In this article, I (a) overview the ebbs and flows of two beginning reading approaches (code-emphasis and balanced instruction) used in U.S. schools from 1950 to the present; (b) compare and contrast the two instructional approaches; and (c) suggest some simple assessment procedures that can be used to measure student learning. In closing, I…

This study examines the narratives of a "reading crisis" surrounding early literacy instruction in Victoria, Australia, by analysing newspaper editorials from The Age newspaper, amid the ongoing "reading wars" and debates over approaches to teaching reading, particularly between synthetic phonics and balanced literacy. Using…

Recent research has demonstrated that self-correction is particularly important for beginning and struggling readers; readers who self-correct more make progress more quickly. The authors describe findings from that research, outline how self-correcting behavior might vary, and provide suggestions for how students' self-corrections can inform…

Reading can be a way to increase students' social interaction and writing, especially for the need to continue to a higher level of education. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show deficits in reading skills. Recent research shows that there is heterogeneity in this population, which is accompanied by a lack of personalized learning…

Background: Despite evidence that synthetic phonics teaching has increased reading attainments, a sizable minority of children struggle to acquire phonics skills and teachers lack clear principles for deciding what types of "additional" support are most beneficial. Synthetic phonics teaches children to read using a decoding strategy to…

Unlock the power of personalized reading with practical strategies and easy-to-use ideas to engage students in the digital age. In the first edition of this book, the authors identified ways for working with four different types of readers--struggling readers, reluctant readers, English learners, and advanced readers--using technology to…

This study compared the efficacy of the Headsprout© Early Reading (HER) program with SENCO-delivered supplementary literacy instruction. Participants were primary school children (aged 6-9) in receipt of free school meals and supplementary literacy instruction. Data were collected within their school setting. The treatment group received HER…

Structured Literacy (SL) approaches are often recommended for students with dyslexia and other poor decoders (e.g., International Dyslexia Association, 2017). Examples of SL approaches include the Wilson Reading System (Wilson, 1988), Orton-Gillingham (Gillingham & Stillman, 2014), the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program (Lindamood &…

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…

This review examined studies that had addressed opinions of pre-service teachers (PSTs) concerning their preparedness for teaching early reading skills to all students, the extent of their content knowledge, and their attitudes towards code-based and/or meaning-based approaches to early reading. From the limited amount of research available, it…

"Leveled Literacy Intervention" ("LLI") is a short-term, supplementary, small-group literacy intervention designed to help struggling readers achieve grade-level competency. The intervention provides explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, oral language skills, and…

This paper will explain what a reading teacher learned from working with a group of first-grade struggling readers in a series of shared-book experience classes. The shared-book experience approach used a variety of science-themed books that were aligned with the first-grade curriculum and appropriate for beginning readers. Considering the…

Many children fail to acquire basic reading skills. The current evidence base for supplementary reading instruction indicates that explicit, systematic and intensive instruction in the early years for children considered to be "at-risk" of reading difficulties can have significant and preventative effects on reading skills. However,…

A disproportionate number of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are below grade level in reading. This trend may be due in part to characteristics of the disability, but it may also reflect lack of access to the instructional conditions needed for success in beginning reading. In this study, we surveyed special education teachers to…

This accessible teacher resource and course text shows how to incorporate strategy instruction into the K-8 classroom every day. Cutting-edge theory and research are integrated with practical guidance and reflections from experienced teachers of novice and struggling readers. The book describes the nuts and bolts of creating classroom contexts…