Balanced Reading Instruction
Greetings. The following materials are intended to provide an introduction to Balanced Reading Instruction. They were assembled from the World Wide Web, ERIC Database, and a variety of other bibliographic resources. Instructions for acquiring the full text of the ERIC records are presented at the end of this file.
Fang Fang
Reference Specialist
Alphabetically arranged listing of bibliographies
Categorically arranged listing of bibliographies
Internet Sites
Timely Topic: Balanced Reading Instruction from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
Teaching Reading A Balanced, Comprehensive Approach to Teaching Reading in Prekindergarten Through Grade Three
Implementing Balanced Literacy
Teaching Strategies: Balanced Literacy
The Best of Both Worlds
Building A Powerful Reading Program: From Research to Practice
Phonics and Whole Language Learning: A Balanced Approach to Beginning Reading
Learning to Read and the Whole Language Ideology
Phonics in Whole Language Classrooms ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest #93
Balanced Reading Instruction ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest #144
Citations from the ERIC Database
AN: EJ622294
AU: Guthrie,-John-T.; Schafer,-William-D.; Huang,-Chun-Wei
TI: Benefits of Opportunity To Read and Balanced Instruction on the NAEP.
PY: 2001
SO: Journal-of-Educational-Research; v94 n3 p145-62 Jan-Feb 2001.
DEM: *Reading-Comprehension
DER: Educational-Attainment; Elementary-Education; Grade-4; National-Standards; Parent-Influence; Reading-Achievement; Sex-Differences; Teaching-Methods
AB: Analyzed the 1994 Grade 4 Maryland National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) regarding the effects on reading achievement and engagement of: students' amount of engaged reading, parental education, gender, balanced reading instruction, and reading opportunities. Amount of engaged reading predicted reading achievement after controlling for parent education. Balanced reading instruction predicted reading achievement after accounting for engaged reading and parental education. (SM)
AN: EJ624633
AU: Duffy,-Ann-M..
TI: Balance, Literacy Acceleration, and Responsive Teaching in a Summer School Literacy Program for Elementary School Struggling Readers.
PY: 2001
SO: Reading-Research-and-Instruction; v40 n2 p67-100 Win 2001.
DEM: *Instructional-Effectiveness; *Reading-Improvement; *Reading-Programs; *Summer-Programs
DER: Acceleration-Education; Grade-2; Primary-Education; Reading-Attitudes; Reading-Comprehension; Reading-Research
AB: Examines the effects of a balanced, accelerated, and responsive literacy program on the reading growth of second grade struggling readers. Finds that students grew in their word identification abilities, fluency, strategic comprehension abilities, perceptions of themselves as readers, attitudes toward reading, and instructional reading levels. Details the accelerated progress of students. Notes instructional implications. (RS)
AN: ED454490
AU: Au,-Kathryn-H.; Carroll,-Jacquelin-H.; Scheu,-Judith-A.
TI: Balanced Literacy Instruction: A Teacher's Resource Book. Second Edition.
PY: 2001
AV: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 1502 Providence Highway, Suite 12, Norwood, MA 02062 ($39.95). Tel: 800-934-8322 (Toll Free).
PR: Document Not Available from EDRS.
DEM: *Reading-Instruction; *Student-Evaluation; *Writing-Instruction; *Writing-Workshops
DER: Beginning-Reading; Class-Activities; Elementary-Education; Reading-Improvement; Teaching-Methods; Writing-Improvement
AB: Bringing together information elementary school teachers need to make balanced literacy instruction a reality, this book presents more than 90 short articles designed to be read in a brief period of time and suitable for use in after-school workshops. It presents ideas and instructional approaches teachers have found most valuable and effective in improving literacy instruction and students' achievement. This second edition expands the treatment on controversial issues in reading instruction: beginning reading, and standards-based assessment. By "balanced literacy instruction," the book means providing students with systematic, explicit instruction on skills and strategies in the context of authentic, meaningful activities. Chapters in the book are: (1) Perspectives; (2) Overview of the Readers' Workshop; (3) Structuring the Readers' Workshop; (4) Teacher-Directed Activities in the Readers' Workshop; (5) Student-Directed Activities in the Readers' Workshop; (6) Overview of the Writers' Workshop; (7) Structuring the Writers' Workshop; (8) Teacher-Directed Activities in the Writers' Workshop; (9) Student-Directed Activities in the Writers' Workshop; (10) Overview of Assessment and Evaluation; (11) Evaluating Progress; and (12) Keeping It Going. (RS)
AN: ED454505
AU: Elsea,-Becky
TI: Increasing Students' Reading Readiness Skills through the Use of a Balanced Literacy Program.
