ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the research base underpinning literacy content and pedagogical content strategies which informed the design of the classroom instructional program for literacy. It presents the research on the essential skills of reading. It also discusses the theory and practice of writing and its role in reading development. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) authors were careful to point out that phonemic awareness training alone was not enough to constitute a full reading program. Rather, it should be regarded as foundational knowledge and integrated into a balanced literacy program. The NRP found evidence that guided oral reading that included explicit feedback from teachers, peers, or parents had a significant impact on word recognition, fluency, and comprehension across a range of grade levels, regardless of whether the student was a good or poor reader. The daily immersion in authentic reading and writing creates a sense of belonging to a literate community and promotes the social dimension of literacy.
