Compares British and Finnish reading instruction in the primary grades. (RB)

Reviews research findings that suggest the importance of systematic phonics instruction in beginning reading. Cites arguments against phonics teaching and indicates that they appear unsupportable since they are incompatible with research findings and since they make unwarrantedly negative accusations about the kind of teaching that must be used in…

Finds no relationship between young children's ability to attend to text and to nominate a greater number of purposes for learning to read. (FL)

Considers some research evidence, and extracts from it strategies and techniques that could profitably be used in the classroom. (HOD)

Concludes that the sight method of teaching reading is discredited by recent research findings. (RB)

Urges primary school teachers to avoid assuming that simply providing a reading environment will enable all children to understand the reading process, and to be aware of young children with reading or language difficulties early in their school years. Argues that no one method of reading instruction will work for all children. (RS)

Attempts to justify the place of real books in the beginning reading curriculum, and to suggest teaching strategies for the development of a multi-cue approach to reading. (RS)

Suggests 10 classroom-tested activities that improve reading comprehension. (DF)

Explores the approach to reading which emphasizes reading within a total language context and concludes that teacher training should stress awareness of the child's general language situation and should discourage reliance on word-skill material. (JM)

Describes a reading program for disadvantaged students that utilizes the child's background and experiences and language in beginning reading instruction. (TO)

Examines the following: the history and current status of the assessment of prereading skills or reading readiness in the United States, recent research findings with implications for readiness testing, future directions for prereading measures, and classroom implications of prereading assessment research. (GT)

Describes recent, major contributions to both sides of the debate between phonics instruction and the "meaning-based" approaches. Argues that it is too early to evaluate the debate, but that a tentative evaluation of the evidence favors meaning-based approaches. (RS)

Suggests that bilingual children, because of their sensitivity to contexts for using their two languages, are likely to have a heightened awareness of the possible range of contexts for literacy and the range of communicative functions which written messages may convey. Also argues for an apporach to early literacy that acknowledges the importance…