PY: 2001
NT: Master of Arts Action Research Project, Saint Xavier University and SkyLight Professional Development Field-Based Masters Program.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
DL: http://www.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED454505
DEM: *Instructional-Effectiveness; *Reading-Aloud-to-Others; *Reading-Improvement; *Reading-Instruction; *Reading-Readiness; *Writing-Instruction
DER: Action-Research; Journal-Writing; Kindergarten-; Primary-Education
AB: This report describes a literacy program that provides readers with materials and instructions that fit their individual levels of development. The targeted population consists of kindergarten students in a northwest suburb that is characterized by higher than average household earnings, highly educated residents, and a population encompassing all ages, occupations, and incomes. The children enter school displaying a wide range of reading readiness skills. Evidence includes running records that track each child's reading level, writing samples, and checklists that show children's understanding of print concepts and letter-sound relationships. Analysis of probable cause data reveals that a child's environment impacts literacy learning. Literacy development of children begins before formal schooling and is influenced by the quantity and quality of literacy-related experiences in the home environment. Parent involvement, preschool experiences, children's interests and strengths, and available materials are factors in a child's understanding of literacy. A review of solution strategies suggests a balanced literacy program. Through readalouds, shared reading, guided reading groups, interactive writing, and independent writing and reading, children will be provided with several kinds of reading and writing experiences. Post intervention data indicate an increase in student letter recognition and knowledge of letter and print concepts. The concepts about print the students learned during shared reading and writing experiences were transferred to journal writing and independent reading time. This is evidenced in the students' increased scores on their writing rubrics and the text levels. (Contains 18 references and 15 tables of data. Appendixes contain a permission letter; checklists; a running record sheet; and a sample writing rubric.) (Author/RS)
AN: ED458555
AU: Wren,-Sebastian
TI: What Does a "Balanced Literacy Approach" Mean? Topics in Early Reading Coherence.
CS: Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX.
PY: 2001
AV: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 211 E. 7th St., Austin, TX 78701-3281. Tel: 800-476-6861 (Toll Free). Web site: http://www.sedl.org. For full text: http://www.sedl.org/reading/topics.html.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DL: http://www.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED458555
DEM: *Beginning-Reading; *Phonics-; *Reading-Instruction; *Whole-Language-Approach
DER: Comparative-Analysis; Primary-Education
AB: The phonics and whole language approaches reflect very different underlying philosophies of reading instruction and stress very different skills. The philosophy underlying the whole language approach is that reading is a natural process, much like learning to speak, and that children exposed to a great deal of authentic, connected text will naturally become literate without much explicit instruction. The philosophy underlying the phonics approach is quite different--phonics advocates argue that most children require a great deal of explicit instruction in the rules of printed text to learn to read. This paper describes the way the two approaches work in the classroom setting and discusses the "reading wars"--the debate (which has been raging for many years) over which is the best approach to teach children to read. The paper then considers the balanced approach to literacy, opining that neither phonics nor whole language is a particularly effective method to teach reading. It states that most people do not agree on what the term "balanced approach" means or how it is accomplished in the classroom. The paper concludes that rather than picking the best elements from the phonics and whole language approaches, it seems sensible to ask what information about reading and reading instruction has been supported by research, and move forward from there. It notes that research in reading is providing knowledge about approaches and understanding that neither "camp" was able to provide. (NKA)
AN: ED458590
AU: Rog,-Lori-Jamison
TI: Early Literacy Instruction in Kindergarten.
CS: International Reading Association, Newark, DE.
PY: 2001
AV: Order Department, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, P.O. Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139 ($16.95). Web site: http://www.reading.org.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC05 Plus Postage.
