Early Reading Instruction: What Science Really Tells Us about How to Teach Reading

by Diane McGuinness

Overview

Early Reading Instruction is a comprehensive analysis of the research evidence from early writing systems to computer models of reading. In this book, Diane McGuinness provides an innovative solution to the "reading war"—the century-old debate over the efficacy of phonics (sound-based) versus whole-word (meaning- based) methods. She has developed a prototype—a set of elements that are critical to the success of a reading method.

McGuinness shows that all writing systems, without exception, are based on a sound unit in the language. This fact, and other findings by paleographers, provides a platform for the prototype. Other elements of the prototype are based on modern research. For example, observational studies in the classroom show that time spent on three activities strongly predicts reading success: learning phoneme/symbol correspondences, practice at blending and segmenting phonemes in words, and copying/writing words, phrases, and sentences. Most so-called literacy activities have no effect, and some, like sight word memorization, have a strongly negative effect.

The National Reading Panel (2000) summarized the research on reading methods after screening out thousands of studies that failed to meet minimum scientific standards. In an in-depth analysis of this evidence, McGuinness shows that the most successful methods (children reading a year or more above age norms) include all the elements in the prototype. Finally, she argues, because phonics-type methods are consistently shown to be superior to whole-word methods in studies dating back to the 1960s, it makes no sense to continue this line of research. The most urgent question for future research is how to get the most effective phonics programs into the classroom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262633352
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	01/20/2006
Series:	A Bradford Book
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	428
Sales rank:	513,817
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Diane McGuinness is a reading consultant and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of South Florida. She is the author of Why Our Children Can't Read and What We Can Do about It, Early Reading Instruction (MIT Press, 2004), and other books on reading and learning.

What People are Saying About This

Patrick Groff

Early Reading Instruction is an up-to-date, accurate, and highly readable summary of major aspects of the science of teaching reading. It thus deserves to be designated reading for anyone active in reading instruction, from future teachers to school board members.

James J. Jenkins

McGuinness separates the facts from the fancies and fads to tell us how to teach reading. It may not be news to educated readers that phonics is the way to go, but the question is, whose version of phonics? McGuinness makes clear what really works. A book for everyone interested in reading and early education.

Endorsement

Early Reading Instruction is an up-to-date, accurate, and highly readable summary of major aspects of the science of teaching reading. It thus deserves to be designated reading for anyone active in reading instruction, from future teachers to school board members.

—Patrick Groff, Professor of Education, Emeritus, San Diego State University

From the Publisher

McGuinness separates the facts from the fancies and fads to tell us how to teach reading. It may not be news to educated readers that phonics is the way to go, but the question is, whose version of phonics? McGuinness makes clear what really works. A book for everyone interested in reading and early education.

—James J. Jenkins, Distinguished Research Professor, Emeritus, Psychology Department, University of South Florida

Editorial Reviews

The task of reviewing reading instruction research is daunting and McGuinness's efforts are admirable...Her comprehensive analysis has left few if any stones unturned.—Gale A. Mentzer, Education Review—

From the Publisher

The task of reviewing reading instruction research is daunting and McGuinness's efforts are admirable...Her comprehensive analysis has left few if any stones unturned.

—Gale A. Mentzer, Education Review

Reviews

The task of reviewing reading instruction research is daunting and McGuinness's efforts are admirable...Her comprehensive analysis has left few if any stones unturned.

Education Review - Gale A. Mentzer