The ongoing reading crisis in the United States necessitates a shift toward instructional practices that are firmly grounded in empirical research. This manuscript critiques the use of Alphabetic Phonics, not only for its reliance on multisensory techniques but also for its incorporation of instructional features that contradict the principles of…

The decline of academic achievement during summer is well documented and can result in a one-month loss of skills acquired during the school year. Summer slide can further contribute to a widening gap between low and high achieving readers. This instrumental case study explored a summer class for adolescent readers labeled as struggling.…

This project took place at four Montana middle and high schools in three rural settings located across the state. Study participants included students and teachers located in four middle and high schools. Each of the schools had large percentages of struggling readers, American Indian students, English learners, and low-income students. Comparison…

This is the first of two papers that explore a role that occupational therapy can play in supporting children with reading challenges. Part I presents the grounding framework for an occupation and participation approach to reading intervention (OPARI) and serves to introduce the clinical application of the approach presented in Part II. In this…

Bilingual programs continue to expand in school districts across the United States to address the growing numbers of students whose home language is other than English. The Response to Intervention (RTI) framework was used to guide this qualitative study, the purpose of which was to identify the extent to which the five elements of RTI exist in…

This report presents early findings from the Enhanced Reading Opportunities (ERO) study--a demonstration and rigorous evaluation of two supplemental literacy programs that aim to improve the reading comprehension skills and school performance of struggling ninth-grade readers. focuses on the first of two cohorts of ninth-grade students who will…

Presents a literacy intervention program driven by an affective component which addresses the emotional and social needs of children exhibiting difficulty acquiring literacy skills. Notes that Affective Literacy Instruction (AFLIT) is based upon the premise that many children who have experienced failure are very likely to also experience a…

Reports a survey of nine northern Illinois high schools on provisions for retarded readers. Information is presented on course structures, admission policies, grading, class management, and instructional materials. Conclusions are drawn about criteria for a successful high school remedial reading program. (SJL)

This article describes PHAST (for Phonological and Strategy Training), a research-based remedial reading program that focuses on the primary obstacles to word identification learning and independent decoding that most students with reading disabilities face and the steps necessary to help these children achieve independent reading skills.…

Five popular, but distinctly different, remedial reading programs were reviewed regarding the potential to motivate children to read. It is argued that current remedial reading program designs and research on program effectiveness ignore the impact that motivation has on struggling readers. In addition, we develop a theory of reading motivation…

This article outlines the Schoolwide Reading Improvement Model (SRIM), a model characterized by the strategic integration of research-based practices in assessment, instructional design, and beginning reading instruction. A description of each major stage of the SRIM is provided, along with an example of its application in an Oregon school…

This article addresses two sets of organizing principles to guide prevention and intervention in beginning reading: (1) the complexity in our alphabetic writing system, and (2) the complexity in our schools. The first set is related to instructional design, while the second set is related to a schoolwide model. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study focused on designing and implementing a reading program based on modified Reading Recovery programs. The student selected to be worked with made excellent gains and was the second strongest reader of all students observed in the study. Without question, the student functioned at a level equal to the middle of the class and her learning…

A team of three educators developed and implemented a reading improvement program for first through sixth grade students who displayed discrepancies between their reading achievement and reading abilities. The program involved 283 underachieving students at seven elementary schools. The goal of the program was to provide intervention strategies…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a project designed to investigate the sustainability of two federally funded intervention programs by school staff. The first, Eastlake High School Inclusion Program, implemented processes and instructional interventions designed to support the full inclusion of students with disabilities…