In recent years, the focus on reading instruction has turned to the primary grade levels. Debates over phonics, whole language, and balanced literacy approaches occur among researchers, educators, and parents. Using a balanced approach in the classroom has received the most support from teachers and researchers, according to five related articles…

This literature review examines the relationship between phonemic awareness and the ability to read. It addresses four main issues: (1) if phonemic awareness is a prerequisite for or a consequence of learning to read; (2) what is needed to teach phonemic awareness; (3) tasks or activities and assessment tools to develop phonemic awareness; and (4)…

This report describes a program for enhancing reading comprehension and vocabulary development through the use of multiple instructional strategies and technology. The targeted elementary population exhibits both poor reading comprehension and poor vocabulary acquisition and understanding, which interfere with academic achievement. Evidence for…

California Early Literacy Learning (CELL) and Extended Literacy Learning (ExLL) are professional development programs designed to help elementary teachers strengthen their teaching of reading and writing. Research-based teaching methodologies are organized into a framework for classroom instruction. CELL training (pre-K-Grade 3) emphasizes that…

Mercy College (Ohio) has expanded its services for at-risk students, due to the fact that many of these students are not functioning at college level in writing, math, and reading. The hope of attaining a college education among at-risk students is high, and it is important that they receive help in their areas of need. To help accomplish this…

This book seeks to help teachers discover approaches and techniques that fit their particular teaching styles and their teaching situations. The book's aim is to present as fairly, completely, and clearly as possible the major approaches and techniques that research and practice have indicated to be successful. The book also presents the theories…

In today's society, parents are often too busy to read with their children or perhaps cannot even read themselves. In response to these problems, the researcher would like to propose that audiobooks are a good alternative to parental reading. This project was designed to show the importance of reading to children. The use of audiobooks was a…

This 1996 technical report looks at California Early Literacy Learning (CELL), a staff development program designed to help elementary teachers strengthen their teaching of reading and writing. Reading Recovery and other research-based teaching methodologies have been organized into a framework for classroom instruction, and training in the…

This two-page lesson plan for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) uses a children's book ("Jip: His Story,"' by Katherine Paterson) to provide an integrated learning experience for students. The lesson plan includes a synopsis of the story and general suggestions for using the story in a basic skills class. It also…

This paper provides an overview of Helping One Student To Succeed (HOSTS), a language arts program that uses one-on-one mentoring to help low-achieving students improve reading and problem-solving skills. Goals of the program include improving academic achievement in reading; building student problem-solving skills; and improving student behavior,…

The Early Literacy Intervention Grant Program (ELIGP) supports training in Reading Recovery and provides grants for Other Early Literacy Interventions (OELI) in Indiana's elementary schools. This study examined the impact of funding on urban elementary schools, using surveys of funded and comparison schools in 1997-98, 1998-99, and 1999-2000. When…

Using literature in the classroom yields rewards. Literature for children is being recognized as increasingly important in children's literacy development. The ideas, resources, and activities offered in this collection of 43 articles published in "The Reading Teacher" from 1993 to 1999 provide strategies that are engaging and effective…

This issue focuses on the developmental path that children typically take when learning to read. The purpose is to help parents take steps to ensure that their children will make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn by the end of third grade. An introductory section includes two articles: "Parents, Children, and…

This pre-post quasi-experimental study was conducted in a public school 5th grade class to determine the effects of video-taped instruction in teaching analysis and pattern finding skills. Methodology included guidelines from Cognitive Behavior Modification, Suggestopedia, and Guilford's Structure of Intellect Model within the Kaufman and Kaufman…

Many people do not recognize reading development as a continuum, but the literacy needs of the adolescent reader are far different from those of primary-grade children. This position paper discusses some of those literacy needs and outlines seven principles supporting adolescents' literacy growth. Adolescents deserve: (1) access to a wide variety…