The authors examine the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP; 2008) report from two complementary vantage points: (a) the historical tradition of research syntheses in reading research, beginning with Chall and extending through the NELP report, and (b) other recent attempts to examine or synthesize early reading development. While acknowledging the care and precision that characterized the work, the authors of this response raise concerns about the reluctance of the NELP authors to contextualize their findings in relation to both historical and contemporary efforts.
AdamsM. J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
2.
AlexanderK. L.EntwisleD. R.HorseyC. S. (1997). From first grade forward: Early foundations of high school dropout. Sociology of Education, 70(2), 87–107.
3.
AndersonR. C.HiebertE. H.ScottJ. A.WilkinsonI. A. G. (1985). Becoming a nation of readers: The report of the Commission on Reading. Champaign, IL: Center for the Study of Reading.
4.
BondG. L.DykstraR. (1967). The cooperative research program in first-grade reading instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 2, 5–142.
5.
California English/Language Arts Committee. (1999). English-language arts content standards for California public schools (kindergarten through grade twelve). Sacramento: California Department of Education.
6.
ChallJ. S. (1967). Learning to read: The great debate. New York: McGraw-Hill.
7.
CooperH. M.HedgesL. V. (Eds.). (1994). The handbook of research synthesis. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
8.
DentonK.WestJ. (2002). Children’s reading and mathematics achievement in kindergarten and first grade. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
9.
DurrellD. D.MurphyH. A. (1953). The auditory discrimination factor in readiness and reading ability. Education, 73, 556–560.
10.
EnsmingerM. E.SlusarcickA. L. (1992). Paths to high school graduation or dropout: A longitudinal study of a first-grade cohort. Sociology of Education, 65(2), 95–113.
11.
FrijtersJ. C.BarronR. W.BrunelloM. (2000). Direct and mediated influences of home literacy and literacy interest on prereaders’ oral vocabulary and early written language skill. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 466–477.
12.
GamseB. C.JacobR. T.HorstM.BoulayB.UnluF. (2008). Reading First Impact Study final report. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
13.
GatesA. I. (1940). A further evaluation of reading-readiness tests. Elementary School Journal, 40(8), 577–591.
14.
GlassG. V. (1976). Primary, secondary, and meta-analysis of research. Educational Researcher, 5(10), 3–8.
15.
GoldsteinL. S. (2007). Beyond the DAP versus standards dilemma: Examining the unforgiving complexity of kindergarten teaching in the United States. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22(1), 39–54.
16.
HansonR. A.FarrellD. (1995). The long-term effects on high school seniors of learning to read in kindergarten. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 908–933.
17.
HiebertE. H. (2008). The (mis)match between texts and students who depend on schools to become literate. In HiebertE. H.SailorsM. (Eds.), Finding the right texts for beginning and struggling readers: Research-based solutions (pp. 1–21). New York: Guilford.
18.
InvernizziM.JusticeL.LandrumT.BookerK. (2004). Early literacy screening in kindergarten: Widespread implementation in Virginia. Journal of Literacy Research, 36(4), 479–500.
19.
JacksonR.McCoyA.PistorinoC.WilkinsonA.BurghardtJ.ClarkM.. (2007). National evaluation of Early Reading First: Final report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.
20.
JohnsonD. D.PearsonP. D. (1975). Skills management systems: A critique. Reading Teacher, 28(8), 757–764.
21.
JuelC. (1988). Learning to read and write: A longitudinal study of fifty-four children form first through fourth grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 437–447.
22.
LeeJ.GriggW. S.DonahueP. L. (2007). The nation’s report card: Reading 2007 (NCES 2007–496). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
23.
LeeV. E.Brooks-GunnJ.SchnurE.LiawF. (1990). Are Head Start effects sustained? A longitudinal follow-up comparison of disadvantaged children attending Head Start, no preschool, and other preschool programs. Child Development, 61(2), 495–507.
24.
LoniganC. J.SchatschneiderC.WestbergL. (2008). Impact of code-focused interventions on young children’s early literacy skills. In National Early Literacy Panel, Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (pp. 107–151). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at http://www.nifl.gov/earlychildhood/NELP/NELPreport.html
25.
LoniganC. J.ShanahanT. (2008). Executive summary of the report of the National Early Literacy Panel. In National Early Literacy Panel, Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (pp. v–xii). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at http://www.nifl.gov/earlychildhood/NELP/NELPreport.html
26.
MessickS. (1989). Validity. In LinnR. L. (Ed.), Educational measurement (3rd ed., pp. 13–103). New York: Macmillan and the American Council on Education.
27.
MolfeseV.WestbergL. (2008). Impact of preschool and kindergarten programs on young children’s early literacy skills. In National Early Literacy Panel, Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (pp. 189–209). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at http://www.nifl.gov/earlychildhood/NELP/NELPreport.html
28.
National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
29.
National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at ttp://www.nifl.gov/earlychildhood/NELP/NELPreport.html
30.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Pub. No. 00–4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
31.
ParisS. G. (2005). Reinterpreting the development of reading skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(2), 184–202.
32.
PearsonP. D. (1999). Essay book reviews: A historically based review of Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Reading Research Quarterly, 2(34), 231–246.
33.
PerkinsD. N. (2008). Making learning whole: How seven principles of teaching can transform education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
34.
PrinceD. L.HareR. D.HowardE. M. (2001). Longitudinal effects of kindergarten. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 16(1), 15–27.
35.
ShanahanT. (2000). Research synthesis: Making sense of the accumulation of knowledge in reading. In KamilM. L.MosenthalP. B.PearsonP. D.BarrR. (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3, pp. 209–226). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
36.
SnowC. E.BurnsM. S.GriffinP. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
37.
Texas Education Agency. (1997). Proclamation of the State Board of Education advertising for bids on textbooks. Austin, TX: Author.
38.
ZorinskyE. (1986). Amendment #2202 to the Human Services Reauthorization Act (Public Law 99–425). Washington, DC: U.S. Congress.
