Discusses the problems that arise when elementary school students try to read words that are common in their speech. (RB)

It was found that 1st graders could perform the cloze tasks, and cloze tests offered promise for use in evaluating the relationship of oral language performance to reading task performance. Cloze task tests were better predictors of end-of-year standard reading test scores than readiness and basal reader instruments. (Author/DB)

Appraises the performances of 27 3- and 4-year-old children on a computerized typewriter and concludes that, although 17 points separated the IQ scores of upper and lower socioeconomic level children, abilities in alphabet recognition, typing, and sight vocabulary were equal. Bibliography. (MD)

A series of tests measures the correct stage of mental maturity necessary for a child to learn to read and write. Purpose is to prevent children from being taught to read in nursery schools before they are ready. (JF)

Describes a pattern book activity that provides a means of introducing and reinforcing high frequency vocabulary within a language experience approach. (FL)

Offers guidelines for evaluating basal reading series when two series are to be adopted. (HTH)

Contends that the acquisition of fluent reading competency involves beginning readers' tacit recognition that they must learn to compensate for the absence of prosodic cues in the written signal by making use of the cues that are preserved. (HOD)

Offers Request, the Directed Reading-Thinking Activity, the Expectation Outline, the Prereading Guided Reading Procedure, Word Wonder, and Semantic Webbing as techniques that use many of the basic principles of the directed reading activity while adjusting to the needs of specific materials and students. (FL)

Analyzes a shift in the view of the reading process and suggests a modified view of the learning-to-read process as a constructive process. (MKM)

Irreverently examines Rudolph Flesch's theories for teaching a child to read "properly." Alternatives to Flesch's method are also given. (HTH)

Urges the use of the language experience approach to helping children learn to read and to write. Suggests some activities for starting the school year using this approach. (TJ)

Reviews research findings that suggest the importance of systematic phonics instruction in beginning reading. Cites arguments against phonics teaching and indicates that they appear unsupportable since they are incompatible with research findings and since they make unwarrantedly negative accusations about the kind of teaching that must be used in…

Thirty-one reading materials were examined in terms of format, approach, content, and utility in teaching basic reading to high school students. Only three materials met 75 percent of the criteria, indicating a genuine lack of appropriate materials for this age group. (CL)

Reviews the literature concerning beginning reading instruction. Concludes that educators have differing opinions concerning the optimum time to begin reading instruction. (FL)