Mastering emergent reading requires applicable concepts and processes, which implies proficiency regarding the neurological executive function. Relevant neurological processes include attention, planning, initiation of activity, inhibition, working memory, shifting of attention, and mental flexibility. A training programme, incorporating concept…

Reading and writing are necessary prerequisites for a successful school career. Therefore it is important to identify precursor variables which predict these abilities early in order to identify children possibly at risk of developing reading or spelling difficulties. Relevant precursors include letter knowledge, phonological awareness (PA),…

Substantial research supports the need for early intervention efforts for students at risk for failure. Despite the empirically documented importance of early, explicit reading intervention for students who enter school without critical prereading skills, many kindergarten programs delay intensive reading instruction until later in the year.…

Describes and evaluates the Test of Awareness of Language Segments (TALS), discussing the test administration, scoring, interpretation, reliability, and validity. Recommends TALS for evaluating a child's readiness for reading instruction, and for suggesting appropriate instructional interventions. (MM)

Preschool children can learn to read in a way that is developmentally and culturally appropriate if they are presented with the necessary supports. Provocative activities, enrichment centers of excellence, and creating print-rich environments for young children are described. Includes a chart listing the critical elements of centers of…

Exposing young children to written language helps prepare them for reading. (RB)

A review of reading research supports the notion that providing opportunities for children to develop rich experiences prior to beginning reading is essential. Further, there are definite links between these experiences and the development of cognitive structures that provide the basics for comprehension. (HOD)

Reading readiness activities should lead to awareness and skills that will bring a child to a point on the reading acquisition continuum where he or she will be ready to benefit from more rigorous and formally structured activities in the classroom. Children's awareness of the following five aspects of language and literacy are helpful, if not…

Brief discussion of readiness experiences including listening, asking questions, viewing interesting things, and writing about class experiences. (BRT)

Suggests that knowledge of phonics before learning to read (which can be measured by a new inventory) is a good indicator of future success. (JM)

Nonverbal and verbal forms for various classroom activities are a large and important part of what children learn in school. This article focuses on the relationship between two aspects of group storyreading--the nonverbal "looking-like-readers" and the verbal "talking-like-readers." (CB)

Focusing on the Prereading Skills Program, this report furnishes the results and evaluations of a field test by fourteen teachers in ten Wisconsin and Illinois schools. A total of 23 kindergarten classes and 545 children were involved in the program, which teaches three visual skills and two sound skills related to the reading process and…

Expresses a joint statement of concerns about present practices in pre-first grade reading instruction and makes recommendations for improvement. Guidelines and recommendations are the result of a collaboration among six national organizations. (KS)

Suggests activities that can assist in learning how to develop hypotheses. (HOD)