes an environmental framework which is conducive to learning to read. (CM)

Discusses five studies of early reading which suggest that oral language does not necessarily have to precede reading and that if both are learned at the same time they enrich the child's total language base. (DD)

Finds that the home literacy environments of European American and African American families did not differ as strongly as those of middle-income and low-income families, with many low-income parents (regardless of race) placing relatively more emphasis on structured activities and on ostensible component skills in literacy. (SR)

Compared neuropsychological functioning and home environment of early readers (N=21) to control nonreaders (N=21) by administering a neuropyschological test battery to children and a brief questionnaire to parents. Found early readers demonstrated superior functioning only on one left frontal measure and on right hemisphere measures. Only…