Criticism of Stephen Karshen's June 2002 "Kappan" article "Whole Language and the Great Plummet of 1987-92: An Urban Legend from California." Argues that Karshen's analysis of the California Achievement Program reading scores is wrong. (PKP)

Responds to Richard Innes's criticism of his June 2002 "Kappan" article. (PKP)

Although learning to read well is essential for future success, many children are neither proficient nor avid readers. There is no single "right" approach to reading instruction; teachers should abandon the phonics/whole-language debate and adapt strategies to children's preferred reading styles. Principals should model reading behavior…

Argues that California's low fourth-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress reading scores between 1987 and 1992 were not related to the whole-language approach to reading instruction introduced in 1987. Suggests that low scores are caused by limited student access to books in school and public libraries. (Contains 36 references.) (PKP)

This digest investigates seven of the most prevalent and damaging myths about literacy in the United States. In response to various claims about American elementary and secondary students' test score declines in reading achievement, the author interprets data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the International…