Ninety Chinese children were tested once at age 4 and again 22 months later on phonological-processing and other reading skills. Chinese phonological-processing skills alone modestly predicted Chinese character recognition, and English letter-name knowledge uniquely predicted reading of both Chinese and English 2 years later. Furthermore,…

The art of spoken word has captured youthful spirits all over the country, especially in heterogeneous urban centers. In this essay, the author opens up for re-consideration a central issue in language arts education, one suggested by the very writing of spoken word: how educators think about the relationship between oral and written language and…

In recent years, much has been written about effective beginning reading instruction. Most professionals agree that early literacy instruction should include (a) phonemic awareness activities; (b) instruction in letter-sound relationships; (c) instruction in sounding out words and recognizing simple high frequency words at sight, (d) reading…

For children from low-resource backgrounds, a literacy-rich preschool experience with a skilled and engaged teacher can offset risk factors and lay the groundwork for lifelong academic success. Now schools can ensure effective early literacy instruction with this field-tested, research-based curriculum for children 3 to 5 years of age. These 41…

This guide begins with a story about the parents of twin kindergartners. The story models ways in which the parents of Mike and Chris help them learn to read, such as reading the newspaper together with them and asking them questions about the books they are reading. Included is another short story parents can read with their child, and a list of…

This study examined the opinions of more than 300 primary teachers. The first purpose of the study was to investigate the reported frequency with which teachers used various beginning reading materials (e.g., literature, basals, workbooks, predictable text, leveled text, decodable text, and vocabulary-controlled text). The second purpose of the…

Framed by current concerns about boys' attainment in literacy, this paper investigates the potential of talking books software to support the literacy development of male beginning readers. The study primarily considered whether typically developing boys who showed lower levels of attainment in phonological awareness would show a greater degree of…

This study tested four complementary hypotheses to characterize intrinsic and extrinsic influences on the order with which preschool children learn the names of individual alphabet letters. The hypotheses included: (a) "own-name advantage," which states that children learn those letters earlier which occur in their own names, (b) the…

Previous studies have shown that phonological awareness correlates with children's reading aloud and also adults' literacy experience. More recent research has further suggested that phonological awareness is associated with the processing of spoken language, which is a correlate of reading comprehension. In this paper, I argue that phonological…

A study examined the effectiveness of the Chapter 1 Early Literacy Summer School program. The program provided additional reading instruction to underachieving first-grade pupils at seven schools located throughout the Columbus, Ohio public school district. The program featured group instruction (with many of the activities modeled after the…

This research synthesis identifies areas of convergence in reading research regarding the importance, dimensions, and effects of phonological awareness on the reading acquisition process. It also highlights similarities and differences between normal achievers and diverse learners. The following five areas of research convergence are identified:…

Learning to read and write is a social as well as a cognitive undertaking, and children are literally driven to learn language because of their need to communicate. Just as children go though stages in learning to talk, they go through similar stages when learning to read and write. Literacy learning is also rooted in the culture of the child and…

A compilation of information drawn from Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) grant applications and final evaluation reports submitted to the Wisconsin Division for Libraries and Community Learning, this book offers information that may be of practical value to other libraries wanting to establish their own emergent literacy programs.…

A literature review was conducted to determine the nature and extent of the transfer of literacy learned in one situation to other situations and to identify ways of facilitating literacy transfer. The literature review focused on studies and analyses dealing with three areas: the definition and scope of intelligence, differences between experts…

Intended primarily for teachers and others who work with children from approximately three to eight years of age, this book suggests ways to make and introduce Big Book versions of well-loved predictable stories and describes how shared book experiences can lead to learning across the curriculum. The book presents teaching tips, book…