Extensive reading has been continuously studied as a promising instructional method for improving students' language proficiency, including reading proficiency, vocabulary acquisition, and grammar awareness. The present study is a meta-analysis, which synthesized the data of 21 empirical studies (N = 1268). It was designed to explore whether…

English learners with learning disabilities (LD) have well-documented difficulties comprehending text. This study examined the effects of an intensive reading intervention (Reading Intervention for Adolescents [RIA]) on reading outcomes (word reading, vocabulary, and comprehension) for ninth-grade ELs with LD (n = 85). In the RIA, students…

This study investigated the efficacy of the Fluency Development Lesson (FDL) in improving reading achievement in primary grade struggling readers. 30 readers, enrolled in a summer reading clinic, participated in daily 40-min mini-reading lessons across 5 weeks. During the fluency lessons, readers practiced and developed their literacy skills…

With an increasing percentage of schools moving toward approaches to data-based instructional problem-solving and early remediation of learning difficulties, the development and execution of intervention plans often warrants the pragmatic question: How intensive should an intervention be so that it is effective, while also feasible and time…

We use three data sources to build a rationale for why intensive interventions are necessary for students with pervasive reading disabilities: current data on the performance of students with disabilities on reading achievement measures over time, observation studies on students with reading disabilities in general and special education…

Students, who are at risk of academic failure, are reading and achieving below their grade level yet the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act requires that all students perform on or above grade level. Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Education Program (NAEP) showed that 37% of fourth graders across the United States are reading below grade…

This paper discusses a study undertaken to examine the contributions of quantity and quality of instruction to reading achievement. Models of school learning by Wiley and Harnischfeger (W-H) were used in this study. The study sample consisted of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who had complete data on the major variables under consideration and…

This paper investigates the proper length of instruction in various curriculum areas. The 17th century educator, Johann Amos Comenius, believed that a teacher should be careful not to present too much for a child to learn. A review of the research shows that there are no clear and ironclad answers. Some studies have shown that large deficits in…

This paper reports findings of research done concerning the productivity of types of classroom reading instruction in a sample of New York State elementary classrooms. Data was gathered from approximately 5,800 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in five New York State school districts during the spring semester of the 1974-75 school year. The…

Recent research by Smith and Glass indicates that academic achievement is often correlated with class size. Findings from the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study suggest that teachers can do a better job with smaller classes partly because they are able to individualize instruction. Yet the possibility of reducing class size significantly is…

This study investigated former students' perceptions of their past studies at the University of Kansas' Applied English Center (AEC). Sixty-one former AEC full-time students who had proven English proficiency since 1983 were interviewed using a questionnaire with 25 open-ended questions. The interviews focused on general program satisfaction,…