“Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print” by Marilyn Jager Adams

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The current research study is based on the summary “Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print” written by Marilyn Jager Adams. The reading instruction is analyzed with a view to different methods and approaches suchlike logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic. Such aspects as the impact on reading instruction and implications for reading instruction in the classroom are discussed in the research study as well as phonics instruction. Children should be encouraged to read aloud and recite what they understood from the print. Apprehension of information should be basic for reading instruction; recognizing letters and differentiating them from phonemes improves the process of reading.

A brief outline of the studies	Words and Meaning An age-old problem Contemporary crisis Research about Readers Skillful readers Young children Young Children: First steps in Reading Methods and approaches Spelling, writing, and reading
Summary of the research findings	The summary “Beginning To Read: Thinking and Learning about Print” presented by Marilyn Jager Adams is a work evaluating and analyzing different approaches to the study of the most appropriate methods to the process of reading, learning how to read, and reading skillfully. The current work discussed the effectiveness of the reading methods introduced into the educational system of the United States. The young children learn how to read with the help of the alphabetic method which is based on an alphabet where definite symbols (letters) have corresponding sounds in the phonetics of the language. So, the phonics instruction presupposes that a young child should learn the letters (print symbol) and sounds that correspond to a definite letter. Then the sounds are composed into words and phrases. The ‘four processors’ aspect of acquiring knowledge and beginning to read allowed differentiating between print and speech. Thereby, when children see the print text, they comprehend it through the orthographic processor, then associate the print symbols with corresponding sounds through the phonological processor, decide on the meaning, and comprehend the context of the whole print text.
Impact on reading instruction	It is necessary to teach children about the differences between print texts and oral speech. The reading instruction should include information on phonemes that are expressions of words in speech. Phonics instruction can be used as well as before, though the balance between reading words and apprehending meaningful texts should be reached.
Implications for reading instruction in the classroom	Children should be taught to associate letters with sounds (phonemes), apprehend the meaning of meaningful prints as well as speech, and guess about appropriate meanings for words in the text from its context. There is no need for children to take tests that are aimed at matching letters and sounds. Writing and spelling activities should be practiced for developing reading skills. The practice of recognizing letters should be considered basic for phonics instruction.

There are different methods of presenting information that can be read and understood; these methods include logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic ones. When a skillful reader reads a print, he or she understands the information effortlessly without thinking hard about the meaning of separate words because the context helps to create the overall image of the print message. When a child is aware of the meaning of letters, recognizes them well, and is capable of reading and understanding phrases as well as separate words, he/she is believed to acquire information quickly.

Reference

Stahl, Steven A. (1990). “ Beginning To Read: Thinking and Learning about Print” by Marilyn Jager Adams. A Summary. Web.