Language and Literacy: Mediating Reading Problems in a Communicative Context

The purpose of this paper is to describe how Trevor, a student who failed first grade because he didn\u27t attain minimal reading skills according to school standards, learned to read during his second year in first grade. We believe that this description of Trevor\u27s program will contribute to the understanding of how oral and written language impact on literacy attainment. We describe (a) Trevor\u27s school history and problems that were noted in his folder prior to his second year in first grade, and (b) Trevor\u27s success in learning to read and write in a program that encouraged his use of language and comprehension strategies. Samples of his writing illustrate how Trevor\u27s increased participation in the writing process enhanced his ability to build connections between meaning and print