The following books or toolkits meet Reading First criteria for scientifically based research. They have been approved for use, or are being used, as supplementary or intervention material in numerous states and districts.

Title

Early Language Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO)

Ladders to Literacy: A Kindergarten Activity Book, Second Edition

Ladders to Literacy: A Preschool Activity Book

Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum

Road to the Code: A Phonological Awareness Program for Young Children

Type

Classroom observation tool

Activity-based supplemental/ intervention program

Activity-based supplemental/ intervention program

Activity-based supplemental/ intervention program

Activity-based supplemental/ intervention program

Authors

Miriam W. Smith, Ed.D., & David K. Dickinson, Ed.D., with Angela Sangeorge & Louisa Anastasopoulos, M.P.P.

Rollanda E. O'Connor, Ph.D., Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D., & Patricia F. Vadasy, M.P.H.

Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D., Rollanda E. O'Connor, Ph.D., & Patricia F. Vadasy, M.P.H.

Marilyn Jager Adams, Ph.D., Barbara R. Foorman, Ph.D., Ingvar Lundberg, Ph.D., & Terri Beeler, Ed.D.

Benita A. Blachman, Ph.D., Eileen Wynne Ball, Ph.D., Rochella Black, M.S., & Darlene M. Tangel, Ph.D.

Targeted area and purpose

Classroom-based observation: To familiarize the user with the organization and contents of the classroom, to gather objective ratings of the quality of the language and literacy environment, and to provide a summary of the nature and duration of literacy-related activities.

Literacy development: To improve the reading outcomes of children at risk for reading difficulties by increasing exposure to phonological and phonemic awareness activities, print and letter knowledge, and other literacy-related tasks.

Literacy readiness: To provide a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate early literacy curriculum for building the foundations needed for learning to read and write, using clear lessons and engaging learning activities.

Phonemic awareness: To provide concrete activities that stimulate the development of phonemic awareness for all students in the preschool or elementary classroom.

Phonemic awareness: To help children develop the awareness that spoken words can be segmented into phonemes and that these segmented units can be represented by the letters of the alphabet.

Research

The toolkit components have been used as part of research studies in preschool classrooms in three states. The Classroom Observation and Teacher Interview has also been used as part of program evaluation efforts in primary grade classrooms in several urban school districts.

More than 100 teachers and 1,500 children have participated in field testing and experimental trials to explore the feasibility of activity implementation and the effects of these activities on the phonemic awareness, print awareness, and reading ability.

More than 100 teachers and 1,500 children have participated in field testing and experimental trials to explore the feasibility of activity implementation and the effects of these activities on the phonemic awareness, print awareness, and reading ability.

Based on the Lundberg, Frost, and Peterson program developed in Sweden and Denmark, extensively field tested in 23 classrooms, and modified for American classrooms over a 3-year period, confirming children's growth in phonemic awareness.

Based on more than 10 years of research and field testing, beginning with first-grade students having difficulty learning to read. Later the program was tested with small groups of kindergartners who knew few if any letter sounds.

Level

Prekindergarten to third grade: Designed to be used to gather data and develop profiles of classrooms that serve children from ages 3-8.

Kindergarten: Designed to be used in general and inclusive classrooms.

Prekindergarten: Designed to be used in general and inclusive classrooms.

Kindergarten and first grade: Developed for use with kindergarten students and also can be adjusted for use with first-grade students and children receiving special education services.

Kindergarten and first grade: Developed for use with kindergarten students as well as first-graders who are struggling to read.

Number of activities

n/a

Approximately 50 activities

Approximately 60 activities

40 activities

44 lessons

Suggested instruction or observation time

Total: 1-1 1/2 hours

Literacy environment checklist: 15-20 minutes

Classroom observation and teacher interview: 20-45 minutes

Literacy activities rating scale: 10 minutes

15-20 minutes daily

Four 15- to 20-minute sessions per week over an 11-week period (pacing can be adjusted)

Suggested group size

n/a

Group settings

Group settings

Group or small group settings

Small group settings (4 or 5 children) or one-to-one

Professional development

All offerings can be customized; contact 1-800-638-3775 for information.

Toolkit includes a step-by-step user's guide. A 1-day seminar called Using the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO) Toolkit, geared to prekindergarten teachers, supervisors, program staff, and researchers, is offered to groups of 5-20 by the Education Development Center.

A 1- or 2-day seminar based on the Ladders to Literacy program called Teaching Early Literacy Skills to All Children: An Activity-Based Curriculum, geared to general and special education preschool and kindergarten teachers and related professionals, is offered for a fee to groups of 20 or more by co-author Angela Novari-Syverson.

A 1- or 2-day seminar based on the Ladders to Literacy program called Teaching Early Literacy Skills to All Children: An Activity-Based Curriculum, geared to general and special education preschool and kindergarten teachers and related professionals, is offered to groups of 20 or more by co-author Angela Novari-Syverson.

A 1- to 5-day seminar called Boosting Beginning Reading Instruction with Phonemic Awareness in Just 15 Minutes a Day, geared to early childhood general and special educators and administrators, is offered to groups of 10-50 by Susan Lowell, M.A., an educational therapist specializing in diagnosis and remediation of reading difficulties.

A 1- to 2-day seminar called Teaching Phonological Awareness to Individuals or Small Groups, geared to kindergarten and first-grade teachers, and reading specialists, is offered to groups of 10-50 by Rochella Black, M.S., co-author of Road to the Code, Susan Lowell, M.A., reading difficulties specialist, and Maria S. Murray, M.S, a learning disabilities specialist.