The growing number of students whose primary language does not match the language of their schools and a steadily growing performance gap has prompted widespread attention to support emergent literacy gains for those students. This study randomly assigned schools in a Southwestern U.S. state with English language learners (ELLs) in kindergarten…

The paper reports the results of a randomised control trial investigating the use of computer-aided instruction (CAI) for practising phonological awareness skills with beginning readers. Two intervention groups followed the same phonological awareness programme: one group undertook practice exercises using a computer and the other group undertook…

Presents evidence of learning outcomes in reading from the use of software incorporating two very different styles of learning, structured sub-skills tutoring (using an Integrated Learning System) versus free reading (using a talking book), but which both heavily exploit multimedia presentation. Shows that current debates about whole-word versus…

Describes a study of third- and sixth-grade students indicating no differences in comprehension between story reading on a page and on a computer screen, and that students were more interested in the story while reading from the screen, but that the story was more difficult in this condition. (HTH)