Suggestions are made for a five-day cycle of activities that can be used with primary students to reinforce language from stories they've dictated. Some activities are teacher-directed, while others can be completed independently. The activities can also be adapted to group-dictated stories. (Author/SJL)

Describes an experience based reading program developed in Melbourne, Australia, for low-income and immigrant children and a series of books to be published which are based on this program. (MKM)

Compares bilingual reading instruction in Puerto Rico with that on the mainland, commending the emphasis given in Puerto Rico on comprehension as opposed to the emphasis given to decoding on the mainland. (HOD)

Describes a case study involving the reading development of an adult nonreader (a woman in her early fifties) and discusses this growth in comparison with children beginning to read. Discusses the student's background and her literacy development and progress. Notes similarities and differences to children's learning. (SR)

Compiles data from 27 studies comprising the Cooperative Research Program in First-Grade Reading Instruction. Reveals ability to recognize letters of the alphabet prior to beginning reading instruction was the best predictor of first-grade reading achievement. Indicates various nonbasal programs tended to be superior as measured by word…

Discusses aspects of "First-Grade Studies" and education in the 1960s. Addresses the research questions in the study: to what extent various teacher, class, and school characteristics are related to first grade spelling and reading achievement; which approach to teaching reading is superior; and whether any program is uniquely effective or…

Contends a good personalized literature-based reading program begins with a readiness approach not governed or directed by a rigid set of prescribed activities in reading readiness books. Discusses the importance of: an invigorating classroom environment; materials that have significance; a rich experiential atmosphere; an abundance of quality…

Presents poetry activities to help students develop two important skills--comparing elements and decoding compound words. The first activity has students unravel a list poem and put one together. The second has students explore compound words within a poem. A reproducible list poem is included. (SM)

Studied whether children's achievement strategies predict the development of their reading and mathematics skills during the first school year or whether these skills predict changes in their achievement strategies. Findings for 105 Finnish first graders show that maladaptive strategies hamper improvement in reading and mathematics; skills did not…

Results from a study of the development of word-decoding skills in 60 8-year-old and 60 10-year-old children are consistent with models suggesting that children become proficient in phonological decoding first, and then shift gradually to a more direct orthographic-decoding strategy. (SLD)

Four computer-animated tasks were created to analyze the underlying structure of emerging phonological awareness at 3.5 years of age and to explore factors that influence children's (n=91) performance. The children were able to master tasks demanding identification, blending, and continuation of phonological units. Analysis supported two major…

Examines children's motivation for reading in relation to parental beliefs and home literacy experiences. Reveals that the beginning readers had generally positive views about reading and that no differences in motivation were associated with income level, ethnic, or gender. Demonstrates the importance of looking beyond quantitative indices of…

This article discusses issues in the assessment of individuals who show difficulty in learning to read and write in different languages. A review of reading studies in several language contexts leads to a proposed framework for assessment procedures. Case studies from interventions in three language contexts (Sylheti/English, Herero/English,…

Presents a last resort technique for teaching reading to adolescent and adult illiterates. (RS)

Argues that it is possible for stories to both entertain the reader and teach reading techniques. Suggests that the apprentice approach to reading instruction, using good stories and with judicious intervention by teachers, can be rigorous. (MG)