Illustrations of authors' contextual clues to word meaning. (RD)

Indicated that early readers are more likely to be advanced in cognitive development than are nonearly-reading peers. After one year of formal reading instruction, early readers maintained their advantage in reading achievement. Measures of concrete operations were found to predict reading achievement for early and nonearly readers. (Author/DB)

Described is a preschool science activity in which students use shell collections. This activity demonstrates how language development and reading readiness skills are interrelated with science. Prereading and reading activities are described involving the students in direct interaction with the shell collection. (DS)

Mnemonic value of spellings in a paired-associate sound learning task was examined in first and second graders. Learning was fastest when correct spellings were seen or imagined. The preferred interpretation was that spellings are effective because they provide readers with orthographic images for symbolizing and storing sounds in memory.…

States that children with hyperlexia who learn to read spontaneously before age five are impaired in reading and listening comprehension but have word recognition skills well above their measured cognitive and linguistic abilities. Administers phonemic awareness measures to three early readers. Finds that all three children's phonemic awareness…

Word-search strategies were studied in a longitudinal design with 56 Swiss children from kindergarten through grade two. Results show clear developmental trends from logographic, to assembled alphabetic, to alphabetic/orthographic addressed strategies. Differences in progression through the phases were linked to reading and spelling. (SLD)

Calls for reforms in instructional practices and curricula control in literacy programs that disenfranchise five- and six-year-olds who have already served for months or years as active members of the literacy club. Illustrated by one child's early literacy and kindergarten experiences. (BB)

Investigates the development of word consciousness prior to first grade and the relationship between word consciousness and reading ability. Finds that word consciousness develops through gradual extension and refinement of concepts about and awareness of print, and that a strong relationship exists between word consciousness and beginning reading…

Examines current research concerning various instructional approaches for introducing print related concepts to preschool children. Discusses the nature of preschool literacy skills in light of research findings. Concludes that a whole language approach enhances initial print concepts and develops analytical reading related skills. (MM)

Investigates whether early reading comprehension is holistic or comprises different separate subskills. Finds that reading comprehension of early readers is holistic, closely related to general intelligence and verbal problem solving. (RS)

Study examined whether phonemic sensitivity is limited to alphabetically literate individuals. Children not exposed to reading instruction were given pairs of phonological sensitivity tasks. Novice readers scored higher in phonological sensitivity than nonreaders of equivalent letter knowledge, when controlled for verbal ability; among nonreaders,…

Administers three measures of phonological processing to Chinese first graders. Notes that earlier research indicates a strong relationship between children's phonological processing skills and early reading ability in alphabetic orthography. Finds that this relationship is not specific to reading an alphabetic orthography--the relationship…

Several multiple-probe-across-participants design studies were employed to evaluate the effectiveness of a supplemental tutoring intervention using "Read Well" (Sprick, Howard, and Fidanque, 1998-2000). In Year 1, we conducted two studies with 7 first-, second-, and third grade children (1 girl and 6 boys), who were classified as having…

Background: A fundamental issue for child psychology concerns the origins of individual differences in early reading development. Method: A measure of word recognition, the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE), was administered by telephone to a representative population sample of 3,909 same-sex and opposite-sex pairs of 7-year-old twins.…