Reading Instruction Revisited - Editor's Note - Editorial

School Administrator, Jan, 2002

When this magazine last took an extensive look at how schools teach reading (September 1997), the war between the phonics and whole language camps still was raging. In the intervening years, the name-calling and polarizing language have subsided as many educators have rallied behind two major research reviews on the best methods for teaching reading to children.

In this month's issue, you will find several references to the work of the National Reading Panel and the Committee for the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children in the context of how school leaders are applying the latest thinking to districtwide practices and policies. Both reports stress the need for balanced and motivating literacy instruction and strongly recommend the research be guided by preservice and in-service teacher education.

Several articles here dwell on the in-service needs. You'll find a discussion of the Balanced Literacy Diet by Dale Willows, who was a member of the National Reading Panel, and the routes to reading fluency being pursued by two quite different school districts in Washington state.

In his Executive Perspective column this month, Paul Houston says it's time to end the excuses for failing to graduate every student with basic literacy skills. This is one ripe area for superintendents to assume an instructional leadership role.

We hope the offerings in the magazine this month will help you fulfill that important mission.

Jay P. Goldman

Voice: 703-875-0745

E-mail: jgoldman@aasa.org