Reading teachers and specialists have a difficult task in determining which components need to be emphasized in a quality reading program. Vital goals need to be achieved, experiences and activities must capture learner interest, and sequence in learning and organization of subject matter must guide student integration of knowledge. The scope of…

Reading instruction is on the verge of a shift to a new paradigm that will be based on a new understanding of cognitive processes and will include five important tenets: (1) the best way to promote the emergence of reading behavior is to use interesting story books; (2) the primary cause of reading problems is too much instruction, too much…

Young learners need a quality program for developing reading skills which is both sequential and holistic--sequential because there is an appropriate order to some skills, holistic because skills need to be incorporated in context. Word recognition techniques are thus integrated with ideas gleaned from reading. The learner should use acquired…

Discusses the major components, weaknesses, and strengths of three types of reading programs: the basal reading approach, the language experience approach, and the individualized reading approach. (FL)

Cites articles and research suggesting that the ability to learn to read is inherent within any normal child and recommends that teachers use strategies and materials relevant to the child rather than a prestructured reading program. (MM)