While it is appreciated that research on many of the details of early language learning is still required, one of the main themes of this paper is that solutions to the major problems of beginning reading are already known. In general, there has been a sufficiency of research, and what is now needed is action to implement the results already…

The Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.), devised by Sir James Pitman as a simplified alphabet for beginning readers, consists of 44 characters plus a set of rules for standard spellings of English words using these characters. The characters and rules are designed to ensure easy transition from i.t.a. to traditional orthography (T.O.). In September…

Second-grade pupils who were taught reading in the first grade with the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) were compared with pupils who were taught reading with traditional orthography (TO). Seventy students from two schools in Moline, Illinois, were divided into a control group (using TO) and an experimental group (using i.t.a.) and were matched…

Alphabet names that don't correspond to their sounds can throw beginning readers off the track. This reading specialists renames some of the letters and teaches them to kids. (Editor)

A discussion of the computer-assisted instruction program in initial reading at Stanford University. The program consists of eight parts or strands that help the students learn the alphabet, a sight-word vocabulary of 700 words, spelling patterns within words, phonetic structures and comprehension of semantic categories and sentences. (Author)

Reported was a study of the effectiveness of a 40 week reading program using the Initial Teaching Alphabet with 10 male students (8 to 12 years of age) who exhibited auditory perceptual disturbances. (GW)

Briefly defines nine distinct methods of teaching reading and summarizes how teachers use reading materials. (AEA)

Phonics teaches learners how to match the letters of the alphabet to the speech sounds they already know. At age five, children who are ready to learn to read have a vocabulary of some 5,000 words and understand far more than that when they hear them. The problem is that there are 44 sounds in English and only 26 letters in the alphabet. Phonics…

Confirms that i.t.a. can be an effective tool with which to teach beginning reading of English to Mexican-American children. (RB)