Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read (Kindergarten Through Grade 3)

This booklet is part of the Partnership for Reading, a collaborative effort by the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, and the NICHD to bring the findings of evidence-based reading research to those with an interest in helping all people learn to read well. The booklet, which is based on the findings of the National Reading Panel, describes the findings of the National Reading Panel, provides analysis and discussion of reading instruction, and suggests implications for the classroom.

This guide, designed by teachers for teachers, summarizes what researchers have discovered about how to successfully teach children to read. It describes the findings of the National Reading Panel Report and provides analysis and discussion in five areas of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Each section defines the skill, reviews the evidence from research, suggests implications for classroom instruction, describes proven strategies for teaching reading skills, and addresses frequently raised questions.