DL: http://www.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED458590
DEM: *Beginning-Reading; *Beginning-Writing; *Kindergarten-; *Reading-Instruction; *Writing-Instruction
DER: Class-Activities; Classroom-Environment; Classroom-Techniques; Kindergarten-Children; Learning-Activities; Learning-Experience; Primary-Education
AB: Most educators will agree that a kindergarten program must provide not only a print-rich environment, but also carefully organized learning experiences. This book maps out how to develop and maintain an exemplary literacy program in a kindergarten classroom. The first section of the book explores the necessary elements of an outstanding kindergarten literacy program and how to organize these elements effectively. It examines developmentally appropriate practices and the research that supports them. The second section of the book provides teachers with strategies for a balanced literacy program: interactive readalouds; shared reading; independent reading and writing; modeled writing; and language play. The book concludes with reflections on the increasing diversity of students in classrooms and how to accommodate that diversity. Interspersed throughout the book are classroom vignettes, sample activities, and points to consider when designing instruction for the kindergarten classroom. (Contains an extensive reference list and 28 children's book references.) (NKA)
AN: ED458524
AU: Burns,-Bonnie
TI: Guided Reading: A How-To for All Grades. K-12.
PY: 2001
AV: SkyLight Training and Publishing Inc., 2626 S. Clearbrook Dr., Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5310 (Item 2346, $24.95). Tel: 800-348-4474 (Toll Free); Fax: 847-290-6609; Web site: http://www.skylightedu.com; e-mail: info@skylightedu.com.
NT: Foreword by Jerry L. Johns.
PR: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.
DL: http://www.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED458524
DEM: *Classroom-Techniques; *Reading-Instruction; *Reading-Strategies
DER: Elementary-Secondary-Education; Instructional-Effectiveness; Teacher-Role
AB: Basically, the concept of guided reading means that teachers guide students through materials that are used for instruction. A critical foundation in guided reading is that students read materials at their instructional levels. During a typical lesson, students discuss both the content and the strategies they used to make sense of what is being read. Specific attention is devoted to levels of comprehension, questioning, before-reading strategies, during-reading strategies, and after-reading strategies. This book: gives practical advice and strategies that show teachers of any grade level how to make this technique part of a balanced reading program; includes classroom management techniques and strategies for using guided reading effectively; and offers a teacher-friendly text design which contains a wealth of real-world examples, models, checklists, and a variety of tools, including a complete lesson plan. Chapters in the book are: (1) Guided Reading; (2) Guided Reading and Read-Alouds in Kindergarten and First Grade; (3) Guided Reading in the Primary Grades; (4) Guided Reading in Grades 3-12; (5) Looking at Questioning from Another Angle; (6) Variations on Guided Reading; and (7) Guided Reading with Content Textbooks. The book also discusses think-aloud strategies, visualization, and reciprocal reading. Blackline masters included at the end of each chapter may be used to facilitate guided reading. (Contains a 45-item bibliography.) (NKA)
AN: ED447451
AU: Manset,-Genevieve; St.-John,-Edward-P.; Simmons,-Ada-B.
TI: Progress in Early Literacy: Summary Evaluation of Indiana's Early Literacy Intervention Grant Program, 1997-2000.
CS: Indiana Univ., Bloomington. Education Policy Center.
PY: 2000
AV: Indiana Education Policy Center, Smith Center for Research in Education, Suite 170, 2805 E. 10th St., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408-2698. Tel: 812-855-1240; Web site: http://www.indiana.edu/~iepc/.
