Introduction to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Reading First -- Research-based practices for oral language development -- Prekindergarten literacy : phonemes and phonemic kindergarten awareness -- Phonics : the building blocks of literacy -- Vocabulary development : powerful instruction for reading success -- Achieve and measure reading fluency : expanding the opportunity -- Comprehension instruction : scientifically validated effective methods -- Independent reading and shared reading of trade books -- Making students writing come alive : strategies for teaching writing -- Metacognition : monitoring strategies to enhance reading comprehension -- Including parents as true partners.