What Do the Experts Say?: Helping Children Learn to Read

As the reading wars rage on, Rona Flippo brings us hopeful news from the front: "Even though there are numerous differences in perspectives among reading experts, some of whom have been pitted against each other by the media during the 'Wars,' they still do agree on some commonly held ideas and beliefs about contexts and practices for teaching reading in today's schools." Now, in this timely and important volume, Flippo reveals the common ground she uncovered during a decade of repeated interviews and written communications with top reading experts–including Ed Fry, P. David Pearson, and Yetta Goodman.

In What Do the Experts Say?, anyone who has been affected by the phonics versus whole language debates, which means all of us, will find a thorough and well-balanced presentation of the basic arguments that have fired the controversy. In exploring these issues, Flippo insightfully underscores the critical need for some agreement. Next, she presents the Expert Study itself, with essential information about the various participants and study methods. The areas of agreement are then analyzed and interpreted, but here the book moves beyond the theoretical into the real world, with practicing teachers sharing their own views and classroom experiences.

In keeping with the book's productive, practical emphasis, the author concludes with a synthesis of all the book's messages and invites readers to participate in a follow-up study designed to give classroom teachers and other school professionals an equal voice. Because ultimately, only when practitioners join the conversation about how best to support developing readers, will they be empowered to make the decisions that are shaping literacy education today.