NT: Cover page varies. In collaboration with Choong-Geun Chung, David Gordon, Dodi Hodges, Leigh Kupersmith, Kim Manoil, Robert Michael, Glenda Droogsma Musoba, and Kimberly Worthington.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
DL: http://orders.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED447451
DEM: *Beginning-Reading; *Beginning-Writing; *Literacy-; *Program-Evaluation; *Student-Improvement
DER: Early-Intervention; Elementary-Education
AB: The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has administered the Early Literacy Intervention Grant Program (ELIGP) since 1997. During the first 3 years of the program, about half of the state's elementary schools received funding through ELIGP, either through Reading Recovery or Other Early Literacy Interventions (OELI). This report summarizes the evaluation study of the impact of the ELIGP during those 3 years. The study reveals that Indiana's elementary schools have a balanced approach to early reading. The report cites specific findings and states that early literacy programs that are appropriately selected to serve student needs appear to improve student outcomes regardless of poverty levels. It finds that several types of funded programs (e.g., Success for All, Literacy Collaborative, First Steps, Reading Recovery, Even Start) and program features influenced literacy outcomes when the effects of other school characteristics that influence early reading were taken into account. The study identified common patterns of practice among the instructional and organizational features of early reading programs in Indiana's elementary schools, and the effect of these patterns of practice on early literacy outcomes was also examined. On the basis of findings, the report recommends that: the ELIGP should be continued with an emphasis on Reading Recovery and on comprehensive restructuring methods; continuing evaluation research on early literacy interventions can help improve efforts by the IDOE, school corporations, and schools to design better approaches to literacy improvement; and the IDOE should facilitate collaboration between schools and universities on teacher preparation and professional development. (NKA)
AN: EJ617729
AU: Ivey,-Gay; Baumann,-James-F.; Jarrard,-Dora
TI: Exploring Literacy Balance: Iterations in a Second-Grade and a Sixth-Grade Classroom.
PY: 2000
SO: Reading-Research-and-Instruction; v39 n4 p291-310 Sum 2000.
DEM: *Instructional-Improvement; *Reading-Instruction
DER: Elementary-Education; Grade-2; Grade-6; Reading-Research
AB: Presents one theoretical perspective on balanced literacy instruction and two iterations of it in practice: one in a second-grade classroom and another in a sixth-grade classroom. Concludes that balanced reading instruction is much more complex than merely embedding the teaching of skills and strategies within the context of literature. (SC)
AN: ED448422
AU: Diamond,-Pollyann-J.; Onwuegbuzie,-Anthony-J.
TI: Short-Term Effects of Balanced Reading Implementation on Reading Achievement and Attitudes among Elementary School-Aged Students.
PY: 2000
NT: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Georgia Educational Research Association (Morrow, GA, October 19, 2000).
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
DL: http://orders.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED448422
DEM: *Instructional-Effectiveness; *Reading-Achievement; *Reading-Attitudes; *Reading-Improvement; *Reading-Instruction
DER: Black-Students; Elementary-Education; White-Students
AB: A 4-Block Balanced Reading Program was implemented in a school system in Georgia during the 1998-99 school year in an effort to improve reading achievement of these students. This study examined the short-term effect of this program implementation on reading achievement and attitudes toward reading of students in Grades 1 through 5 (n=2,127) who had been exposed to this approach for 1 school year. Surprisingly, despite the fact that the 4-Block Balanced Reading Program has been utilized for nearly a decade, scant research exists on the efficacy of this reading intervention. Statistically significant reductions in achievement scores were found for Grade 5. Conversely, for Grade 4, a statistically significant increase was found for African American males. Cognitive Ability Test scores also were compared across grades. The fact that the fourth-grade scores did not differ from the earlier grades suggests that intelligence does not explain the relatively superior reading achievement of fourth graders over the 1-year period. With respect to reading attitudes, statistically significant differences were noted for Grade 2 (African American females), Grade 3 (African American females and males), Grade 4 (African American females and males), and Grade 5 (African American males and White females). In all cases, posttest scores were lower than were pretest scores, with moderate effect sizes, in general. Thus, the current findings, although preliminary, cast serious doubt over the effectiveness of the 4-Block Balanced Reading Program. Implications are discussed. Contains 28 references, 8 tables, and 3 figures of data. (Author/RS)
AN: ED435095
AU: Gunner,-Alison-S.; Smith,-Julie-A.; Smith,-Sauda-D.
TI: Improving Comprehension and Attitude toward Reading Using a Balanced Reading Approach.
