Intended to provide a publication outlet for systematic and substantive reviews and syntheses, both empirical and theoretical, and for integrative reports of programatic research, this volume focuses on what children learn when learning to read, and how this learning can be facilitated. The first chapter of the volume offers an analysis of writing…

These ideas and suggestions for teaching children of all ages the basic skills are for use by both parents and teachers. The first materials provided are information for parents regarding their role as teachers, providing experiences for children to learn, and encouraging children to think and respond. Activities are then suggested for teaching…

The purpose of this book is to provide parents with a variety of ideas for getting young children from infancy until the beginning reading stages involved with literature. An introductory section contains discussions of the literary needs of children and of how children develop a sense of literature, guidelines to use in determining literary…

A competency-based undergraduate reading methods course and a competency-based language arts methods course have been offered at Rhode Island College as part of the preservice training of prospective elementary teachers. In addition to these courses, the Right to Read staff has developed two student teaching centers. This two-year final report…

One way of countering illiteracy is to teach children to read before they enter elementary school, e.g., in nursery school or at home. The "right age" for learning to read is discussed; positive results of a project in France that taught nursery school children to read and write are examined. (RM)

This guide shows parents how to combine story reading, phonics, and writing to help their children develop into skilled and motivated readers. The guide discusses how to prepare children for reading success; how to use children's literature to promote learning and enjoyment; why combining book experiences and phonics is better than using either…

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

Explores the dilemmas and constraints faced by kindergarten teachers in trying to bridge home and school learning for the early reader. Suggests possible resolutions for teachers to meet the varied needs of kindergarten students. (MG)

Describes the Graphic Story Writer system, which was written to explore ways in which a computer can simulate the presence of an active listener for early readers and preliterate children as they explore story construction. An authoring tool that allows adults or more advanced students to create or edit new scenarios is also described. (Contains…

This thesis investigated the attitudes toward reading of elementary students in 3rd and 6th grade at a small, rural western Kansas school before and after implementing a read-aloud program. The sample consisted of 58 students--33 boys and 25 girls, including both the study group (n=30) and control group (n=28). Independent variables were…

This theme issue includes five articles that focus on educational, cognitive, and brain research with implications for early childhood educators, including those who work with limited-English-proficient, minority, and economically disadvantaged children. "Coming to Grips with Reading Instruction at the Early Grades" (Christie L. Goodman)…

The development of strong reading competencies in educationally at-risk preschoolers in the Early Childhood Day Care Center (University of Alabama) was established through intensive training with a synthetic phonics approach. Subjects' reading performance was assessed on the basis of criterion-referenced tests and standardized reading tests,…

The two complementary questions--"What does literature do to young readers?" and "Can literature be taught?"--are not easily answered. Youth should not employ literature as an exclusive guide to life since they will encounter numerous unrealistic situations. Instead, literature should entice them to deal vicariously with vivid, new experiences and…

Intended for literacy students who want to share the pleasure of reading with the children they love, this book describes 26 easy, inexpensive activities to expose children to reading. Each activity explains the type of activity, lists materials needed, and provides instructions or suggestions for extending the activity. A suggested book list…

Noting the increasing number of students who cannot read, this book shows parents, educators, caregivers, policymakers, and others how to promote the reading success of young children. It focuses on children from birth through the first 5 years of formal schooling, and includes practical guidelines, program descriptions, advice on resources, and…