DATA SECURED FROM SECOND GRADERS INVOLVED IN A COMPARISON OF THE USE OF THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET (ITA) AND OF TRADITIONAL ORTHOGRAPHY WHILE IN THE FIRST GRADE ARE REPORTED. IN THE SECOND GRADE, 132 EXPERIMENTAL PUPILS TAUGHT BY ITA AND 123 CONTROL PUPILS TAUGHT WITH TRADITIONAL ORTHOGRAPHY WERE AVAILABLE FOR STUDY. A COMPARISON WAS MADE BY…

This Italian alphabet book designed for kindergarten and first grade students presents each letter in upper and lower case form accompanied by an illustration and a single sentence caption. The sentence contains two or more words that begin with the letter in question. The book has a teacher's introduction and is illustrated by pen-and-ink…

This booklet, one of a series of teacher aids exploring the practical aspects of teaching, provides guidelines and techniques for encouraging spelling accuracy. Encoding English, the Initial Teaching Alphabet, understanding spelling, and the spellings of English sounds are discussed. Strategies for improving spelling include the use of wordlists,…

Teaching beginning reading using the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) was experimented with in a project which had the dual purpose of (1) providing educators with the opportunity to observe the use of i.t.a., and (2) determining the effectiveness of i.t.a. with Mexican American bilingual children. Twenty i.t.a. demonstration classes…

A handbook and teachers guide to phonics and the initial teaching alphabet (ITA) is given. The use of phonics to teach reading is described with the appropriate rules and steps. The principals of ITA and several practice lessons on using ITA are supplied. (WH)

The purpose of this project was to test the effectiveness of i.t.a. in teaching reading to first grade students in the Portland Public Schools. Some of the elements of the experimental design included the following: one experimental--i.t.a.--and one control--traditional orthography (TO)--class was formed in each of ten schools; teachers and…

A two year pilot project studied difficulties of kindergarten-primary children learning to read via materials printed in the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA) who, because of immaturity, late development, low ability, or inability to speak English, were expected to experience reading difficulty. Of 39 children in the first year of the study, 20 used…

THE NECESSITY OF KEEPING AN EXPERIMENTAL, OPEN-MINDED OUTLOOK TOWARD FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET (ITA) IS STRESSED. A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESEARCH HAS LED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE TRADITIONAL ORTHOGRAPHY OF ENGLISH IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF DIFFICULTY IN TEACHING AS WELL AS IN LEARNING READING AND WRITING IN…

Lists advantages of using the initial teaching alphabet for language learning. (RK)

Discusses a comparative study of three approaches used to minimize reading difficulties: words in color, the initial teaching alphabet, and the Lippincott Basic Reading Program. (SW)

Suggests that the initial teaching alphabet has been demonstrated to be an effective tool in teaching reading to bilingual students and to students with reading and cognitive disabilities. (TJ)

Discusses the hazards that the English language contains for children learning to read, reports the Bullock Report's recommendation to judge I.T.A. on its merits, and describes research findings suggesting that the probability of reading failure is considerably greater when T.O. is used than when I.T.A. is used. (GT)

To investigate the effect of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA) on spelling proficiency, a study was devised whereby seventh grade students who had been taught reading in the first and second grade using ITA were compared with students who had been taught in the traditional manner. Each group of students was tested on the spelling sections of two…