PY: 1999
NT: Master's Action Research Project, Saint Xavier University and IRI/Skylight.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
DL: http://orders.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED435095
DEM: *Instructional-Effectiveness; *Reading-Attitudes; *Reading-Comprehension; *Reading-Improvement; *Student-Attitudes
DER: Action-Research; Elementary-Education; Grade-3; Grade-8
AB: This report describes an effective instructional technique for advancing reading comprehension through a balanced reading program. The targeted population consisted of third- and eighth-grade students from three middle class communities located in the south suburbs of Chicago. Reading comprehension concerns were documented through data obtained from standardized tests, teacher-made comprehension assessments, a parent survey, and student surveys. A balanced reading program was implemented to improve students' attitudes toward reading and to promote comprehension within the targeted classrooms. The balanced reading program combined read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, and a home-school program that lead students to respond critically and thoughtfully to literature. The intervention proved successful as evidenced by test results and post surveys. Posttest scores demonstrated increased growth in reading comprehension within all targeted grades. Post surveys provided information to support attitude improvement. (Contains 56 references, and 11 tables and 12 figures of data; appendixes contain survey instruments, graphic organizers, logs, self report instruments, and pre-and posttests.) (Author/RS)
AN: ED418388
AU: Weaver,-Constance, ed.
TI: Reconsidering a Balanced Approach to Reading.
CS: National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.
PY: 1998
AV: National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096 (Stock No. 02344-1450: $19.95 members, $26.95 nonmembers).
PR: EDRS Price MF02/PC22 Plus Postage.
DE: *Literacy-; *Reading-Instruction; *Reading-Strategies; *Student-Needs
DE: Dyslexia-; Elementary-Education; Integrated-Activities; Phonics-; Reading-Research; Whole-Language-Approach
AB: This collection reflects the stance that a truly balanced approach to reading instruction will focus not only on reading but on literacy; integrate language and literacy across disciplines; attend to reading, writing, and other skills and strategies in context; and reflect a coherent integration of as broad a research base as possible. Following a foreword by Diane Stephens, an introduction, an article on reading and literacy, and a note on terms (phonics and whole language), articles in the collection and their authors are, as follows: (1) "Toward a Balanced Approach to Reading" (Constance Weaver); (2) "Learning about Literacy: A 30-Year Journey" (P. David Pearson and Diane Stephens); (3) "To Err Is Hum
AN: ED418386
AU: Denton,-David-R
TI: North Carolina Strives for Balanced Reading Instruction.
CS: Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, GA.
PY: 1998
AV: Southern Regional Education Board, 592 Tenth Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318 ($2.50 handling fee).
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DE: *Educational-Practices; *Phonics-; *Reading-Instruction; *Reading-Programs; *Whole-Language-Approach
DE: Case-Studies; Primary-Education; Student-Needs
AB: This paper contends that the most difficult task facing state policymakers is to understand that the strong feelings on both sides of the reading debate may not be truly reflective of the choices before them--it is not a choice between teaching reading through phonics or whole language. The paper states that a good whole language program must include phonics, and that good phonics instruction, while essential, is only part of an effective reading program. The paper discusses the situation in the state of North Carolina as representative of what has been happening across the nation in reading instruction. The paper concludes that policymakers in all states should seek to walk a fine line between the more singleminded positions on either side of the reading debate to promote an approach that really is based on strong evidence of effectiveness: that means a balanced approach, and it means recognizing that "balance" will mean different things for different children and will require being able to assess accurately each child's instructional needs. (NKA)
AN: ED419227
AU: Liebling,-Cheryl-Rappaport
TI: In the Beginning: Helping All Children Achieve Early Literacy.
CS: RMC Research Corp., Portsmouth, NH.
PY: 1998
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
DE: *Early-Childhood-Education; *Emergent-Literacy; *Reading-Instruction; *Writing-Instruction
DE: Curriculum-Development; Standards-; Student-Evaluation; Written-Language
AB: Noting an emerging consensus of opinion on the need for balance in early literacy instruction, this paper examines three overlapping phases of early literacy: novice (ages 5-7; prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1); beginning (ages 6-8, kindergarten-grade 2); and advanced beginning (ages 7-9, grades 1-3). The first section describes young children's developing knowledge of written language during the progression from novice to advanced beginning literacy. Given this foundation, the second section describes the elements of balanced early literacy instruction and offers a set of indicators that educators can use to evaluate the extent to which the classroom early literacy program is balanced. The final section suggests several alternatives for adopting, adapting, or designing a core early literacy program. The paper concludes by noting that regardless of the option that is selected, it is important for every district to align its early literacy curriculum with state or national standards. It is also important for every school to implement an early literacy curriculum that is consistent with developmentally-sound standards and reflective of data from performance-driven assessments. Contains 76 references and a table listing the indicators of balanced programs; appendixes contain a list of entire-school reform models and a list of English language arts skill- and content-based reform models. (Author/RS)
AN: ED408374
AU: Rode,-Ronald-G.
