Analyzes word recognition instruction in four first-grade classrooms. Finds that: differential instruction may be helpful in first grade; children who enter first grade with low literacy benefit from early and heavy exposure to phonics; and a structured phonics curriculum that includes both onsets and rimes and sounding and blending phonemes…

Explores factors accounting for the success of poor readers (college students) tutoring other poor readers (elementary school students). Finds that using texts that gradually and repetitively introduced high-frequency vocabulary and engaging children in direct letter-sound instruction were important. Finds that scaffolding of reading and writing…

Suggests that oral and silent sentence reading represent a similar cognitive process. Reports that poor readers, in particular, decrease processing time on difficult words in silent as compared to oral reading. (AEA)

Examines the role of various word features (versatile letter combinations) and basal text factors (word repetitions) in the developing word recognition skills of 93 first-grade students. Indicates that the text to which children are exposed early in first grade may differentially shape their word identification strategies. (HOD)

Proposes a model of word identification and tests it by examining the influence of orthographic redundancy, versatility, and letter-sound correspondences on the identification of both high- and low-frequency words by children and adults. (FL)

Conditions were examined in which second and third graders used context to identify words. The data indicated that good readers were predominantly text-driven, while poor readers used more context clues. (MKM)