In this practitioners' guide, a recognized reading expert explains how educators, parents, and concerned citizens can spot ineffective reading programs that may hide under the "scientifically-based" banner. Although the term "whole language" is not commonly used today, programs based on its premises remain popular. These…

Reviews the relationship between phonological awareness and early reading. Follow-up data from a group of 38 first-grade children who had low letter-sound knowledge in kindergarten found that those who received phonological awareness intervention in kindergarten performed better than their first-grade peers on word recognition and reading decoding…

Examines the history of California's reading program, reviewing its change to a literature-based approach and then back again to a phonetic- or skill-based one. Reviews key factors influencing California policy and speculates about the future of the state's reading program. (TB)

The increasing demand for improved student performance in the context of significant time constraints places considerable stress on educators and administrators to develop innovative strategies that promote literacy acquisition. This article describes the procedures and outlines the evaluative data for Reading Their Way, a literacy acquisition…

This review describes the types of adult literacy practices in current use and identifies those found to be particularly effective. The report is organized around the program areas of: (1) methods and materials; (2) testing and evaluation; (3) outreach and recruitment; (4) learner retention; and (5) program management. The review demonstrates the…