TI: K-12 Criteria for Balanced Literacy. Selection of the K-8 Language Arts Adoption. No. 719. Revised.
CS: San Diego City Schools, CA. Planning, Assessment, and Accountability Div.
PY: 1997
NT: Assessment, Research, and Reporting Team Report.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
DE: *Criteria-; *Curriculum-Development; *Literacy-Education; *Multicultural-Education; *Selection-; *Standards-
DE: Bilingual-Education; Elementary-Secondary-Education; Family-School-Relationship; Focus-Groups; Minority-Groups; Program-Development; Second-Language-Learning; Special-Education; Urban-Schools
AB: The Literacy Task Force of the San Diego City Schools sought to develop a set of criteria for a balanced literacy program by using a process that involved all stakeholders--parents, teachers, businesses, higher education, and other community members. The balanced program, by its nature, would address the needs of all the city's students, with the goal that all students will meet grade-level performance standards even though some students will need specialized interventions. One hundred facilitators and recorders were trained to lead focus groups at the kickoff session and a series of town meetings. The general public was informed of these meetings through the media and specific invitations were issued to parents and concerned citizen groups. To maintain the voice of second language learners and special education students, sites with sufficient bilingual and special education staff were asked to conduct targeted focus groups for the needs of these special populations. Criteria were developed for materials and resources, content, the home-school connection, assessment, and instructional and organizational strategies. Among the criteria for materials and resources were requirements for authentic multicultural materials that reflect global themes. The home-school connection criteria provided for letters to parents in the family's primary language. Implementation of these criteria should help ensure a balanced literacy program for all the city's students. Two appendixes discuss group participant response categories and present the teacher response form. (Contains two figures, nine tables, and five references.) (SLD)
AN: ED438524
TI: Beginning Reading Instruction: Components and Features of a Research-Based Reading Program. Texas Reading Initiative.
CS: Texas Education Agency, Austin.
PY: 1996
AV: Texas Education Agency, P.O. Box 13817, Austin, TX 78711-3817 ($1.50). Tel: 512-463-9734; Web site: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/publications.
PR: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
DL: http://orders.edrs.com/members/sp.cfm?AN=ED438524
DEM: *Beginning-Reading; *Reading-Instruction
DER: Classroom-Techniques; Decoding-Reading; Language-Acquisition; Primary-Education; Reading-Aloud-to-Others; Reading-Programs; Reading-Strategies; Spelling-; Vocabulary-Development; Writing-Composition
AB: Meant to guide administrators and teachers as they strive to meet Governor George W. Bush's goal for all students to read on grade level by the end of grade 3, this booklet presents descriptions of components of a research-based beginning reading program. The first section describes 12 essential components of a beginning reading program. In this program, children should have opportunities to: (1) expand their use and appreciation of oral language; (2) expand their use and appreciation of printed language; (3) hear good stories and informational books read aloud daily; (4) understand and manipulate the building blocks of spoken language; (5) learn about and manipulate the building blocks of written language; (6) learn the relationship between the sounds of spoken language and the letters of written language; (7) learn decoding strategies; (8) write and relate their writing to spelling and reading; (9) practice accurate and fluent reading in decodable stories; (10) read and comprehend a wide assortment of books and other texts; (11) develop and comprehend new vocabulary through wide reading and direct vocabulary instruction; and (12) learn and apply comprehension strategies as they reflect upon and think critically about what they read. The second section describes 8 classroom and campus factors that support effective reading instruction: careful use of instructional time; effective instructional practices; sound instructional materials; reading opportunities; a variety of assessment tools; a positive campus climate; professional development; and sound administrative practices. (Contains 73 references.) (RS)
AN: EJ525903
AU: Jones,-Rebecca
TI: Skirmishes on the Reading Front.
PY: 1996
JN: American-School-Board-Journal; v183 n6 p15-18 Jun 1996
AV: UMI
DE: Elementary-Education; Reading-Tests
DE: *Beginning-Reading; *Phonics-; *Reading-Instruction; *Whole-Language-Approach
AB: In state legislatures and school boards around the country, the approach and the quality of reading instruction are under attack because of a decline in reading scores. The best reading instruction draws on the strengths of different philosophies. School boards should encourage schools to teach both phonics and the whole-language approach. (MLF)
AN: EJ524380
AU: Lodish,-Richard
TI: A Balanced Approach to Early Childhood Education.
