The Reading First Initiative supports the importance of classroom teachers' use of diagnostic tests that are "scientifically based." This article focuses on the new assessment known as DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. DIBELS is composed of the following subtests: phonological awareness (recognizing initial…

Using a newly developed 6-week course, a study examined the effect of children's literature on the reading attitude and fluency of secondary remedial students. Subjects were 10 tenth- through twelfth-grade students enrolled in a central Washington State alternative high school for students who dropped out of regular high school but who still…

The situation with regards to reading performance in Washington State is similar to that in many other states. Although student performance in reading has improved somewhat over the past four years, too many students continue to fall below state standards. In response to poor test scores and to the outpouring of research on early reading…