This article will consider fluency’s role in terms of development and then present a review of four research-based instructional approaches, two for the whole class and two a for small group, that have been shown to increase students’ word recognition, fluency, and comprehension.
The Development of Sight Vocabulary by Kimberly Anderson and Donna Scanlon
A critical question in early literacy instruction is how individuals transition from having little or no ability to read words to having the vast sight vocabulary that characterizes proficient readers.
Landscape Report on Early Grade Literacy by Young-Suk Grace Kim et al.
This review substantiates the systematic and systemic nature of literacy education. Promoting successful early grade literacy instruction and acquisition requires evidence-based, empirically tested, and scientific approaches as well as efforts of stakeholders at multiple levels, from students, parents, teachers, community members, and leaders in the country.
Coordinating Center for First-Grade Reading Instruction Programs by Guy L. Bond and Robert Dykstra
The final report for the coordinated first-grade studies from the Office of Education is presented. The studies investigated the following — (1) to what extent pupil, teacher, class, school and community characteristics are related to first-grade reading and spelling achievement, (2) which approach to initial reading instruction produces superior reading and spelling achievement at the end of Grade 1, and (3) the effectiveness of any program for pupils with high or low reading readiness skills.
Texts, Texts, Texts: A Guide to Analyze Texts for Elementary Students by D. Ray Reutzel
In this article, we describe a text analysis proto- col, guide, or checklist, the Guide to Analyze Texts for Elementary Students (GATES), which teachers can use to examine complex texts for the purpose of determining instructional obstacles and affordances as part of standards-based reading instruction planning.
Self-Regulated Strategy Development in Writing by Karen R. Harris and Steve Graham
Self-Regulated Strategy Development for writing can help everyone: teachers and students, with and without learning disabilities.
Understanding Shifts in Reading and Its Instruction by Steven A. Stahl
Outside of education, people view the shifts and swings of instruction with bemusement, if they do not have school-age children, or with alarm, if they do. In reading, we have swung from a whole word methodology to phonics to direct instruction to whole language, with various stops along the way, over the course of my lifetime.
Special Education Teacher Preparation, Literacy Instructional Alignment, and Reading Achievement for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities by Roddy Theobald et al.
We used survey and administrative data from Washington State to assess the degree to which
special education teacher preparation, district literacy instructional practices, and the alignment
between preparation and practice were associated with the reading test score gains of students with high-incidence disabilities taught by early-career special education teachers in grades 4-8.
Organization and Management of Language Arts Teaching: Classroom Environments, Grouping Practices, and Exemplary Instruction by Lesley Morrow, Ray Reutzel, and Heather Casey
A major concern of teachers is organization and management of their language arts programs.
Teachers are able with appropriate professional development to integrate cutting-edge strategies into their literacy curriculum, but have a difficult time putting the different pieces of the program together in their school day.
The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading by Nell Duke and Kelly Cartwright
The simple view of reading is commonly presented to educators in professional development about the science of reading. The simple view is a useful tool for conveying the undeniable importance—in fact, the necessity—of both decoding and linguistic comprehension for reading. We discuss the need to lift up updated theories and models to guide practitioners’ work in supporting students’ reading development in classrooms and interventions.
