Research reveals that after age 9 children have an extremely difficult time improving their reading abilities. Teaching young children the basic skills for reading-which is the gateway to learning-is the focus of a number of popular publications that offer research­based practices for educators, parents and child­care providers, including:

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, the landmark 1998 report of the National Research Council, synthesizes the wealth of research on early reading development. It examines the factors that put children at risk of poor reading and makes recommendations for effective instruction for the preschool and early grades, along with effective approaches to dialects and bilingualism. Hard copies are available at a cost through the National Academy Press by calling 1-­800-­624-­6242.

Another publication by the National Research Council, Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children's Reading Success, provides specific recommendations from America's leading researchers on how to help children become successful readers. It suggests, for example, that preschool teachers developing children's oral language skills make a "Personal Experiences Center," where young children can talk with teachers about events in their lives and record their experiences. A hard copy can also be purchased through the National Academy Press.

Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able To Do explores the state of teacher preparation in reading. This report of the American Federation of Teachers reviews the reading research and describes the knowledge base that is essential for teacher candidates and practicing teachers to master if they are to be successful in teaching all children to read well. A hard copy is available at a cost by calling 202­879­4400.

An online version of the publications listed above, along with additional resources on reading, can be downloaded from the U.S. Department of Education's Web site at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/reading_resources.html.