NICHD Research: Setting the Record Straight
NRRF Note: The following review of Gerald Coles' new book attacking NICHD and NICHD researchers was done by a respected non-NICHD researcher. The book, Misreading Reading: The Bad Science That Hurts Children, is being promoted widely and aggressively by the IRA, NCTE, and the WL communities. We are posting the review to set the record straight in an objective manner.
Straw Men and Very Misleading Reading: A Review of Misreading Reading
by Louise Spear-Swerling
"This customizable easy to use toolbar (See the toolbar in action in its video tour) seamlessly integrates with familiar applications including Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, and Adobe Reader, allowing students to access the support tools they need from within mainstream software programs. It highlights and reads text aloud using natural sounding voices and also includes a comprehensive set of support tools for reading, writing, studying, research, and test taking.
Read&Write GOLD allows teachers to provide the differentiated instruction that is necessary to meet the needs of diverse student populations and ensure that all students reach their potential and achieve success. "
"The Reading Classroom Explorer (RCE) is a hypermedia environment which contains video clips of reading classrooms, transcripts, questions to ponder, further reading resources, and an interactive notebook. The video footage of exemplary teachers teaching reading drives users' inquiries. We hope that RCE broadens teachers' opportunities to observe children and teachers from different cultural backgrounds, environments, and theoretical perspectives. "