This pamphlet deals with the principle of systematizing traditional orthography (TO) to produce initial teaching media and the application of that principle in Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.). Part 1 discusses: three causes of failure in literacy, the need for systematizing TO for the better learning of literacy, TO research with infants,…

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…

A series of lessons designed to explain what the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) is and to prepare prospective teachers of i.t.a. materials and methods as thoroughly as possible is presented. The eight lessons of the course, for each of which a separate booklet is provided, include the following: (1) The difficulties of traditional orthography…

AFTER A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE USE OF THIS READER AND A SUMMARY OF THE PASHTO LANGUAGE, THE AUTHOR PRESENTS 25 UNITS OF READING SELECTIONS AND CORRELATED EXERCISES. A TYPICAL LESSON CONSISTS OF--(1) A SHORT PASHTO TEXT IN TYPEWRITTEN ARABIC-PERSIAN FORM, (2) A ROMANIZED TRANSCRIPTION OF THIS TEXT INDICATING PRONUNCIATION, (3) A GLOSSARY OF NEW…

Discusses what studies of i.t.a. throughout the past eleven years have revealed for teachers and researchers in the field of reading. (TO)

From among the papers the author has presented at various conferences and the articles she has written for different journals, nine were selected to form this book. They are all concerned with beginning reading, and each forms a chapter of the book. Chapter one, "Approaches to Beginning Reading in Great Britain," discusses background…

This guide will help teach phonemic awareness to Pre K-3 students. It presents phonemic awareness as a sophisticated branch of phonological awareness through interactive activities that allows the student to succeed in learning the sounds represented by the letters of the alphabet. The book is designed to provide easy-to-follow suggestions for:…

Teachers, principals, and other administrators who are considering the adoption of i.t.a. for language arts in the primary grades need objective information about its advantages and its disadvantages. The purpose of this paper is to provide a list of the disadvantages which may be inherent in the adoption of i.t.a. The disadvantages of i.t.a. may…

The conclusions and recommendations drawn from a 7-year study of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i/t/a) made by the Reading Research Unit of London University are reported. The British research showed conclusively that traditional orthography (TO) is a major handicap for teachers and students of reading. Students taught with i/t/a made…

This pamphlet discusses some beginning approaches and technological approaches to reading instruction, and the relationship between children's language and reading. The first section looks at several approaches to reading instruction: "The Language Experience Approach,""The Initial Teaching Alphabet,""Linguistic Approaches to Reading,""Programed…

This publication is designed to acquaint reading teachers with various approaches and media in beginning reading instruction. The nine broadly based innovative aspects considered are Using Language Experiences, Individualizing Beginning Reading, Using Color, Applying the Linguistics of Sounds in Words, Using i.t.a. in the United States, Using…

A status report on the use of the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) is presented by the i.t.a. Foundation, an independent, non-profit organization which conducts and supports i.t.a. programs and research. In reviewing the 70 studies which compare i.t.a. programs to traditional orthography (T.O.) programs, it has been found that two-thirds of the…