Extending Beginning Reading was a research project based at the School of Education, University of Manchester, England, from September 1973 to December 1977. The project, aimed at helping readers seven years and older improve their reading skills, is detailed in this book, in which most of the seven sections contain implications for teachers. The book begins with background information on the project. Part 2 discusses the questions to which the research was directed, such as, What is reading? How do children learn to read? What skills are used in reading? and, What can the teacher do to help? Part 3 contains the teachers' viewpoints, including their preferred outcomes of the project and their aims and objectives. Part 4 emphasizes the growing importance of the reading environment and investigates this environment in eight schools. Part 5 deals with teachers of reading, including their estimates of children's reading ability, the books they use, their methods, their encouragement and training of children to use reading skills, and the results of their guidance on children's book choices. Part 6 discusses children as readers, including what children think about reading, children's views on books, reading and related assessments, and strategies children use in reading (miscue analysis and the cloze procedure). Part 7 presents the main project findings and recommendations for a more effective reading program. The appendixes contain materials used in the project, including tables of findings and lists of related publications. (EL)