We suggest that a healthy literacy diet for beginning readers consists of literacy experiences along a number of dimensions, including experiences with decodable text. As such, this article explores the role of decodable texts in a comprehensive early literacy curriculum that recognizes literacy as a complex, culturally mediated, and multifaceted…

Close Reading is a strategy that can be used when reading challenging text. This strategy requires teachers to provide scaffolding, and create opportunities for think-alouds and rereading of text in order to help students become active readers who focus on finding text-based support for their answers. In addition, teachers must also be aware of…

"Teach Like a Champion" offers effective teaching techniques to help teachers, especially those in their first few years, become champions in the classroom. These powerful techniques are concrete, specific, and are easy to put into action the very next day. Training activities at the end of each chapter help the reader further their…

This book guides parents and children in developing strategies to figure out words. The first chapter, Skills for Identifying Words, presents general strategies for making sense of words, and for using the eyes and ears to identify words. The first chapter also offers listening and visual exercises. The second chapter, Using Phonics To Identify…

Shows how conceptions of literacy in reading have changed and what sorts of instruction best suit each conception. Identifies four conceptions of literacy: (1) decoding, (2) structural comprehension, (3) elaborative comprehension, and (4) critical thinking, and argues that each is best allied with a certain form of instruction. (FL)

The basic purpose of Project DELTA (Developing Excellence in Literacy Teaching Abilities) was to design, implement, and evaluate an inservice professional development model to enhance literacy teaching abilities, thereby effecting substantial impact on children's reading-language achievement. Five instructional strands were developed: (1) oral and…

This scope and sequence chart was developed in South Carolina to aid adult literacy tutors. The chart is divided into four strands that represent the major components of reading: phonics; comprehension/critical thinking; communication; and life skills. Each strand is divided into skill areas that were considered to be major areas of need for adult…