In a test-driven educational environment, teachers see a great need for more engaging resources that produce the literacy results needed for students to thrive academically. In 2015, The National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that only 36% of fourth graders scored at or above the Proficient level of reading. This statistic was…

Beginning readers and struggling readers need explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics (Adams, 2008; Ehri,1992, 1998; Ehri, Nunes, Willows, Schuster, & Yaghoub-Zadeh, 2001; Gaskins et al., 1997; Moats, 2004; Morris, 2015; National Reading Panel, 2000; Reutzel, 2015). Ehri and McCormick's (2008) phases of word learning…

The present study used two letter detection tasks, the classic missing letter effect paradigm and a single word versus familiar word compound version of this paradigm, to study bottom-up and top-down processes involved in reading in normally achieving as compared to low achieving elementary school readers. The research participants were children…

Argues that proponents of the sight method must reevaluate some of their advice to teachers in light of recent research. (RB)

Concludes that the sight method of teaching reading is discredited by recent research findings. (RB)

Shows two major handicaps in the anti-phonics movement which suggest that the future of the movement is doubtful: (1) the demonstrable weakness in both the theory and method of anti-phonics; (2) the increasing confidence that publishes and editors of widely used basal readers are placing in phonics. (BF/JH)

Suggests a variation on the language experience approach designed for groups of nonverbal children. (MKM)

Reports on an investigation of the effects of teaching first grade children two sets of six words by phonics and sight word methods in three instructional conditions with either a selection or production response. (MKM)

First graders were taught to read words either in printed sentence contexts or printed singly on flash cards. Post-test scores indicated that context-trained children learned more about the semantic identities of printed words, while flash card-trained children could read the words faster and learned more about orthographic forms. (JMB)

For journal availability, see EC 092 078. Described are specific suggestions for organizing sight words to be learned by educable mentally retarded pupils. (CL)

Experiments investigated the learning effects of two strategies (whole-word and segmented feedback) in beginning readers. Results from both experiments indicate whole-word sound feedback is more helpful than segmented feedback. (SM)

The use of Single Concept Cards and Single Concept Card Sentences is presented as a means of helping poor readers or nonreaders improve word recognition. An overview describes the cards, and strategies are offered for teaching the first word or sentence, teaching subsequent words or sentences, and providing reinforcement. (JDD)

Criticizes the 'Look and Say' method of teaching reading, asserting that it assumes that most children will learn to read by themselves, that it leaves out those children who need to be taught to read, that it can actually teach a child not to concentrate, that it teaches memory, and that it helps the child to accept his disability. (Author/JM)