PY: 1996
JN: Principal; v75 n5 p18-20 May 1996
AV: UMI
DE: Early-Childhood-Education
DE: *Basic-Skills; *Classroom-Techniques; *Creativity-; *Curriculum-; *Skill-Development; *Young-Children
AB: Based on 30 years' experience, the author advocates a balanced approach that accommodates extremes in four important areas: curriculum, teaching, structure, and classroom management. Using a whole-language approach to reading should not mean that phonics, spelling, or punctuation skills can't be taught. Authoritarian and open classroom structures are needed, along with whole-class and group instructional approaches. (MLH)
AN: EJ517822
AU: Carbo,-Marie
TI: Whole Language vs. Phoni
CS: The Great Debate.
PY: 1996
JN: Principal; v75 n3 p36-38 Jan 1996
AV: UMI
DE: Elementary-Education; Student-Needs
DE: *Administrator-Responsibility; *Individualized-Instruction; *Phonics-; *Reading-Programs; *Teaching-Methods; *Whole-Language-Approach
AB: Some children learn to read easily with phonics, and some do better with a whole-language approach. Principals should understand both systems and use the best of both, together with other effective reading programs. Teachers should balance their reading programs by providing structure for analytic students, reading to students, and relying on literature and fun. (MLH)
AN: EJ484472
AU: Thistlethwaite,-Linda-L.
TI: Phonics--One Important Piece of the Pie: A Holistic Perspective.
PY: 1994
JN: Adult-Basic-Education; v4 n1 p19-34 Spr 1994
AV: UMI
DE: Adult-Basic-Education; Reading-Comprehension
DE: *Holistic-Approach; *Phonics-; *Whole-Language-Approach; *Word-Recognition
AB: Phonics and other word analysis activities need to be placed in perspective. An effective approach is for readers first to read the whole text, then participate in teacher-directed and learner-independent word analysis, and then return to reading words in a holistic context to establish comprehension. (SK)
AN: ED370094
AU: Ediger,-Marlow
TI: The Integrated Reading Curriculum.
PY: 1994
NT: 9 p.
PR: EDRS Price - MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DE: Elementary-Education; Evaluation-Methods; Individualized-Instruction; Phonics-; Reading-Achievement
DE: *Holistic-Approach; *Individualized-Reading; *Integrated-Curriculum; *Reading-Skills
AB: The act of reading is holistic and involves acquisition of facts, concepts, and generalizations. With Instructional Management Systems (IMS) and state mandated testing, however, reading too frequently becomes a means of appraising the achievement of students in acquiring word recognition skills as well as diverse comprehension abilities. School systems and teachers of reading should emphasize the tenets of individualized reading. Individualized reading advocates believe that: (1) the act of reading is holistic and not fragmented; (2) students should select reading materials within a flexible framework; and (3) the student should be heavily involved in appraising his/her reading performance. Holistic means of assisting students in reading stressed within the framework of individualized reading philosophies may also be emphasized with the utilization of basal readers. Emphasis should not be on students learning isolated phonics sounds. A better emphasis would be for each student to learn phonics generalizations while reading content. Students should be active participants in learning. To achieve higher levels of cognition, students need to bring meaning to subject matter. Reading skills must be secured and utilized within the framework of quality holistic reading experiences. (RS)
AN: EJ496146
AU: Moran,-Carrol; Calfee,-Robert
TI: Comprehending Orthography: Social Construction of Letter-Sound Systems in Monolingual and Bilingual Programs.
PY: 1993
JN: Reading-and-Writing:-An-Interdisciplinary-Journal; v5 n2 p205-25 Jun 1993
AV: UMI
NT: Theme: The role of decoding in reading research and instruction.
