Five Important Links on Reading Research
There are many useful links on scientific large-scale and reliable research that proves that some methods of reading instruction produce clearly better readers. Among the things that are needed are:
Early and frequent testing of specific skills in kindergarten and early grades where problems can be corrected quickly and inexpensively.
Direct, intense and specific instruction in skills of "phonemic awareness" or "phonological awareness" which are pre-phonics skills that are critical to reading success.
Direct, intense, systematic and sequential instruction in a complete phonics program continuing at least through sixth grade.
You may find the following links helpful:
1. Congressional testimony from the head of NIH research in reading education:
http://www.readbygrade3.com/lyon.htm
2. A California interpretation of the same:
http://www.csus.edu/ier/reading.html
3. In more recent testimony, Dr. Lyon makes the point that not all "research" is TRUSTWORTHY research for making public education policy decisions, and that the biggest challenge is no longer finding out how children learn to read, but "Moving Trustworthy Research Findings to Scale ":
http://www.house.gov/ed_workforce/hearings/106th/ecyf/oeri5400/lyon.htm
4. Here is some 1997 testimony of Louisa Moats on the lack of teacher preparation - the fault of the teaching colleges, not of the teachers themselves:
http://www.nrrf.org/essay_Training_Teachers.html
5. And here is what they were able to do in Washington, D.C. of all places (where reading preparation at home is mostly poor):
http://www.house.gov/ed_workforce/hearings/106th/fc/literacy92600/butler.htm
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