This special issue was a joint effort of two Educational Researcher (ER) editorial teams, including former ER editors, led by Greg Camilli. Current ER associate editor Deborah Dillon and her editorial colleagues then partnered with Anne McGill-Franzen and Timothy Shanahan to oversee the manuscript review and revision process. In the introduction, McGill-Franzen provides the rationale for a critical examination of the National Early Literacy Panel report, in particular the implications of this important research synthesis for the development of policy in early literacy. She also establishes a context for each of the commentary pieces that follow.
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DailA. R.PayneR. L. (2010). Recasting the role of family involvement in early literacy development: A response to the NELP report. Educational Researcher, 39, 330–333.
3.
DickinsonD. K.GolinkoffR. M.Hirsh-PasekK. K. (2010). Speaking out for language: Why language is central to reading development. Educational Researcher, 39, 305–310.
4.
EdwardsP. (2003). Children’s literacy development: Making it happen through school, family, and community involvement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
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GamseB. C.JacobR. T.HorstM.BoulayB.UnluF. (2008). Reading First impact study: Final report (NCEE 2009-4038). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
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GutiérrezK. D.RogoffB. (2003). Cultural ways of learning: Individual traits or repertoires of practice. Educational Researcher, 32(5), 19–25.
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GutiérrezK. D.ZepedaM.CastroD. C. (2010). Advancing early literacy learning for all children: Implications of the NELP report for dual-language learners. Educational Researcher, 39, 334–339.
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LoniganC. J.ShanahanT. (2010). Developing early literacy skills: Things we know we know and things we know we don’t know. Educational Researcher, 39, 340–346.
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McGill-FranzenA.AllingtonR.YokoiL.BrooksG. (1999–2000). Putting books in the room seems necessary but not sufficient. Journal of Educational Research, 93(2), 67–74.
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McGill-FranzenA.LanfordC.AdamsE. (2002). Learning to be literate: A comparison of five urban preschools. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(3), 443–464.
11.
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.
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National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at http://www.nifl.gov/earlychildhood/NELP/NELPreport.html
13.
NeumanS. B. (2010). Lessons from my mother: Reflections on the National Early Literacy Panel report. Educational Researcher, 39, 301–304.
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NeumanS. B.CelanoD. (2006). The knowledge gap: Implications of leveling the playing field for low-income and middle-income children. Reading Research Quarterly, 41(2), 176–201.
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No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. No. 107-110, Title I, Part B, Subpart 1, 115 Stat. 1425 (2002).
16.
OrellanaM. F.D’warteJ. (2010). Recognizing different kinds of “Head Starts.”Educational Researcher, 39, 295–300.
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ParisS. G. (2005). Reinterpreting the development of reading skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(2), 184–202.
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ParisS. G.LuoS. W. (2010). Confounded statistical analyses hinder interpretation of the NELP report. Educational Researcher, 39, 316–322.
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PearsonP. D.HiebertE. H. (2010). National reports in literacy: Building a scientific base for practice and policy. Educational Researcher, 39, 286–294.
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PowellD. R.DiamondK. E.BojczykK. E.GerdeH. K. (2008). Head Start teachers’ perspectives on early literacy. Journal of Literacy Research, 40(4), 422–460.
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SchatschneiderC.LoniganC. L. (2010). Misunderstood statistical assumptions undermine criticism of the National Early Literacy Panel’s report. Educational Researcher, 39, 347–351.
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SchickedanzJ. A.McGeeL. M. (2010). The NELP report on shared story reading interventions (chapter 4): Extending the story. Educational Researcher, 39, 323–329.
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ShanahanT.LoniganC. J. (2010). The National Early Literacy Panel: A summary of the process and the report. Educational Researcher, 39, 279–285.
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SnowC.van HemelS. (Eds.) (2008). Early childhood assessment: Why, what, and how. Washington, DC: National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences.
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TealeW. H.HoffmanJ.PacigaK. A. (2010). Where is NELP leading preschool literacy instruction? Potential positives and pitfalls. Educational Researcher, 39, 311–315.
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TealeW. H.PacigaK.HoffmanJ. (2007). Beginning reading instruction in urban schools: The curriculum gap insures a continuing achievement gap. Reading Teacher, 61, 344–348.
27.
WhitehurstG. J.LoniganC. J. (2001). Emergent literacy: Development from prereaders to readers. In NeumanS. B.DickinsonD. (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy development (pp. 11–29). New York: Guilford.