DER: Bilingual-Education-Programs; Decoding-Reading; Elementary-Education; Morphophonemics-
DEM: *Phonics-; *Reading-Comprehension; *Reading-Instruction; *Whole-Language-Approach
AB: Suggests that a new perspective is needed on the "great debate" in literacy instruction between whole language and phonics. Proposes an approach that integrates comprehension and decoding into a system designed around the principles of student-centered, authentic instruction in a socially engaging context. Considers the advantages of bilingual programs that promote awareness of the function of print codes. (BS)
AN: ED366943
AU: Block,-Cathy-Collins
TI: Teaching the Language Arts: Expanding Thinking through Student-Centered Instruction.
PY: 1993
AV: Allyn and Bacon, Order Processing, P.O. Box 11071, Des Moines, IA 50336-1071 ($52).
NT: 577 p.
PR: Document Not Available from EDRS.
DER: Communication-Skills; Critical-Thinking; Elementary-Education; Integrated-Curriculum; Listening-Skills; Middle-Schools; Program-Evaluation; Special-Needs-Students; Writing-Processes
DEM: *Language-Arts; *Reading-Instruction; *Student-Centered-Curriculum; *Theory-Practice-Relationship; *Thinking-Skills; *Writing-Instruction
AB: Describing the numerous changes that have occurred in language arts instruction within the past few years, this book explains these changes, as well as modern concepts, materials, and instructional techniques to assist language arts teachers. The books describes several innovative approaches to instruction, such as how to teach phonics and compare/contrast strategies in an integrative, whole language based program; how new middle school language arts programs can be built; and how to build students' higher level thinking and creativity through language arts instruction and real-world assessments. After introductory comments, each chapter is divided in three sections: Theoretical Foundations; Putting Theory into Practice; and Strategies That Teach. Chapters in the book are: (1) Language and Thinking Development in the Elementary School; (2) Putting Your Philosophy into Action: Designing Your Student Communication Center; (3) The Students Arrive: Developing Students' Oral Communication Abilities; (4) Listening: Beginning to Build the Student Communication Center; (5) Reading Instruction in a Student Communication Center, Part I; (6) Reading Instruction in a Student Communication Center, Part II; (7) Writing to Communicate and Think; (8) Revising: Using Grammar, Rewriting, and Rephrasing as Tools to Clarify Meaning; (9) Editing: Teaching Spelling and Other Writing Conventions; (10) Integrating Language Arts across the Curriculum; (11) Creative Expression: One Step Beyond Integration; (12) Teaching Students to Communicate with High Level Thinking; (13) Special Needs of Kindergartners and Middle School Students; (14) Students with Special Language Needs: Meeting the Challenge of Diversity in the Classroom; and (15) Assessing Your Language Arts Program. (RS)
AN: ED363886
AU: King,-Caryn-M.
TI: On Becoming Reflective Writers and Practitioners: Lessons from Experienced Teachers.
PY: 1993
NT: 15 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Educational Research Association (16th, Clearwater Beach, FL, February 17-22, 1993).
PR: EDRS Price - MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DER: Elementary-Education; Elementary-School-Teachers; Graduate-Study; Higher-Education; Journal-Writing; Writing-Processes; Writing-Research
DEM: *Teacher-Attitudes; *Writing-Composition; *Writing-Attitudes
AB: A preliminary study examined the experiences and perceptions of experienced teachers about writing and gathered feedback about teaching practices involving direct instruction in process writing. Subjects, 30 experienced elementary teachers enrolled in a graduate-level course on theories of teaching reading and writing, completed a survey about their writing practices and kept a response journal in which they responded to prompts four times during the semester. Results indicated: (1) the majority of subjects did not frequently (daily or weekly) engage in writing activities; (2) writing personal reflections/thoughts was the most frequent creative writing activity; (3) the overwhelming majority indicated a general uneasiness with writing academic texts; (4) the majority of subjects felt comfortable with the process of sharing paper outlines and felt they received valuable feedback from their peers; and (5) most of the subjects perceived themselves to be inadequate writers and expressed feelings of anxiety and frustration when required to write in an academic setting. Findings suggest that if the nature of writing instruction is to change at the classroom level, then teachers need to become writers themselves. (One table of data is included; 14 references, the survey instrument, and the prompts for the response journals are attached.) (RS)
 Teach A Child To Read With Children's Books |
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Title: Teaching reading: A balanced, comprehensive approach to teaching reading in pre-kindergarten through grade three.
Edition: Pre-publication copy. YEAR: 1996
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ISBN: 0801112761
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